Insert Cliched Praise Here

Rating: 9/10 (27 June 2002)

I saw Spider-Man before it was released, and I am only now writing a review of it, so I don't know what I can add that hasn't already been said, so I'll be brief. Tobey Maguire was the perfect choice for Spider-Man (duh), Kirsten Dunst is easily the best looking, and possibly the most talented (although Ms. Portman and Ms. Ricci may have something to say about that) actress under the age of 25 working now.
Sam Raimi has always been an underrated director (overshadowed by the likes of Tarantino), but he finally gets a big hit to put him more into the public spotlight. I noticed some similarities between "Spider-Man" and Raimi's other "superhero" film, "Darkman". While "Darkman" at times looks like it was directed by a mental patient (which is an oh-so-good thing), "Spider-Man" has a more honed look, although it is clearly a Raimi film (most notably in the climactic fight between Spidey and the Green Goblin).
J.K. Simmons steals every scene that he is in as the newspaper editor, and if he is not in the sequel it's a bigger loss to the cast than anyone but Maguire and Dunst. Randy Savage is laugh out loud funny as wrestling champion Bonesaw McGraw, as well as a quote machine ("I got you for threeeeeeeee minutes!!!"). There are just so many wonderful elements to this film, both large and small, that I don't know what to talk about here (and I know I will be kicking myself in 5 minutes for leaving something out of my review). So, fantastic movie, see it if you haven't yet for some reason, and see it again if you've only seen it once, 9 out of 10.