Excellent and true to the real story

Rating: 9/10 (3 May 2002)

I expected this movie to be good after seeing the incredibly real web-swinging in the trailer. It was actually BETTER than I'd thought it would be. The spidey effects are fantastic, of course. But the story was also engrossing. It follows VERY closely the original comic book story, with just a few minor changes.
The characters in this movie - as is generally the case with Marvel characters - are real and you can relate to them. Tobey Maguire (who I still believe is too short to play Spidey) was pretty good as Peter Parker. Dunst was excellent as Mary Jane. Willem Dafoe was fine but the costume they stuck him in as the Green Goblin was criminally bad; you couldn't see anything of him except his mouth - very lame. J Jonah Jameson was portrayed very well; VERY funny.
The special effects here were simply great. The web-spinning, cameras moving with Spidey, and especially the costume will leave the TRUE Spiderman fans happy. There are Spiderman moves that are IDENTICAL to the original cartoon moves, only better; and moving camera angles that give a really exciting view of his work as he swings through New York.
Great movie top to bottom. 9/10.