Spiderman: First Installment of the Original Trilogy

Rating: 8/10 (18 September 2014)

Brief Overview: Sony has released two different Spider-Man franchises to date, and the movie I am reviewing is the first Spider-Man in the original trilogy (I have also reviewed both movies from the current franchises, so if you find this helpful check out those two reviews under my name iconic-sr). 2002 Spider-Man for the time it was nothing short of spectacular. In many ways, the original Spider-Man is a pioneer for many of the comic book movies we have today. This film is directed by Sam Raimi, and stars Tobey McGuire as Spider-Man, Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin (the antagonist) and Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane.
The Positives: For the most part, 2002 Spider-Man stays true to the comic books, while making some minor changes that actually work pretty well. I felt that the casting was good, and each actor fit their role (with the possible exception of Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane). The CGI for the movie is impressive for the time this movie was made, and the action sequences are shot very well. Willem Dafoe plays a very good Green Goblin, displaying insanity and a sinister vibe that really makes him a notable villain for comic book movies and proves a challenge for our protagonist.
The Negatives: I think most people who have seen this movie would agree that the overall tone is bordering on the cheesy side. I felt like a lot of moments that should have been intense were underplayed and others were overacted. Kirsten Dunst's interpretation of Mary Jane was bland. She portrayed virtually no emotion, and is really the only problem I had with the casting for this film.
The Conclusion: I gave this movie an 8/10 because given the time that it was created this movie was the elite super-hero movie. The storyline, action and dialogue keeps the interest of the audience and provides a fun movie for comic book fans. I recommend this for general audiences.