The best superhero film of all time? Maybe

Rating: 8/10 (15 February 2003)

An extraordinary example of the superhero genre of action films -- it manages to create in the audience a sympathy with Peter Parker (Maguire), the high school student turned "Spider-Man", as well as a sense of shared, vicarious joy as spidey discovers his tremendous powers. The movie is fun and funny, Raimi providing a fast-moving arena for the excellently realized CGI spidey to do his tricks (just watching it made me want to go buy the game for X-box, but I haven't gotten around to it yet). He must face the Green Goblin, his classic foe, played to a 2-sided malicious tee by Dafoe, whose character doubles as a big-time weapons manufacturer. Dunst and Franco are merely adequate.
That rare kind of superhero film that left me itching for the sequel -- bring it on, Marvel!