Good portrayal of a classic figure in comic book history

Rating: 7/10 (4 December 2004)

I found myself reluctant to go to the theater and see this film because of its franchise possibilities and overall questioning of the film-maker's motives on making this film. I think it hit people hard as a hero film for the modern day, post-9/11 crowd who felt that there needs to be a figure who stands for hope and overcoming obstacles. Also Marvel Films needed a comic movie about a classic character to move their ideas forward after stirring endlessly about their idea to do the Fantastic Four film.
I thought that Toby Maguire did a great job as the innocent, boyish Peter Parker whose obstacles were overcome through the (un)fortunate bite of a rare spider (which the film makes seem unbelievable) which allows him to mature both physically and mentally much faster. After a ton of things happen to those he loves throughout the film, he grows up much faster than he ever thought and learns to take on these responsibilities of society to the utmost degree by becoming the hero for the city (which I believe is New York City). When his best friend's father develops a performance-enhancing process that changes him into the much-feared Green Goblin, Maguire's Spiderman has to juggle those that he loves, hates, and is obliged to save from harm in the city.
Kirsten Dunst played the lovable Mary Jane (too bad Rick James couldn't license his song for the movie...that would've been funny.) She plays the sappy love-interest-role quite sappy indeed, but she's hot enough to get your mind off her acting. Willem Dafoe played a schizo-green goblin whose mind was torn between what was good for himself and what might potentially gain him solace for losing his company and lifestyle forever. Seeing J.K. Simmons as Mr. Jameson, the newspaper boss, was great because he looked like he always had in the comic book. He also respawned the attitude from the old 70's cartoon of spiderman as well.
Sam Raimi did a beautiful job directed this film, with all the twists and turns that Spiderman could achieve with the camera angles and everything. It confuses me how he was picked to be the director of this type of film after making hits like Evil Dead and Darkman, but he did a good job altogether. Danny Elfman's musical score was (and is) always great to hear...spooky and foreboding with a heroic standard sound built around every piece.
I don't like the fact that this character and movie just builds a basis on marketing and getting pop-songs out to the market (as this did with Nickelback's Chad Kroeger's song and Corey Taylor's song "Bother" which go success from this movie but was never played in the film). Also I wish they would've kept some of the older qualities to Spiderman and this movie, like keeping the old Green Goblin looking the same...I hate the metallic look. I didn't like the sappiness of the love story, but it was good to see a different take on the same man loving Mary Jane (Spiderman and Peter Parker).
I gave it a 7/10 because it's not a great film that needs to be remembered always, but it does have moments that make you appreciate what work went into it. It took balls to put this out because the industry sometimes gets saturated with these comic-book-to-movie ideas, but this is a classic character who needed his own film at sometime. Batman and Superman were done and overplayed, and now it's Spiderman's turn. If the director, composer, and actors stay the same, they'll have a hit for awhile, I think.