Sam Raimi's Vision is Our Vision...

Rating: Null/10 (4 May 2002)

The long and tumultuous wait for Spider-Man's journey to the silver screen has paid off in the most satisfying way since perhaps Richard Donner's Superman in 1978.
Peter Parker has always had a rough ride in both of his alter egos, and his path to cinematic success is no different. But, as a lifelong Spidey fan from the 60s cartoons to the 80s Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends to over a decade of reading the Marvel Comics, I must say it was well worth the wait.
Spider-Man is Sam Raimi's homage to a beloved childhood idol, and brings home the message that with the right talent, an actually good film based of comic book material can be made.
Nearly a decade of Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and John Romita, Sr.'s work is condensed into a taut, well-paced two hours of action, suspense, and a real romance. Tobey Maguire, no one's first choice, IS Peter Parker and his web-slinging secret identity, and will no doubt, for good or bad, be forever defined and associated with Spider-Man. He fleshes out an already realistic character in a wonderful, sometimes tearful, way. We feel Peter's pain and are overjoyed by his triumphs in and out of Spidey's colorful costume.
Willem Dafoe, of course, does a spectacular job as science mogul Norman Osborn, and his fractured, insane alter ego, the Green Goblin. Dafoe brings a brutal physicality to the Goblin that makes him awesome and terrifying at the same time. Dafoe's Green Goblin is a true super-villain, willing and pleased to do his own dirty work, and not hiding behind henchmen like Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor or Jack Nicholson's Joker.
Kirsten Dunst is excellent as Mary Jane Watson, the object of Peter's affection, and while on display for her physical assets, brings a great deal of depth to another tortured character. The supporting cast all perform remarkably despite miniscule screen time, particularly James Franco as Harry Osborn, Rosemary Harris as the frail but dutiful Aunt May, the legendary Cliff Robertson as Uncle Ben, and J.K. Simmons, who steals the show as Daily Bugle publisher, J. Jonah Jameson, Peter's boss and Spider-Man's constant pain in the neck. Cliff Robertson's Uncle Ben evokes Glenn Ford's Jonathan Kent in Superman, instilling in his pseudo-son the immortal lesson "With great power comes great responsibility."
It was hard not to get misty when seeing Spidey finally swing across the skyline on the screen. For many of Spider-Man's long time fans, this film is a triumph for a character long deserving of wider acclaim. I can only say, Thank you Mr. Raimi, Sony, and Marvel Comics. Keep 'em coming!
Highest recommendation!