The focus here was the transformation of Peter Parker an introverted guy without confidence, Spider-Man, whose powers were beginning to bring you great responsibilities

Rating: 7/10 (4 April 2020)

After the success of other characters in adaptations to the big screen, especially with X-Men (2000) director Bryan Singer, it is natural that other adaptations would come around. In 2002 came the turn of one of the great comic characters of winning his first adaptation: Spider-Man. And it would not be an easy task, since it is one of the most popular heroes, collector of millions of fans around the world, as popular as Batman and Superman, for example. The arachnid world's most famous first appeared in the magazine "Amazing Fantasy", in August 1962, in his 15th and final edition, and like other dozens of characters, Spider-Man was created by Stan Lee who was responsible for its creation and the concept of the first adventures of the superhero, while Steve Ditko, was assigned to be the principal designer, is also co-writer of several of the stories of Lee's Spider-Man.
Who first became interested in bringing the hero to the movies was the renowned director James Cameron (The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judment Day, Aliens), who wanted even to Leonardo Di Caprio embody the hero. But due to problems with the production and rights, Cameron just ever abandoned the desire for adaptation, especially when you got involved with "Titanic." What Cameron is one of the greatest in its function, and we have no doubt is an eternal curiosity for fans would be like to have him in charge of the adventure. Later it was revealed that the treatment of Cameron's script, which came to be delivered to executives, brought as a mixture of the main villains Kingpin with Electro, and the Sandman, and also proposing the controversial web launchers organic and constructed and show the hero's love interest, Mary Jane Watson, as a girl digger and depressed.
Luckily for fans, the script was discarded, but the ideas of Cameron still serve as the basis for a future definitive treatment given by the renowned director, writer and producer, David Koepp. The writer, who had big hits on his resume of movies, such as Jurassic Park (1993), Mission: Impossible (1996), Panic Room (2002), Carlito's Way (1993), made occasional changes in story of Cameron and finally delivered a script that was accepted by Sony.
With the script in place, began the task of finding a director. After probing names like Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) and David Fincher (Fight Club (1999)), was chosen Sam Raimi, director of the films low budget horror The Evil Dead (1981 and Army of Darkness (1992), and good thrillers The Gift (2000) and A Simple Plan (1998). Initially the director - even being declared fan of the Spider - did not seem to be the ideal choice, but the good work in the last two films mentioned earlier, led Sony to give a vote of confidence to the director. Choosing director to leave the movie with a villain and not two as was originally planned was not crucial to the hype on the screens.
Tobey Maguire was then called to live the great hero. The actor had already had good roles in movies such as the great Pleasantville (1998), Ride with the Devil (1999), Wonder Boys (2000), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas(1998), and The Cider House Rules ( 1999). Although at the time of filming the actor be 26 years, it ends well with a convincing teenage college by his appearance and especially for his acting ability. It also brought a dramatic maturity necessary for the character crafted by young and experienced actor, who once took off his career in Hollywood.
The script by David Koepp has as part of its inspiration the famous comic titled "The Death of Gwen Stacy" in the first girlfriend of Peter dies while being attacked by the Green Goblin, who played from atop the George Washington Bridge (although Drawing comics is of the Brooklyn Bridge) in New York. This was the basis for the entire climax of the film version. The script has, however, has a few caveats. In translating the comic to the big screen, one of the most bother the fans was the fact that Spider-Man shoot organic webs and not through a device designed by Peter Parker. It really takes away the scientific genius of Parker, which was not as well used as well in the movie, but the solution to be something organic is much better explained. If he was bitten by a genetically altered spider and acquired numerous other features like spider sense of danger determined, able to climb walls etc, because he could not have webs to be born, to come out of himself? An explanation is fully consistent with the reality of the character. Could be followed as in the comics, but the solution is no attack on the arachnid and not something badly explained or flee from the very well-known by all.
