Start of something that should be good

Rating: Null/10 (5 May 2002)

I was expecting to enjoy the action sequences more than anything else, but it turned out that I enjoyed Toby McQuire's reactions as Peter Parker more . He genuinely seems to be in awe of his new found powers. The scene where he tries to shoot more webbing was a particular favourite. I totally believed that he was in love with Mary Jane ( which considering that Kirsten Dunst was playing her I can't really blame him. She is a cutie!) I can forgive the differences from the comic, ie: webs coming from his body rather than him making the device himself but I enjoyed the fact that they used so much material from the comics. That is one thing I have always disliked about the Batman films the story for those were never to my knowledge in a comic. The wrestling sequence was in the premiere issue as was the thief and the outcome of Peter's allowing him to escape. If I have one complaint about this film it was the fact that Sam Raimi dropped the ball in the portrayal of the Green Goblin. Willem Dafoe is an excellent choice to play him, but his costume gave him no freedom to look menacing and as the story goes...insane. The action was good, but like so much of todays action films it looked a little to CG for me. The battle between Spidey and the Goblin was again taken from a comic which I loved. The fact that Osborne finds out who Spider-man really is was written in the comics of old and the fact thet they get unmasked in front of each other was particularly refreshing. On one hand I thought that the way Spidey was swinging through the streets looked unnatural at times. I can view it as he is still getting used to doing it. I hope that in the sequel (you know it is coming) he will have gotten the hang of it a bit more. Overall I would rank this about the same as I would the first two Superman films starring Christopher Reeve. Fun for the whole family. Action. Excitment. A Few Laughs. While setting up the character for further adventures. I can't wait.