As good as it gets; but is there enough for more?

Rating: 7/10 (14 July 2002)

If you're a Spider-Man fan like me, then you doubtless enjoyed this respectful retelling of his beginnings; and more than any character in comics, HOW Spider-Man started is crucial to who he is. A man who made a mistake as a boy, and will spend his life fruitlessly trying to atone. I highly recommend this movie.
This movie worked, but it had to use a lot of tricks to do so. CGI is the least of it; I enjoyed the effects in the spirit they were presented: to me, they looked so unreal precisely because that is how Spider-Man would appear to move. But the real problem is for a character to have emotional heft when you cannot see his face. They solved that THIS time by having his mask shredded in the film's final battle, which was an excellent physical and emotional one. But they can't do that twice without the artifice showing. Toby Maguire will need to convey things much better through his body language next time. Maybe have a mime consult the next film, or a deaf person who has to rely much more heavily on posture for context.