Another point of controversy is the apparition of Mary Jane and not Gwen Stacy, Liz Allen - who later became the wife of Harry Osborn - or even Betty Brant, the secretary editor J. J. Jameson at the Daily Bugle. However, as stated earlier, it is more known to the general public was chosen to be the face of her love. What was strange was put Mary Jane in situations - especially the climax of the film - instead of Gwen Stacy in the comics. An enigmatic scene in the comic was shown as the Queensboro bridge collapse caused by the Green Goblin, but as Mary Jane. Who knows the background story can bother a bit about it.
Leaving aside these two topics essential qualities script Koepp are many. Approaching the hero even more teenage audience, showing that in fact it could be anyone, not necessarily the strongest, but a shy boy, awkward, skinny, who wears glasses and who is not rich or powerful. Spider-Man is not just a powerful being who protects the city of criminals. It is also the Peter Parker, a young student who needs to work to survive and help his uncles home. It is the most humble and the most human of heroes with flaws and virtues, causing an easy and immediate identification with the audience.
David Koepp wrote the script for the film acts very different and interesting. Almost half of the film was to present Peter and how he became Spider-Man. By now the boy knew well and track changes in your body caused by genetic mutation is sensational. If at first he thought of making money with the powers, family tragedy, and posture to assume the responsibilities of his alter-ego fighting enemies that would arise were a radical change in the youth's life. The events are occurring with impressive fluidity, and occurs very gradually transforming Peter, causing torÃ§amos for him all the time. One of the virtues of the script and direction was perfectly balancing the action scenes in the novel. Who does not remember the iconic scene of kissing Mary Jane Spiderman upside down? And the statement that Peter does for Mary Jane indirectly when they are in the hospital next to Aunt May? And when they talk in the backyard of their home talking about the future after graduation? Or when she says to him in the final scene and he is forced to reject her for not wanting to ever let her in danger? Are romantic moments, simply furnished and involving the audience so exquisite.
Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn did very well. He is a scientist who, pressed by the government decides to make experimental tests that end up changing not only your physical but also your mind. Norman ends up becoming the Green Goblin and has a reason for it. There is only one character in a single facet, no depth and has the sole purpose of ending everything and everyone. Here his relationship with his son is shown and justified their actions.
Since the action was a little aside, as a source movie. The famous jokes that Spider-Man ever talk to combat crime were a little aside and focus more on the emergence of the alter-ego of Parker. The focus here was evidently the transformation of Peter Parker an introverted guy without confidence, Spider-Man, whose powers were beginning to bring you great responsibilities. But as it would be in a blockbuster, we have some great sequences like the first fight between Spidey and the Green Goblin-event Oscorp, the great final sequence involving the Queensboro Bridge Mary Jane, a group of students, Spidey and Goblin Green.
The soundtrack by Danny Elfman (Batman (1989) Batman Returns (1992), Edward - Scissorhands (1990)) - collaborator Tim Burton minutes long - is certainly one of the best parts of the movie, knowing thrill and engage in moments of romance and drama and making us embark on the wild action in a landmark paper, clearly be an adventure more cartoonish and less dark and gothic as composed by him for most of Burton's films. We can even say that this first foray into movie character is a film about responsibility, personal growth and romance, surrounded by several memorable action scenes.
The special effects cannot be without service. If today we look back and see outdated special effects, with the movements of Spider notoriously well-being artificial (classic example is the race of the Spider and the buildings their heels when Peter discovers his powers, and of course the jumps between skyscrapers) at the time was what was more modern. Allied with photography done by Don Burgess and art direction by Neil Spisak, was actually very faithful to the comics movement by skyscrapers local flights sensational, all movement in the body of the spider like to stand crouching, the release of webs, and frames using centralized closes over as if they were the angles of comics.
The first adventure Arachnid is a big hit movie and it would create two more sequences becoming one of the highest grossing franchises of all time. We have plenty of mood and action scenes efficient. Most scenes happens day and violence is used very sparingly, yet there is no blood thrown on the screen or something so brutal. Guaranteed fun, with humor, adventure, action, romance just right.