Perhaps quaint by today's standards, the timelessness and whimsy of "Spider-Man" help it excel. It still stands as one of the most important comic-book movies ever made.

Rating: 9/10 (17 September 2016)

It's hard to believe it's been so long since director Sam Raimi reintroduced the beloved character of Spider-Man to film-goers with one of 2002's biggest releases. It truly was a magical time, and "Spider- Man" was very much to thank for this. Critically lauded and adored by the public, it was not only the first film to gross over $100 million in its opening weekend, but it was also the next big step in comic- book adaptations, ushering the public closer to understanding just how important comic books were and how much potential there was to make high-quality films inspired by these modern day myths. Films like "Blade" and "X-Men" were for sure the important first steps towards this, but it was "Spider-Man" that delivered on this promise, with its impact still being felt to this very day thanks to the rise of franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Yes, it is hard to believe how long it's been. Heck, the movie itself would now be old enough to be in High School just like Peter were it a person.
Peter Parker (Tobey Macguire) is a nerdy high school student pining after his crush Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and dodging bullies with his best friend Harry. (James Franco) However, a school trip leads Parker towards a new and heroic life when a genetically-engineered "Super-Spider" bites him, granting him superhuman abilities. After the tragic death of his Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), Peter chooses to use these abilities to protect the innocent, becoming the super-hero "Spider-Man." However, when Harry's father Norman Osbourne (Willem Dafoe) is similarly gifted superhuman abilities in a tragic accident and becomes the dreaded supervillain "Green Goblin", Peter will be torn as he will be forced to combat not only the father of his best friend, but a man he has come to greatly respect.
Part of the great appeal is the lush and exquisite style injected into it thanks to the playful and thoughtful direction courtesy Raimi and screenwriter David Koepp's strangely old- fashioned yet appealing writing. The duo form a perfect union to tell the tale. Raimi- at the time best known as director of low-budget horror/comedies like the wonderful "Evil Dead" trilogy and quirky studio projects like "A Simple Plan"- has a unique visual voice that lent itself well to the character. Himself a fan of Spidey's earlier comic-book adventures, Raimi is perhaps one of the few directors who was truly able to paint a film that felt like a comic come to life. With his wild and exotic camera-work, a fantastic sense of scope and color, and a sense of quirky "fun", it's just a wonder to behold, with such a magical and whimsical feel.
Koepp's script is also a great deal of fun. As I said, it has an almost old-fashioned tone. It almost feels more akin to classics like Donner's "Superman" or Burton's "Batman" in terms of structure and dialog, with everything just slightly "off" of feeling modern, but in an appealing way. It gives the film a sense of timelessness. It doesn't feel a product of its time... it feels like the sort of film that could have been made at any time- the 70's, 80's, 90's... even now. And it's a big part of what helps maintain the film's freshness. As much as I enjoyed the 2012 reboot, it very much was the product of its time, and I find it feels more dated than this take on the character despite being much younger a film.
The cast is phenomenal, and are also a major contributor to its high quality. For many, Maguire defined the character. He nails just the right tone as Peter Parker, playing him as the sort-of archetypal underdog you can't help but root for thanks to his kind heart and depth of character. He also made for a great web-slinger, though I will admit the humor and banter was lacking. Dunst is just a lovable female lead, even when the film doesn't go out of its way to give her much development or depth. (Though this film is very much Peter's tale, so I can forgive a somewhat cliché love interest.) Franco is a ton of fun and the seeds are planted for the future development of the character. Dafoe is just wonderful, nailing the perfect balance between flawed but good- natured father-figure and scenery-chewing madman from scene to scene. Robertson is a joy as Uncle Ben. And supporting roles like the fabulous Rosemary Harris as Aunt May are fantastic.
Compounding this is an absolutely magnificent score by Danny Elfman. A legend in the field, Elfman's themes help to accentuate the visuals and lend a sense of grandiose to the proceedings. It nails the right sound of just borderline melodrama mixed with grand old majestic heroics. To this day, the opening titles still give me chills, and I still associate any depiction of Spider-Man with his themes in my mind.
All of this praise being said, I can't help but admit the film has some flaws, which is where it does lose a point for me. Despite his structuring and sensibilities being great fun, Koepp's dialog is... a little too out-there. A little too manufactured, even for the quirky tone he and Raimi are going for. Some pacing problems are apparent, particularly in the first and third acts, leading to speed-up's and slow-down's that can be jarring. And even for the time, some of the effects were... sub- par. (It wasn't until about the third film that the CGI used on Spider- Man looked totally realistic.)
"Spider-Man" to this day stands among the most important superhero movies of all time. And this is thanks not only to the records it broke, or to the paths it paved for future films... but also very much for its quality and grand sense of entertainment.
And it is most certainly worth a near-perfect 9 out of 10.