Excellent.

Rating: 10/10 (1 July 2002)

Let me begin by saying that I have not read a single comic book in my lifetime. I have seen very few science-fiction movies, and the ones I have watched did not impress me. The last movie of this kind I saw was `X-Men', and that was only because my friends forced me to see it. I found that movie to be dreadful, and was determined never to see another `superhero movie' again.
Obviously, I was highly reluctant to go see Spider-Man. When my friends finally dragged me to the theater to go see it, I was expecting yet another piece of poorly written childish fantasy. It turned out that this was exactly what Spider-Man was not. Somehow this movie managed to hold my attention, from the opening credits to the last scene with Mary Jane and Peter Parker. Few Hollywood movies I have watched in recent years have been able to do this.
Spider-Man has an old-fashioned type of innocence and charm that is very much lacking in most of the movies being produced today. Tobey Maguire was brilliant as Peter Parker, and accomplished the nearly impossible task of making the premise of this movie - a teenager being bitten by genetically altered spider and ultimately becoming a superhero - seem plausible. I really cared about what happened to this character. The supporting cast was excellent, and I enjoyed almost every scene in the movie.

The most surprising thing about Spider-Man was that it remained highly enjoyable even after many repeated viewings. I am not a person who enjoys watching the same movie over and over again, yet somehow I ended up seeing Spider-Man a record four times with various friends. I think their enthusiasm for this movie was infectious, because each time I watched it, the movie still felt exciting and compelling. I am actually considering purchasing this movie when it is released on video, something I have not done in a long time.
Well done Sam Raimi (?). For better or for worse, you have turned this cynical skeptic into a Spider-Man fan, and I am looking forward to the sequel.