Cool!

Rating: 8/10 (14 July 2002)

This is the big event movie' of the year very exciting because everyone has heard of Spider Man the comic book hero who started life as high school geek Peter Parker and became a crime-fighter after he was bitten by a radioactive spider. The only previous comic book adaptations I have cared for are Superman' and Batman'. I was never a comic book reader and I do not care whether these films bear any resemblance to the original comics. All I want is to be entertained and my only question before seeing this film was does it live up to the hype?
What makes Spider Man stand out from other big budget blockbusters is that time is spent on providing the background of the hero turning him into a character you can sympathise with and therefore one who is worth rooting for. As Peter comes to terms with the idea that his wrists are capable of projecting a web-like substance and before he learns how to control his super-hero powers, he does what you or I would have learnt from watching cartoons as a kid you point your hands forward and shout Go web!' At first, he is confused by the fact that his glasses suddenly makes his vision blurry and fascinated by his new muscular physique.
Tobey Maguire in the lead role ups his hunk status and gives a likeable and endearing performance. The love story of Peter's crush on his neighbour Mary Jane is sweet but never corny and this is credit to Kirsten Dunst who is both appealing and convincing in her role. Willem Dafoe as the scientist Norman Osborn and his alter-ego, Green Goblin makes for an effective villain although I am still bewildered as to why Norman becomes the Green Goblin in the first place!
Inevitably, there will be sequels to come and only time will tell whether these will become as tiresome as the Batman' sequels. In the meantime, I suggest that you enjoy the original: Spider-Man' is great summer entertainment which successfully combines humour and action.