Subject: Review: Spider-Man (2002)

From: Homer Yen <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 07 May 2002 17:21:29 -0000

"Spiderman" Spins a Youthful Tale
by Homer Yen
(c) 2002

"Spiderman" may be the name of a superhero, but
the story is really about an ordinary kid.  He
just happens to have extraordinary powers. 
Compared to other superhero films about Batman or
the X-Men, this film certainly doesn't have their
otherworldly feel.  For example, when Tobey
Maguire in costume says "I'm your friendly,
neighborhood Spiderman," he sounds like a total
geek.  Yet, in many ways, our favorite
web-slinger is the most powerful of the lot
because it is about human nature rather than
colorful villains and their mad schemes.  Thus,
comparatively, "Spiderman" seems fresher, with a
more human perspective.  That's something that we
can all appreciate.

"Spiderman" recounts the superhero's origin and
introduces the central characters that spawned
the comic book franchise.  We meet Peter Parker
(Tobey Maguire) who is nerdy, bookish and
socially inept.  He's just about to graduate from
high school but isn't ready for the world as he
is very much an outcast.  He has a burning but
unrequited love for Mary Jane Parker (Kirsten
Dunst).  He is being raised by his venerable Aunt
May (Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Cliff
Robertson).  And his best friend Harry (James
Franco) is ashamed of his father's (Willem Dafoe)
wealth.

Concentrating on Peter Parker rather than his
alter ego is the right move.  Yes, we do see how
a genetically enhanced spider bites Peter and
subsequently gives him these super powers.  His
vision improves, his muscles begin to bulge, and
a pesky glutinous substance sprays out from his
wrists.  But, the film is really a tender story
about a frail boy trying to cope with some tough
realities of life.  They include bullies,
responsibility, sacrifice, and love.  We see
these elements being explored whether it's Peter
Parker trying to survive high school or whether
it's his alter ego battling the Green Goblin.

Tobey Maguire brings fallibility to the
character.  After all, he's just trying to figure
things out.  Kirsten Dunst is also enjoyable as
we watch her character change from a high
schooler motivated by good looks to a young woman
attracted to good character.  Seeing their
relationship evolve was more absorbing than
watching Spiderman go against the Green Goblin. 
However, it's clear that Dafoe as the bad guy
relishes being a villain, and he's suitably
creepy in that role.

As a summer movie, and it lives up to
expectations.  Visuals are quite impressive,
especially in the sequences where Spiderman
swings through the concrete jungle shooting out
strands from his wrists as his means of travel. 
And, it's plenty amusing as Peter tries to figure
out life and his new powers primarily through
trial and error.

Just how much do people want to see "Spiderman"? 
At the local 18-theatre cineplex, this film is
playing in 5 of those theatres.  That's 25
screenings throughout the day.  And on it's first
two opening nights when there were a total of 50
showtimes from which to choose, 42 of those were
sold out.  It's 3-day national opening totaled a
record-breaking $114 million, eclipsing the
previous record holder by $25 million and became
the first film to ever gross over $100 million in
it's first three days.  You'd have to crawl up
and over a wall to get into a theatre during the
opening weekend.  But it's probably worth the
effort.  You can't keep a good man down.

Grade:	B+

S:	1 out of 3
L:	0 out of 3
V:	2 out of 3

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X-RAMR-ID: 31760
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 311637
X-RT-TitleID: 1112310
X-RT-AuthorID: 1370
X-RT-RatingText: B+