Fun Blending of Fantasy With Some Reality

Rating: 7/10 (28 October 2005)

"Spider-Man" is "our local neighborhood super hero," according to the TV theme song played at the very end of the movie credits, and for our family he is, as there were several scenes shot in Forest Hills.
That nicely grounds the fantasy in reality, as does Tobey Maguire's terrific performance with his insecurities and growing self-awareness of his powers.
The movie is a lot of fun, with some LOL jokes, though I tuned out the repetitive fight scenes. This isn't the first movie to stage derring-do on the 59th Street Bridge putting the Roosevelt Island Tram in danger (I think it was "Escape from New York" that did that cool), but it's effective. But is the abandoned manse he tracks the villain into part of Goldwater Hospital?
Poor Kirsten Dunst has very little to do, except be a damsel-in-distress, which is too bad. But that rainy kiss is a sure winner for the MTV Movie Awards.
Most of the negative reviews have been of Willem Dafoe's villain, but I thought he was quite effective.
For James Franco this is pretty much a prequel, setting him up to be the villain in "Spider-Man 2."
Danny Elfman's music swept the action along.
(originally written 5/11/2002)