Delivers

Rating: Null/10 (15 June 2002)

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs
One of (if not the) most eagerly touted movies of the summer,Spider-Man's publicity campaign has certainly been huge.But does the film live up to expectations?Yes and no.
The film is based on a popular comic book of the same name,like predecessors Batman and Superman.And bearing this in mind,the plot bears true to a story found in a comic magazine,which may not make it particularly good on the big screen,but at least makes it faithful.And the acting is also really good and effecting.Tobey Maguire isn't particularly convincing as an action hero,but this doesn't matter because he spends the action sequences with his face covered by a mask anyway.Away from there,he delivers a tender and well emoted performance,as does Kirsten Dunst with her role as the sweet natured romantic interest.And William Dafoe wonderfully plays a sly,dastardly comic book villain with pizzaz.The area where the movie falls flat however,is with the dialogue ,which is really flat and uninspired.Nothing to rival the really drab fluent offerings in Attack of the Clones,but still a rather big hinderance to the film.
The thing that is impressive before you've even seen the movie is the Spiderman suit,which is actually something to rival the Robocop suit.And the special effects in general are rather mind blowing ,if being swung around a lot doesn't bother you.
Okay,so perhaps not as good as it could have been (or is made out to be),but it doesn't look like it will be one of the worst Summer blockbusters at all.****