Good Overall, But Has Some Notable Problems...

Rating: 8/10 (13 March 2018)

I've seen a great many films in my time, and most fade with the passage of time. It's been six years since this movie's release, and unlike most efforts, it still holds up very well. Tobey Maguire, previously seen at that time in the controversial "Pleasantville", gained worldwide attention when director Sam Raimi cast him in the title role. By contrast, Kirsten Dunst's portrayal of Mary Jane Watson was (and still is) widely debated among both critics and the fans. Personally, I enjoyed her role very much, and thought she did a wonderful job with both the empathy and strength of the character. So many heroines in films seem shallow, weak, or oversexed. Mary Jane is none of those, although one scene does push the third reference quite a bit (more on that later).
James Franco, who went on to star as a military trainee in the drama "Annapolis", does a nearly-perfect job as Harry Osborn. The character has been taken through many trials in the comic world, from drug addiction to demon posession (thank God the filmmakers didn't use either of those!); as such, it takes a talented actor to fill those shoes, and Franco does it justice. Willem Dafoe, as both Harry's father Norman and the psychotic Green Goblin, gives one of the greatest performances of his career, playing both sides of the proverbial coin: a weak-willed, oppritunistic man bent on success, and a crazed, evil being who revels in death and destruction.
But by far, my favorite role in this film is "Law & Order" star J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson. He truly enjoys playing this character, and it shows on every conceivable level. As the saying goes, he truly "eats the scenery" in all his moments. Casting him was a stroke of pure genius.
The effects in this film are truly wonderful, though in retrospect the two sequels have definitely improved them. Still, the costumes, colors, and heroics are all stylishly believable. The world of this film is recognizably ours, yet raised slightly, to mirror the fantastic tone of the comics. Explosions, web-swinging aerial photography, digital composites, practical stunts - all these and more keep this film at an often-frenetic and rarely dull pace.
The music, composed by film legend Danny Elfman ("Beetlejuice", "Batman"), consists of everything from wondrous, gentle string arrangements to grand, epic stanzas, and Elfman works each one like the professional that he is. From the love theme for MJ and Peter, to the phenomenal main titles, the score is brilliant from start to finish.
Lastly, my criticisms, few but important. Being a PG-13 film, you might expect certain films to push every conceivable boundary; "Spider-Man" is a welcome release, in that it aims for heroic, selfless integrity, and succeeds for the most part. Still, there exist a few moments of note. One such moment takes place during the thunderstorm rescue with Mary Jane Watson. During a series of shots, the rain has soaked her clothes entirely, and her shirt almost looks like it belongs to a "Wet T-shirt" contestant (Dunst's breasts and nipples are partially visible through the material). Given the situation (a cold, wet thunderstorm at night), her attire is understandable, though morally unacceptable. To Raimi's credit, the scenes are quickly edited and not extremely graphic, though I personally believe decency should have been a higher priority in this situation.
Secondly, the violence. Being a superhero film, this movie fits that formula, having our wall-crawling avatar battle numerous thugs, as well as the Goblin. Citizens are often in peril (Mary Jane in particular), and though not bloody, many of the action sequences feature flying punches and kicks galore. The language in this film is thankfully kept to a minimum, with the most recurring instances being remarks such as "ass" or "hell". For such a film, I truly applaud Sam Raimi's effort at maintaining decency for most of this entry.
This film gets an 8 out of 10, deducting two points for violence and sexual material. The nobility, respect, and (in most cases) upright morality are a welcome change of pace from the excessive swearing, explicit sex, and buckets of blood seen in many modern films.