This Early Superhero Smash, Which Helped Jump-Start the Modern Craze, is Showing its Age

Rating: 6/10 (1 May 2018)

The webslinger's first foray onto the big screen, and in many ways the grandfather of the big Marvel juggernaut that's been chewing up the box office for the last decade. Sam Raimi's vision of Spidey and his pals is true to the essence of the character, with a vibe that's often reminiscent of his '60s debut, while still feeling modern and serious when needed.
It boasts an extremely effective cast, despite selecting a few actors I don't usually enjoy. Tobey Maguire makes an appropriately awkward, plucky Peter Parker. Kirsten Dunst is sweet and charming as his lifelong next-door crush. James Franco shows range as the troubled best friend. J.K. Simmons was positively born for his bit role as the hot-headed J. Jonah Jameson. And, of course, Willem Dafoe brings a fantastically expressive act in the villainous role of Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin (though he's often, sadly, relegated to mere voice work behind a stiff, metal mask).
It has spirit and humor and character, but it also has a habit of over-reaching and a wince-worth tendency for ridiculously awful dialog. Even in print, it can be tough to keep this character from sounding corny and stilted, and in live action that's doubly difficult. The script constantly trips and stumbles over itself, trying and failing to seem cute and off-the-cuff, and Raimi's direction (itself known to lean on the cheesy side) always has the actors winking at the camera while their puns are falling flat.
The plot is solid, planting handfuls of seeds for future storylines while effectively setting up the current conflict, though it does have a nasty habit of over-indulgence. A double backflip during a schoolyard fistfight, for example, when the leap alone would've been enough. That kind of exaggeration is all over the place, and not only isn't it necessary, it actively ruins the immersion. I remembered really enjoying this upon its release, and it's still entertaining viewing, but much of it hasn't aged well, particularly in light of its modern counterparts.