As Good As It Gets

Rating: 9/10 (10 May 2002)

Adaptations are tough; an adaptation of something as uniquely magical as a comic book is tougher. Ask the legion of directors and writers who have tried it over the past quarter century. But Raimi, Koepp, and company have come about as close as is humanly possible, and with one of the most difficult and nuanced characters ever to grace a comic book panel: Spider-Man. The resulting film captures the essence of the whole Marvel Universe, moreso even than "X-Men" (which was a solid, enjoyable movie).
Given 30+ years of storytelling, it's rare when screenwriters actually mine the vein for classic storylines, but Koepp expertly weaves several classic threads into the plot. Spider-Man always sported an ensemble cast and it's nice to see it preserved in the film: Aunt May and Ben Parker, MJ, Flash, Harry, and, best of all, a superb J. Jonah Jameson! A delicate balance between flashy action scenes and quiet moments, Raimi really succeeds in keeping a comic book feel in a modern big-budget film.

The good: the casting is wonderful. Dafoe really sells it as Osborne as does Franco as his son (you can tell they studied the books). J.K. Simmons nails JJJ in some of the best scenes in the film. The costuming and effects are well done. Some people have been bothered by the CGI (although many of the action scenes really are Maguire), but some restraint was actually used. It's not as though the effects dominate the picture. The action perfectly captures Spider-Man...his movement, his ballet-like agility, and a bit of the humor as well. And this movie does have humor, though perhaps not as much as the comic.
The bad: well, nothing bad, but yes, some of the dialogue is a little over-the-top, most likely by design. It IS based on a comic book, after all. And the usual plot holes and continuity errors. But in light of the accomplishment, bringing the heart along with the flash, it's a great film and a rollicking good time, too.