Sam Raimi does right by me!

Rating: Null/10 (15 July 2002)

Spider Man is not a great movie, but it is very well done. Director Sam Raimi is the true star. He recognizes that character development is just as important as Peter Parker being able to swing through Manhattan. I can count on one hand how many movies based on comic books that are more concerned about blowing things up and showing off what the superheroes can do, than in making the audience give a damn about the person behind the mask. Tim Burton gave it whirl in the original Batman but Raimi does it better because it is when Spider Man is his geeky alter ego trying to win the heart of Mary Jane is when this movie is at its best. We like Parker because he's ridiculously ordinary and we immediately identify with him and his plight. We want him to get the girl. He's down-to-earth and funny, not some macho guy with a body like a pro wrestler. He's the guy that everybody remembers from high school. He could use his gift to get anything he wants (including Mary Jane), but he doesn't. It's who he is as a person AND as a superhero that makes him and ultimately the movie, so popular. Interestingly enough, the movie is somewhat of a letdown from a special effects standpoint. However Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco (has this quiet intensity that I really admired) and Willem Dafoe do such a great job of bringing the story to life that you can forgive Raimi for the less-than-special special effects. Just make up for it one the next one! 8.5 out of 10