Spider-Man (2001 film)

Spider-Man is a superhero movie based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and his friends and foes. The film is directed by Jon Watts and written by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. The film is produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. It was released in theaters on June 1, 2001. The premise of the film is Peter Parker, a nerd who got bitten by a spider has become Spider-Man, a web slinging superhero and he uses his abilities to fight Doctor Octopus. The film stares Andrew Garfield, Kristen Dunst, Mark Hamill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Matthew Modine, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, Joe Manganiello, and Michael Keaton.

Plot

On a school trip, high school student Peter Parker along with other students, visit a Columbia University genetics laboratory. He tries to get his crush Mary Jane to like him in a romantic way but is unable to. Well, there, Peter notices a spider which has gotten out of its cage. The spider is genetically engineered/"Super spider". The spider bits Peter and he passes out into a coma.

The next day, Peter wakes up in a hospital bed and is told visitors are coming. His aunt May and uncle Ben Parker along with Mary and Peter's friend Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy along with her father Captain George Stacy arrive. He tells them about the spider which bit him. He eventually is able to go out of the hospital. The day after that, Peter discovers he has superpowers from the spider, which includes web-slinging, spider senses, be able to cling to a wall, superhuman strength, agility, reflexes, stamina, durability, coordination, and balance.

Peter visits a teacher at his school Otto Octavius. Octavius reveals to Peter that he is creating something which could save lives, like a superhero. When he walks out of Octavius's office, he is attacked by his bully Flash Thompson, but suddenly, dodges all of his attacks to the amazement of the other students. But when Peter returns home, he finds Ben missing and rushes to find him. He eventually does but he is too late to save him, because a robber shoots him in the chest. Ben tells Peter "With great power comes great responsibility". Ben then dies in Peter's arms.

What Ben says inspires Peter to create himself a suit and a superhero name. With the help of Harry, Peter decides on the name Spider-Man. He trains his abilities and becomes the superhero Spider-Man. Peter stops the villain known as the Vulture after he puts Mary in harm's way. Peter, not revealing that he is Spider-Man gets very close to her and one day he asks her to be his girlfriend, but she declines revealing that she already has a boyfriend which is Harry.

Peter eventually takes a liking to Gwen and eventually asks her on a date, and she agrees. Well on the date, they are interrupted by George who tells them that he is going to investigate an incident and leaves. Gwen lets Peter stay with her the entire night. In the morning, Peter leaves but Gwen kisses him on the cheek before she leaves.

Peter sees a man with tentacle arms causing danger. Peter, as Spider-Man, quickly saves them all and Peter gets into a fight with the man causing this harm who's named Doctor Octopus. They have a long fight and it seems Peter is going to win when suddenly George rushes at Doctor Octopus. Doctor Octopus throws George into a river, but George ends up unconscious. Peter saves him before he drowns but when he comes back up, Doctor Octopus is gone.

Peter gets very angry at himself for letting him escape but then remembers Ben's last words "With great power comes great responsibility" and he realizes he did the right thing. Suddenly, Mary calls Peter telling him to meet at her house. Peter knows she is going to reveal to him that Harry is her boyfriend, so he prepares to act shocked. Peter eventually meets with her, and Harry and she does reveal that she is the girlfriend of Harry.

Later. Peter leaves and goes back home. He opens his room and is shocked to find Gwen there. Gwen explains that his aunt and her dad let her come over here. Peter hangs out with Gwen for a very long time and Peter eventually leans in for a kiss when she is comfortable, but Gwen asks him a question, so he answers the question and forgets about kissing her.

The next day, Harry and Mary reveal to Peter about public news of the Spider-Man and how he saved Mary. He watches it at his job the Daily Bugle and is shocked because his boss J. Jonah Jameson that Spider-Man is a menace and Jonah insists that Peter tries to get a good picture of the Spider-Man by next week. With Peter agreeing because he will be paid much more than he used to. The day after that, Peter asks Harry to try to do it and he agrees.

Later, Peter sees Doctor Octopus and they get into a brutal fight. It turns around and around of Peter or Doctor Octopus winning but Doctor Octopus reveals he is Otto Octavius before throwing Peter into a sewer. Peter gets out, and Doctor Octopus is once again gone but Harry was able to get a shot of Spider-Man and Peter is happy he did. Peter gives it to Jonah, but he refuses it and says it's not good enough. Peter asks again and Harry eventually decides to try to get a better shot of Spider-Man.

The next day, Gwen asks Peter to go to her house at 9: PM and agrees. But once he gets there. the house looks destroyed and abandoned. Peter finds George tied on a chair with tape on his face. He rips the tape off his face and George reveals that Otto took Gwen, Mary, and Harry and is going to kill them at a bridge. Peter rushes to the bridge and Otto greets him. Otto tells him that he has to choose to save one person well the other two die. Planning to save them all, Peter saves Gwen and rushes to save Mary and Harry, but it is too late. Otto releases them from his tentacles, and they fall to the ground, dying.

An enraged Peter lunges at Otto but he beats him and a brutal battle begins with Peter's arm almost breaking, Peter is in blood, sweat, and tears and he continues to try to stop Otto but fails. He continues and continues to try but fails, he is almost dead from his wounds and then remembers Ben's last words once again "With great power comes great responsibility". He lunges at Otto, but Otto gets out of the way and wounds Gwen and almost kills her. Very mad, Peter starts beating Otto and knocks him off the edge sending him falling to his death.

Suddenly, George arrives with an alive Mary Jane and Harry Osborn. George explains that he saved them before they fell all the way to their death. Peter remembers Ben's words again "With great power comes great responsibility". Peter then shoots a spider-web which saves Otto just before he falls but this is Peter's biggest mistake. Otto grabs Peter and throws him out of the building and he uses his spider-webs to get down but there are still brutal injuries.

Eventually, everyone gets off the building, Peter gets Mary, Harry, and Gwen to safety but is brutally beaten by Otto, who uses his tentacles to snap Peter's neck, but George is able to fight him, with Peter getting away but helping George defeat Otto once and for all.

The next day, Peter goes to the hospital for his injuries and when he comes out of the hospital, he reveals to May that he is Spider-Man, later, Peter reveals to George, Gwen, Mary, and Harry that he is Spider-Man. In the end, Gwen passionately kisses Peter on the lips, and they become boyfriend and girlfriend.

Cast

Main

Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man

Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy

James Franco as Harry Osborn

Kristen Dunst as Mary "MJ" Jane-Watson

Matthew Modine as George Stacy

Mark Hamill as Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus

Supporting

Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker

Rosemary Harris as May Parker

J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson

Joe Manganiello as Flash Thompson

Michael Keaton as Adrian Toomes/The Vulture