Spider-Man (B or 3/4 stars)
Superman, Batman, and now ... we finally have 'Spider-Man' (directed by Sam Raimi). While on a high school science field trip, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is bitten by a genetically modified spider. To his surprise, he wakes up the next morning with incredible superpowers. Once nerdy, shy, & awkward, especially around next door neighbor & fellow student, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), he'll try To to win her over. And after tragedy strikes his family, he'll use the new powers to fight the evil that caused it. Fun movie. This origin story is well handled. The acting? Solid. My only main issue is with the inept CGI special effects.
As mentioned, everything kicks-off at Columbia University when Peter is bitten by said spider (gahh, loathe spiders). Come morning, he's been endowed with 6th sense abilities; strength, endurance, agility, wall-climbing & most interestingly ... glands on his wrists that allow him to spin webs! There are only a few close people in his life (as both of his parents are dead). They are Aunt May & Uncle Ben (Rosemary Harris, Cliff Robertson), his rich best friend, Harry Osborn (James Franco), and until recently, M.J. Watson; the girl he pines after. Things are going well for him (post-spider bite) until he witnesses the murder of his beloved uncle. Livid, he decides not only to use his newfound abilities for fun, but to help humanity & help expunge evil.
Donning a red & blue costume, Peter sets out to defeat the Green Goblin, another genetically-created being. Unfortunately for him, the Goblin just happens to be Harry's arrogant scientist father, Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe)! Part superhuman, part madman, the Goblin wears a metal suit & rides a 1-man jet-propelled glider; there's a great scene where he first wreaks havoc on the public. The Goblin/Norman knows who is near & dear to Peter's heart (his Aunt & Mary Jane); they will be his target. So the rest of the plot ensues as you'd expect: with Goblin & 'Spidey' seeing each other as a threat; trying to dispose of each other, promptly.
Though the 2nd half of the film is solid enough, I preferred the human drama of the 1st hour. We meet all the great supporting characters. It's GREAT watching Peter evolve, & explore his new powers. With this confidence, he's able to stand-up to a school bully. Mary Jane finally notices him. A sweet romance is given breathing-room to blossom, etc. That's not to say the 2nd half is without great pleasures: there's an exhilarating sequence where Spidey swings from building to building, seemingly plunging to the street; only to swing back up into the sky. Breathtaking. But the Green Goblin is not the most riveting of villains. And as mentioned, some of the action/special effects sequences come across as WAY too cartoonish. A superhero adaptation is always going to have more style than substance, but it's the style that suffered in the 2nd half of the film, at times.
But let's focus now on the good. Tobey Maguire is surprisingly strong & appealing as both Parker & Spidey. Physically, he seems small as Peter, but much bulkier in the spider suit; good transformation. Maguire also impresses in handling a role with emotional depth & deep morality concerns. Kirsten Dunst is adequate as MJ. I'm not her biggest fan. But the chemistry btwn. her & Maguire works; as evidenced in one of cinema's greatest kisses as of late ... where Spider-man hangs upside down in the rain & lays an open-mouth kiss on MJ. Just awesome. And aside from some dull-ish exposition scenes in the middle, 'Spider-Man' is the perfect kind of summer movie. It's bright, colorful, sweeping, emotionally-involving, AND action-oriented. I wasn't bowled over, but it is successful.
As mentioned, everything kicks-off at Columbia University when Peter is bitten by said spider (gahh, loathe spiders). Come morning, he's been endowed with 6th sense abilities; strength, endurance, agility, wall-climbing & most interestingly ... glands on his wrists that allow him to spin webs! There are only a few close people in his life (as both of his parents are dead). They are Aunt May & Uncle Ben (Rosemary Harris, Cliff Robertson), his rich best friend, Harry Osborn (James Franco), and until recently, M.J. Watson; the girl he pines after. Things are going well for him (post-spider bite) until he witnesses the murder of his beloved uncle. Livid, he decides not only to use his newfound abilities for fun, but to help humanity & help expunge evil.
Donning a red & blue costume, Peter sets out to defeat the Green Goblin, another genetically-created being. Unfortunately for him, the Goblin just happens to be Harry's arrogant scientist father, Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe)! Part superhuman, part madman, the Goblin wears a metal suit & rides a 1-man jet-propelled glider; there's a great scene where he first wreaks havoc on the public. The Goblin/Norman knows who is near & dear to Peter's heart (his Aunt & Mary Jane); they will be his target. So the rest of the plot ensues as you'd expect: with Goblin & 'Spidey' seeing each other as a threat; trying to dispose of each other, promptly.
Though the 2nd half of the film is solid enough, I preferred the human drama of the 1st hour. We meet all the great supporting characters. It's GREAT watching Peter evolve, & explore his new powers. With this confidence, he's able to stand-up to a school bully. Mary Jane finally notices him. A sweet romance is given breathing-room to blossom, etc. That's not to say the 2nd half is without great pleasures: there's an exhilarating sequence where Spidey swings from building to building, seemingly plunging to the street; only to swing back up into the sky. Breathtaking. But the Green Goblin is not the most riveting of villains. And as mentioned, some of the action/special effects sequences come across as WAY too cartoonish. A superhero adaptation is always going to have more style than substance, but it's the style that suffered in the 2nd half of the film, at times.
But let's focus now on the good. Tobey Maguire is surprisingly strong & appealing as both Parker & Spidey. Physically, he seems small as Peter, but much bulkier in the spider suit; good transformation. Maguire also impresses in handling a role with emotional depth & deep morality concerns. Kirsten Dunst is adequate as MJ. I'm not her biggest fan. But the chemistry btwn. her & Maguire works; as evidenced in one of cinema's greatest kisses as of late ... where Spider-man hangs upside down in the rain & lays an open-mouth kiss on MJ. Just awesome. And aside from some dull-ish exposition scenes in the middle, 'Spider-Man' is the perfect kind of summer movie. It's bright, colorful, sweeping, emotionally-involving, AND action-oriented. I wasn't bowled over, but it is successful.