Cheesy good fun.

Rating: 8/10 (28 September 2014)

Sam Raimi's Spider-Man still holds a near and dear to my heart. This was the first film I watched in theaters in multiple viewings. Being eight years old and being a big comic-book fan, Spider-Man was a film that I could not wait to see.
It's been almost twelve years since May 2002, and yet, the film still holds up in certain levels.
I like the casting of Tobey Maguire. He brings out the best of Peter Parker and fits the title role very well. He holds the film on his shoulders but with also a good supporting cast. Willem Dafoe is great as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin. I love how Dafoe is able to turn his Goblin persona on and off so effortlessly. He's very frightening and very cold, while at the same time can be a very nice man. James Franco is great as Harry Osborn, he doesn't overplay the wanting attention and support from his father, as well as displaying some jealousy towards his friend Peter, it's all very subtle and it works well. Rosemary Harris and Cliff Robertson are excellent in their respective roles as Aunt May and Uncle Ben. J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson is spot on. Probably the best casting of a supporting comic-book character ever.
Kirsten Dunst is, in a lack of a better word, just okay. Her delivery is solid in some moments, but it's near the end where she throws herself at Peter, admitting her love for him seemed very forced. It is the only uncomfortable scene to watch out of the whole film.
The Visuals are decent in some shots, but overall, there are moments in the film where one could easily tell it was all CGI, and it's not that impressive. Costume of Spidey is very faithful and looks great on screen, I can't say the same for Goblin. It's very Power Rangers like.
Spider-Man isn't an your typical summer action blockbuster. It is a blockbuster in every regard, but it has something more. The characters are relevant and I liked the whole dynamic between Norman favoring Peter over his own son Harry, whom he's disappointed in. It adds layers to the film and shows these character their reasons for doing what they're doing. The romance is cheesy, but it isn't too terrible, though Dunst isn't as strong as the other actors, she and Maguire have enough chemistry to buy into.
Spider-Man is still very much an enjoyable film and swings high.
8.6/10