8.5

Rating: 9/10 (3 January 2004)

Being a long time fan of the comics, I was very interested when hearing they were creating a Spider-Man film. Though to be honest, my expectations of this film were not very high. My only hope was that the movie would at least respect the comics' origins, continuity, and personalities of Peter and the rest of the characters. I was both impressed and pleasently surprised by how well this was done.
The plot is exciting and dramatic, and doesn't get boring even if you know the story inside and out. Tobey Maguire does an excellent Peter Parker, nailing the role perfectly; from the sharp intellect to the cheesy jokes. I was equally impressed with almost all the other actors. The special effects were beautifully done, and truly succeeded in adding excitement to an already superbly crafted, suspenseful script.
This movie stays true enough to the comics to satisfy even the most devoted fan, while at the same time delivering action, adventure, drama, suspense, and romance, making "Spider-Man" an enjoyable experience for all. My only complaints; the mediocre actor who played J. Jonah Jameson failed to portray the character convincingly. I was dissapointed with their interpretation of the character, and even more dissapointed with the flawed, overexaggerated acting used to convey the character.
I also felt that not only was it unneccesary to go against the comics by having Peter's webs naturally produced by him, but that it was detrimental to the character of Peter Parker; as him creating the web-shooters on his own showcased his intelligence and creativity, qualities that the movie could've shown in greater light. I thought the Green Goblin could've been made to look a lot more authentic, I wasn't very impressed with the new, sleek, cheesy metallic-looking Goblin. Also, while the actor who played Norman Osbourne did a great job of acting, once again I think the character could've been captured better.
Though all in all, "Spider-Man" makes for a great movie. Far better than most of the garbage being put out nowadays. It's certainly refreshing to see a movie which succeeds in using modern film technology and special effects to tell a superb story. For the most part, excellent acting and screenplay. Though my only dissapointment is this movie could've easily been so much better than it already is, if only a few minor details in the screenplay and choice of actors were altered.