Spider-Man (film)

***Spider-Man*** is the first installment in the *Spider-Man* film series. The film was written by David Koepp, and directed by Sam Raimi. It stars Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and Willem Dafoe.

The film begins with Peter Parker, a high school student, being bitten by a genetically altered spider. After misusing his newly given abilities, which indirectly caused the death of his Uncle Ben, he becomes the heroic Spider-Man. Peter hopes to win the heart of Mary Jane Watson, the girl he has loved since he was a boy, and battles the villainous Green Goblin, who is the father of Peter's best friend, Harry Osborn.

The film spawned four sequels: *Spider-Man 2* in 2004, *Spider-Man 3* in 2007, *Spider-Man 4* in 2011 and *Spider-Man 5* in 2019.

## Plot

High-school senior Peter Parker lives with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben and is a school outcast. On a school field trip, he visits a genetics laboratory with his friend Harry Osborn and love interest Mary Jane Watson. There, Peter is bitten on the hand by a genetically engineered "super spider." After arriving home he becomes unconscious. Meanwhile, Harry's father, scientist, Norman Osborn, billionare and owner of Oscorp tries to secure an important weapons military contract. He experiments on himself with an unstable performance-enhancing chemical. After absorbing the chemical, he goes insane and kills his assistant, Dr. Stromm

The next morning, Peter finds that he is no longer near-sighted and his body has metamorphosized into a more muscular physique. At school, he finds that his body can produce webs, and his quickened reflexes let him avoid injury during a confrontation with school bully Flash Thompson. Peter discovers he has developed superhuman speed and strength, the ability to stick to surfaces, and a heightened ability to sense danger.

Brushing off Ben's advice that "with great power comes great responsibility", Peter considers impressing Mary Jane with a car. He enters an underground fighting tournament and wins his first match, but the promoter cheats him of his money. When a thief suddenly raids the promoter's office, Peter allows him to escape. Moments later, he discovers that Ben was carjacked and killed. Peter pursues and confronts the carjacker, only to realize it was the thief he let escape. After Peter disarms him, the carjacker flees but dies in the process. Meanwhile, a crazed Norman interrupts a military experiment by Oscorp's corporate rival Quest Aerospace and kills several scientists and the military's General Slocum.

Upon graduating, Peter begins using his abilities to fight injustice, donning a costume and the persona of Spider-Man. J. Jonah Jameson, a newspaper publisher, hires Peter as a freelance photographer since he is the only person providing clear images of Spider-Man.

Norman, upon learning Oscorp's board members plan to force him out and sell the company, assassinates them at the World Unity Fair. Jameson dubs the mysterious killer the Green Goblin. The Goblin offers Spider-Man a place at his side, but Spider-Man refuses. They fight, and Spider-Man is wounded. At Thanksgiving dinner, May invites Mary Jane, Harry, and Norman. During the dinner, Norman sees the wound and realizes Peter's identity. Shortly after he leaves, Goblin attacks, and hospitalizes May.

Mary Jane admits she is infatuated with Spider-Man, who has rescued her on numerous occasions, and asks Peter whether Spider-Man ever asked about her. Harry, who is dating Mary Jane, arrives and presumes she has feelings for Peter after seeing them hold hands. Devastated, Harry tells his father that Peter loves Mary Jane, unintentionally revealing Spider-Man's biggest weakness.

The Goblin holds Mary Jane and a Roosevelt Island Tram car full of children hostage alongside the Queensboro Bridge. He forces Spider-Man to choose whom he wants to save and drops Mary Jane and the children. Spider-Man manages to save both Mary Jane and the tram car, while Goblin is pelted by civilians who side with Spider-Man. Goblin then grabs Spider-Man and throws him into an abandoned building where Spider-Man is brutally beaten by him. When Goblin boasts about how he will later kill Mary Jane, an enraged Spider-Man overpowers Goblin.

Norman reveals himself to Spider-Man, who stops attacking. He begs for forgiveness, but at the same time controls his glider to impale his foe. Sensing the attack, the superhero dodges, and the glider impales Norman. As he dies, Norman begs Peter not to tell Harry of Norman's identity. Spider-Man takes Norman's body back to his house. Harry arrives to find Spider-Man standing over his father's body. He seizes a gun with the intention of shooting Spider-Man, but Spider-Man escapes and hides Goblin's equipment.

At Norman's funeral, Harry swears vengeance toward Spider-Man, whom he deems responsible for his father's death, and asserts that Peter is all the family he has left. Mary Jane confesses to Peter that she is in love with him. Peter, however, feels that he must protect her from the unwanted attention of Spider-Man's enemies. He hides his true feelings and tells Mary Jane that they can only be friends. As Peter leaves the funeral, he recalls Ben's words about responsibility and accepts his new life as Spider-Man

## Cast

* Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man
* Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin
* Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson
* James Franco as Harry Osborn
* Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker
* Rosemary Harris as May Parker
* J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson
* Joe Manganiello as Flash Thompson
* Michael Papajohn as The Carjacker

## Appearances

### Locations

* + United States of America
		- New York State
			* New York City
				+ Queens
					- Forest Hills
						* Aunt May's House
						* Midtown High School
				+ Manhattan
					- Columbia University
					- Fifth Avenue
						* New York Public Library
						* Daily Bugle Building
					- SoHo
						* Moondance Diner
					- Times Square
					- Osborn Manor
					- Roosevelt Island
				+ Queensboro Bridge
			* Long Island
				+ Oscorp

**Items:**

* Spider-Man's Suit
* Pumpkin Bomb
* Human Performance Enhancers
* Goblin Armor (Oscorp Battlesuit)

**Vehicles:**

* Goblin Glider

## External Links

* Spider-Man (film) on IMDb
* Spider-Man (film) on Wikipedia