SpiderMan Review
by John Sylva (DeWyNGaLe AT aol DOT com)July 24th, 2002
SPIDER-MAN (2002)
Reviewed by John Sylva
Whether it's that Sam Raimi has managed to make a successful departure from his typical horror fare or that two overnight sensations are being made in Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst isn't important: Either way, there's something wonderfully surreal about watching Spider-Man. That a summer blockbuster takes on a role more resonant than mere escapism is usually worth commendation alone, but the praise for this extraordinary production can't justly stop here. From the high-flying heroic exploits in the streets of Manhattan to the interplay between the title character and crazed villain The Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Spider-Man captures the spirit of the legendary comic so well you feel Raimi invented this universe himself.
Considering lead Tobey Maguire's past work, the strictly arthouse moviegoer might imagine Spider-Man is a coming-of-age drama about a character crawling through life; but at last, Maguire has made his first daring career move. Inhabiting Spider-Man's skin with extraordinary awareness as to what makes a successful screen super-hero, Maguire uses his trademark innocence to wonderful advantage, greeting his Peter Parker's newfound abilities of web-slinging and excessive strength with the baffled mannerisms we've come to expect from the actor. His romance with Mary Jane Watson (Dunst) is also home to classic Maguire as Peter struggles to conceal from her his super-hero alter-ego and compete with roommate Harry Osborn (James Franco), also The Green Goblin's son, for her affection.
With Spider-Man, Raimi crafts a picture that doesn't import comic icons to an unrelated cinematic realm but brings them to life in a fitting world of their own. Where another director may have felt obligated to base the story in aggressive realism, Raimi is perfectly comfortable handling an atmosphere where super-heroes are the norm, allowing the film's characters to occupy the screen in a way Hollywood adaptations seldom permit. Dialogue is drawn straight from the pages of Spider-Man comics in a self-aware fashion, with Maguire getting classic declarations ("I am Spider-Man!"), Dafoe camping it up ("Can't the spider come out to play?!), and Dunst playing the clueless romantic ("Just a friend, Peter Parker?").
The risk lies in Spider-Man coming off too detached for a super-hero tale. The film skillfully avoids this via David Koepp's screenplay that relies on characters' identities to heighten the stakes which carry the plot. Peter Parker's bond with his Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) stops just short of a "gee whiz, groovy" environment with the entrance of deeper issues in their relationship, drawing the hero as a character whose humanity is never second to his metaphysical abilities. Likewise, Mary Jane could have easily been another Kim Basinger-esque love interest for Peter Parker, but the script hands her substantial material to cast the character in a light that may seem extreme, but upon second glance, isn't too far-fetched.
If there's any part Raimi's Spider-Man is indisputably playing, the inaugural picture of a long, hopefully healthy franchise is it. Wisely beginning in Parker's teen years rather than later on down the road, the film eliminates the possibility for later prequels to attempt a cash-in on the "Spider-Man you didn't see!" As long as Maguire and Dunst are on board, the sky's the limit: And, if you've seen Spider-Man in action, you know the sky's a piece of cake for him.
GRADE: B+
Film reviewed July 23rd, 2002.
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
