Great rendition of one of my fave heroes

Rating: 10/10 (4 May 2002)

The effects are amazing, mostly because they look so real and blend in seamlessly with the real world. You really do get the sense that this is happening in the real New York City, not some half-hearted rip-off of it. The story is right out of the comic books, but plays well. The cast were excellent. Tobey Maguire nails the part of Peter Parker, Willem Dafoe brings great depth and a little sympathy to the confused Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, and Kirsten Dunst brings Mary Jane to life much better than I thought she would. Some of the supporting players are also great, especially J.K. Simmons' J. Jonah Jameson. Perfect casting. They waste no time getting right into the story, and the origin sequence is as good as any you'll find in a comic book. The only changes made to the various minutiae of the comic world are for the better or hardly noticeable. Sam Raimi is not only a huge Spider-man fan, but a smart one as well. This is clearly a labor of love for him, and he makes it look cool, too. If he directs the sequels, I can't wait for more! This ranks up there as the best superhero movie yet. Nuff said.