Spider-Man

Preamble
True confession: I never read comic books when I was a kid. I much preferred other types of fiction - you know, Judy Blume, Norma Klein... The only animation I was interested was on television. In fact Super Friends was one of my all time favorite, Saturday morning shows. I don't remember ever running across Spider-Man there. Oh, my husband just chimed in that the Super Friends were DC Comic. Like I know the difference - NOT!

I tell you this because I know there are lots of us out there - lots of females who never payed attention to the Spider-Man hoopla. I only watched one, maybe two of the Batman movies and I don't think I've ever sat through an entire viewing of a Superman movie.

Don't not go to this movie because of your fear of not being able to identify with and/or understand the massive, underground fan base of Spider-Man. I promise you that you can see the movie, and enjoy it for what it is - a simple piece of entertainment.

What's The Movie About?
Peter Parker (Toby Maguire) is just your typical, picked on nerd who is in his last semester of high school. On a field trip to a science laboratory, Peter is bitten by a radioactive spider. That night, his body is transformed from a little wimpy kid to a beefed up, chemically-altered Spider guy. His new found powers include being able to scale walls, spray webs in which he can swing from building to building, and that all so awesome "criminal radar" which allows him to sense danger.

At the same time that Peter has acquired his new abilities, his best friend's (James Franco) father Norman, (Willem Dafoe), who happens to be a scientist, is exposed to an experimental nerve gas. He develops an alternate personality as the super strong Green Goblin.

While Spider-Man saves children from burning buildings and thwarts off thugs in dark alleys, the Green Goblin destroys anything that gets in his way.

But wait, it's not as simple as it seems. Throw into this mixture, a beautiful young girl, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). Peter's had a crush on her since he was six years old. She, of course, doesn't think of him as more than anything but a friend. Spider-Man is unable to keep focused on the Green Goblin because of his hormones.

Can Spider-Man stop the Green Goblin from paralyzing the city of New York? Will Spider-Man and Mary Jane live happily ever after? That's for me to know and YOU to find out by going to see this movie, silly :).

What Was Good
Tobey Maguire really surprised me. I've seen him in The Cider House Rules and Pleasantville. In both of those movies, he played boy next door characters. In Spider-Man, he's set up to play the same sort of role but what's different is that he has a wild edge to him that he hasn't had in previous movies. Tobey's character grows tremendously during the transformation from nerd to Spider Guy to Spider-Man. He never loses his boy innocense, he just layers on some other characteristics.

As I said before, I didn't know any of the history of how Spider-man came to be. No need to fear, you're brought into the fold at the very beginning. Writer David Koepp (Writer for Panic Room, Mission: Impossible, Carlito's Way), does an excellent job of bringing all of the characters to life. Peter is written as an 18 year old should be - (as Britney would say), Not a boy...not quite a man. David captures that awkward state so well, giving Tobey Maguire and his castmates some humorous lines at times, to bridge some of the tension that they're feeling.

I really enjoyed the special effects and costumes worn by Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe.

What Was Mediocre
Kirsten Dunst has been growing on me since Crazy/Beautiful. Just like other stereotypical heroines, Kirsten's material portrays her as a helpless victim. I suppose that's needed to make Spider-Man look very manly.

Willem Dafoe seemed to have one expression the entire movie - no matter if he was the Green Goblin or Norman Osborn.

Director Sam Raimi did a fantastic job in the first 30 minutes but then after that, he seemed to take the focus of the story into two different directions. At times, he was all over the Green Goblin/Spider-Man conflict. Then, he would pull back and force the "love story" in. I could have done without that. I really didn't like how they wrapped up the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane.

What Stunk
James Franco. For all of you Freaks and Geeks kids, he played Daniel Desario in that wonderful, and short lived television show. He looked like he couldn't act his way out of a paper bag here. I suppose he was hired for his physical likeness to Willem Dafoe.

Unfortunately, the way the story ended, we were set up for a possible that sequel that would involve him. I do hope that if they want to stick with the character that they recast the actor or at least, get this man some acting lessons.

A Special Note About Suitability For Children
Maybe I'm getting to be a prude in my old age but I just don't recommend this for any child under 10. There are a couple of dark spots early on in the movie that I think could be more scarier for a kid than they're able to handle. Some of the scenes are pretty violent (of course my husband says, no more than your typical video game). I don't remember any foul words.