Hugely Entertaining

Rating: Null/10 (7 April 2003)

When high-school nerd Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically modified spider he finds the next day he has superhuman abilities, shooting webs, increased flexibility, the ability to climb walls and jumb large distances. When his beloved Uncle Ben is murdered Peter decides to use his powers to fight crime and so he becomes SpiderMan.
This film is just under two hours of shameless fun and excitement, the film follows Spiderman as he takes on his nemesis and father of his best friend, Norman Osbourne who, after an accident at his laboratory becomes The Green Goblin.
Raimi has taken one of America's and the world's favourite superhero and has turned him into the best superhero film since the original Superman. In choosing Tobey Maguire to play Spiderman, Raimi has done the character justice, Maguire is great in the lead role and brings a down to earth human quality to what otherwise is an electrifying, loud movie.

The film is not without its faults; Willem Dafoe is miscast as the Green Goblin (you do get the feeling that no-one else was available for the part), and the plot certainley is not Oscar worthy, although it does work very, very well in the movie. And the final climax is a little dissapointing. But these are minor hindrances on a film which really has set the benchmark for forthcoming superhero/adventure movies.
The visual attractions of the film are immense, the elaborate scenes of Spiderman swinging through New York are groundbreaking, and Spiderman himself looks amazing, in all the web slinging scences through skyscrapers and bridges he looks very real.
So although it is by no means perfect, when a movie looks this damn cool with a lead performance of Maguire's quality, it leaves the audience in awe and with an immense amount of satisfaction. Very Good.