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Spider-Man

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst
Director: Sam Raimi
Genre: Action
Year: 2002
Rating: 3 / 5

When Spider-Man swung into theatres on May 3, 2002, analysts had high expectations for the film. They talked openly of its chances to best the $68 million opening weekend generated by The Mummy Returns the year before, as well as the record $91 million opening enjoyed by the first Harry Potter film. Little did anyone realize, however, that Spider-Man would shatter all one- and three-day records, regardless of season, and become the fastest movie ever to eclipse $100 million. With $114 million during its first three days, director Sam Raimi's adaptation of the classic comic book series is one for the record books, with fans everywhere celebrating.

Years in the making, Spider-Man has been kicked around from studio to studio for years. Big industry names like director James Cameron and actor Leonardo DiCaprio have been attached to the film, yet nothing happened until Sam Raimi got involved. After some intense lobbying with the film studio, Raimi cast respected actor Tobey Maguire in the critical role of Peter Parker, also known as Spider-Man. The choice was key, for, unlike other superheroes that have lit up the big screen, Spider-Man comes from humble origins. Maguire, listed at 5'8" and a mere 140 pounds, is ideal to play the nerdy teenager Peter Parker, yet athletic enough to handle the demanding role of Spider-Man. What seemed like a risky move at the time has turned out to be a brilliant casting coup for a director finally getting mainstream recognition.

Spider-Man follows the story of high school senior Peter Parker (Maguire) and his quest to understand himself and life after a most unusual accident. While on a school field trip to a science laboratory, Peter is bit by a genetically altered spider, resulting in an almost immediate transformation in the unsuspecting victim. Soon, Peter is able to scale walls, shoot webs from his wrists, and sense danger before it happens. While his gifts are initially used for light-hearted matters - including a wrestling adventure and a school bully - tragedy forces him to come to terms with the gravity of his new powers. As a new force of evil, the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), begins wrecking havoc in the city, threatening the lives of Peter's family and his friend Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst), Peter decides that Spider-Man must come to the rescue.

Director Sam Raimi does a magnificent job of making the Spider-Man mythology accessible to even the most casual fan. He quickly brings viewers up to speed on Peter Parker's simple beginnings, as well as his just-discovered abilities. His greatest achievement lies in the casting of Tobey Maguire as the lead. Maguire is perfect as the quiet and unassuming Parker, pining for his dream girl from a distance and getting pushed around by bigger, stronger kids. Yet, despite this, Spider-Man is held back by a lackluster villain, one who consistently plays second fiddle to the romance between Peter Parker and Mary Jane. Willem Dafoe is passable in this disappointing role, negating some of the positive vibes generated by Maguire's casting. In the end, though, fans come to films like Spider-Man to be entertained, and, in this regard, Spider-Man> passes with flying colors!

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG-13.
Running Time: 120 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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