A major return to form for Sam Raimi after the disappointing "the Gift" (2000)

Rating: 9/10 (22 December 2004)

Adaptations of comics for the screen have become one of Hollywood's main specialties. So far, most of super-heroes for their transition to the screen were entitled to a reliable film-maker and not to a director of musical video clips. Thus, Tim Burton shot "Batman" in 1989 while Bryan Singer amazed with his movie "X-Men" (2000). Here, it is Sam Raimi who decided to adapt the adventures of Spider-Man; a plan he surely undertook with joy. Indeed, this iconoclastic film-maker is an avid fan of the comic strip. So, he seemed to be cut out more than anyone else for the film. A surprise: his work doesn't disappoint and maintains itself high above the expectations and is incredibly exhilarating. The movie has been a (largely deserved) triumphant success and for Sam Raimi it was his long-awaited commercial breakthrough. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing for him to have moved in the Hollywood mainstream.
Why is "Spider-Man" so successful? Simply because Raimi hired a winning team at all levels. First, Raimi's making reflects the enthusiasm he felt to shot his movie. Full of energy, liveliness, it doesn't leave a minute's rest to the spectator. We are carried away by the adventures of Peter Parker/Spider-Man with a lot of frenzy and happiness. It is useful to note down that at the end of the projection, you feel so happy that you ask for more! To come back to Raimi's making, there's a perfect marriage between impressive action sequences and the interesting psychological portrait Raimi makes of his main character. On another hand, the indispensable amounts of humor and emotion haven't been forgotten.
Congratulations to the scriptwriter David Koepp. Why didn't he get an Oscar for his work? He has written a watertight screenplay which is flawless. It does everything to remain faithful to the original comic strip. More important, Koepp conceived his script, mainly as a kind of apprenticeship. Peter Parker will test the extent of his powers (first against one of his rivals in his high school, then during a wrestling fight) before putting his red and blue suit on and facing violence in New York and eventually the Green Buffoon (Im not sure if it's the right name).
A brilliant screenplay wouldn't be anything without a suitable cast. It is of an impeccable quality. Thanks to "Spider-Man" Tobey McGuire probably finds the role of his life. At last a role at the extent of his talent. Beside him, Kirsten Dunst has such an appealing charm that it is difficult to resist her. Willem Dafoe is just amazing in his role of wicked. As for JK Simmons, he may have a short role but each of his apparitions is a delight so much that he nearly steals the show to the other actors.
But special effects aren't always subtle or sometimes a little too intrusive and David Koepp has forgotten to remove a few clichés about his main character, notably at the beginning of the film. But fortunately, they are tiny details and if we ignore them, "Spider-Man" appears as a blockbuster whose homogeneity is impressive. It satisfies both the fans of the comic strip but also movie lovers. Raimi's masterpiece lasts about two hours. Not a minute is too much in it. You can't refuse such an exciting show like this one. The second part of the adventures of Spider-Man was launched in the summer 2004 with the same crew and was equally successful as the first one. As we say: we don't change a winning team.
Well done Mr Raimi!