Surprisingly enjoyable

Rating: 7/10 (11 May 2002)

Before I go on, I'd like to establish that I had no intention on seeing this movie in the first place. I've never read the Spiderman comics, and I didn't buy my tickets in advance. Of course, I've heard of Spiderman in the past, but I didn't know anything about his superpowers, arch enemies, etc. prior to this movie. And guess what? I was very impressed!

Tobey Maguire is a fine actor, but I wasn't sure how he'd fill the shoes of a landmark superhero. Playing Homer in "Cider House" is a lot different from playing Peter Parker in "Spider-Man." But he is totally convincing in the lead role, and I can tell he worked out a lot to prepare for this role. Kirsten Dunst is...well...her beautiful self. She flashes her beautiful smile, going through the motions as the helpless victim. Sure, she did a fine job, but she didn't have much to work with. The great Willem Dafoe steals the movie as scientist Norman Osborn who later turns into Spidey's arch enemy, The Green Goblin. Dafoe is perfectly fiendish, as always. I had no idea he was going to be in the cast, prior to seeing the movie, so I was very impressed to see him pop up on screen. Cliff Robertson is great as Parker's uncle. And, I forgot the actor's name, but the guy who played Jameson is also a scene-stealer. I loved his scenes, which were reminiscent of the fast-talking farces of the old days.
There's a lot of action, a lot of excitement, good special effects and touches of humor to boot. I can't complain. The plot is by-the-numbers superhero fare, and there are no real surprises. Nevertheless, I was entertained throughout and not a minute left me unsatisfied. In a way, "Spider-Man" brought out the kid in me, but even the most discerning adult viewers should be impressed. Trust me.
This is one big-budget summer blockbuster in which I can honestly say it was worth every buck!
My score: 7 (out of 10)