Strong Acting Strengthens Film.

Rating: 8/10 (6 May 2002)

While rather light on plot,the acting talent in "Spider Man" elevated it from the average into a highly enjoyable film with many emotional moments. With a cast as talented as Toby McGuire,Rosemary Harris,Cliff Robertson,Williem Dafoe,Kirsten Dunst and J.K.Simmons and a screenplay that was not afraid to be touching,"Spiderman" becomes more than just a superhero film.The relationship between Peter and his Aunt and Uncle are especially well developed. Tony winner Harris and Oscar winner Robertson were the perfect pair to bring Aunt May and Uncle Ben to life.Dafoe gives us a villian that is so much more tormented than the standard scenery chewing maniac,and Dunst gets to show us the honest acting talent that we have known her capable of when given a well written script.
While others have comented on the special effects and the action sequences,this is not what I left the theatre thinking of.I came away thinking of the bonds between family and the struggle to keep going in a changing world.