Sam Raimi pulled it off folks.

Rating: 8/10 (20 June 2002)

The Spider-Man movie is one of those unique comic book adaptations that fulfill all of the fans expectations and will undoubtedly please just about everyone who sees it. After seeing what Raimi did with Marvel Comics wall-crawling superhero, I doubt that even James Cameron himself could have done better.
Benefiting from four decades worth of comic book stories that have been told, Raimi and screenwriter David Koepp know what works and what doesn't when crafting the cinematic version of Spider-Man's origin. Indeed, it's a testament to the filmmakers' faith and love for the source material that so much of the movie's character arcs and plot points are borrowed directly from the comic books. If you're a fan of Spidey you'll be able to pick up on the many recognizable situations sprinkled throughout the movie. If not, don't worry. It won't affect your enjoyment one bit.
Placed front-and-center in the hero's role, Tobey Maguire does a great job of giving a face to teenage science geek Peter Parker, as well as the wiseass mannerism of Spider-Man. Maguire may not have been the most likely actor to leap into my mind when I thought about who should put on the blue and red spandex costume, but damn it if the kid doesn't play the perfect Peter...and any comic fan worth his weight will tell you that's way more important to nail than filling out the Spider suit (evident in the Batman series.)
The same holds true for Willem Dafoe who nails the unenviable task of playing Norman Osborne and his maniacal alter ego The Green Goblin. In lesser hands the Goblin could have easily been a watered down version of Jack Nicholson's Joker from Batman. Instead, Dafoe gives a crackling vibrant energy in his scenes as Spidey's nemesis, and any reservations I had about the Guyver-like Goblin costume were dispelled once Dafoe's Goblin hit his stride and started cackling his torments to his victims.
While no one will ever argue that Kristen Dunst isn't lovely to look at as Mary Jane, Peter/Spider-Man's love interest, really there's not much to her part. If there's a weakness the movie version of Spider-Man has it comes from her acting, and her character not serving much of a purpose except to serve as Peter's unrequited love and float from boyfriend to boyfriend. I'm hoping that MJ will have more to do in the sequel, and perhaps some much needed acting lessons. Maybe a little romantic tension from a secondary love interest for Peter, like comic book hotties Gwen Stacy or Betty Brant, or maybe even someone pining for Spidey, such as Felicia Hardy/Black Cat, would definitely stir the pot. Incidentally, I read somewhere that the decision to shorten Mary Jane's name to MJ for this movie was based on the fact that Mary Jane is universally recognized as another name for marijuana, and we can't be having that in a kids movie now can we.
The remainder of the cast shines in their supporting roles. Rosemary Harris and Cliff Robertson play a perfect Aunt May and Uncle Ben while J.K. Simmons manages to steal every scene he's in as Peter's Daily Bugle boss J. Jonah Jameson. As Harry Osborne, James Franco does a great job, an awesome job, of playing a best friend and a tormented son. After watching his final scene in this film, I'd like to change my vote from seeing villains like The Lizard or Doctor Octopus in the sequel to instead bringing Franco back and give him the spotlight as the next big bad guy Spider-Man faces. He does, after all, turn into the Hob Goblin.
The special effects do an outstanding job of showing us the concrete canyons Spider-Man swings through. Moments such as the first time Peter experiments with swinging left to right down a city street, or when he crawls up a wall for the first time, or the webbing he leaves behind are all executed brilliantly. This is the stuff all the fans have been dreaming about seeing. If you were worried the CGI would look CGI-ish, it does. But don't worry, you won't be disappointed.
Other than Dunst's bad acting, the only part that disappointed me about this much anticipated film was the fact that it was decided to keep Spiderman's original red and blue suit. Ugh. Look what Tim Burton did to Batman, and how it helped, if not completely change, the idea of a comic book hero being real. It was hard to watch this `hero' run around in his pajamas, and believe me; I had pajamas EXACTLY like those. Should have gave him a black outfit, or at least a redesigned one.
Spider-Man is a wonderful delight, the first real blockbuster of this summer. Sam Raimi remained absolutely true to the spirit of the character but was smart enough to know what aspects needed to be re-forged into the film's story.