FILM CRITIQUE:
If rated strictly on the basis of a summer blockbuster Hollywood movie, "Spider-Man" could easily have been given three and one half stars. Yes, it's that good a movie, especially when compared to a genre of films where there is practically always a triumph of style over substance. I am referring to those many miserable summer blockbusters where a weak story exists only to support a never-ending array of special effects that end up dazzling our eyes while leaving our brain and our heart in a lethargic torpor.

"Spider-Man" is a good movie because it is an INTERESTING movie. What a surprise! This is not to say that it is as good as a three or a three and a half star dramatic movie, but that in the genre in which it competes, it is a surprisingly intelligent entry.

While the release of this movie in about 8,000 theaters has virtually guaranteed the blockbuster opening that resulted, the very strong follow up of the last two weeks is not at all undeserved, and serves as a further indication that this movie is a very fine movie that has an appeal that cuts across all age categories.

"Spider-Man" is a good movie because the characters in it are real people who demand our interest and even our sympathy. Peter Parker, as the infected student, is very much an anti-hero hero as he is just a smart, science oriented high school graduate who only wants to have a romance with his fantasy sweetheart. Now life has thrown him a curve ball that may make her forever unobtainable.

Movies such as this and the original "Superman," "Jaws," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and "Star Wars" have captured our interest as well as becoming cinematic icons in the process because they have introduced us to a whole new world of imagination and have populated that world with interesting people who also happen to have an interesting story to tell.

Think about all these movies: They would STILL be interesting even without most of the special effects. Because this is the case and because their story is also so captivating is why they have assumed iconic status in our film going repertoire.

The next versions of these original blockbusters have almost invariably fallen of the cinematic icon cliff because we have already seen the original story and know the characters, so most of the wonder has already been experienced.

The real challenge for the producers of sequels is not to come up with more flashy, razzle dazzle special effects, but instead to concentrate on developing a story line that can still capture our fancy in spite of the fact that much of the movie might be a deja vu experience for most people.

The trick is to make the characters either so interesting, likable, or empathetic that we as filmgoers will look forward to being with these characters once again, almost as if they are old friends that we can come back and visit.

Two small complaints would be with the Green Goblin, who seems only to care for a "mano a mano" grudge match with Spider-Man in order to eliminate this sole threat to his supremacy. While a valid concern, this is a course of action that does not seem to be very logical with so many other more profitable opportunities that must be available to the greedy industrialist.

Furthermore, Defoe's over-the-top, overly loud portrayal of the Green Goblin does become somewhat tiresome. Their battle to the death, it must be admitted, is so intense as not to be recommended for younger or more sensitive viewers.

Other than that, this is a fun second entry (after the critically panned "The Scorpion King") for the summer blockbuster season of 2002, and special credit has to be given to whoever thought of hiring Tobey Maguire for the role of Spider-Man. This casting struck me as utter lunacy when I first heard about it, but, if truth be told, Maguire is just perfect in the role of the brooding super hero.

His epic battle with the Green Goblin, along with practically all of the rest of the story, pretty much stays true to the comic book script since the movie's script writers, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, are also the authors of the Spider-Man comic book stories.
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FILM SYNOPSIS:
High school senior Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is once again chasing after the school bus after it left the stop without waiting for him. This has happened many times before, and is the result of a conspiracy between the bus driver and the "cool" kids on the bus to make fun of the hapless geek and to have a few more laughs at his expense.

Surprisingly enough, it is one of the girls of the in crowd who gets up and demands of the bus driver that he pull over and wait for Peter. Mary Jane ("M. J.") Watson (Kirsten Dunst, and what a difference between her role here and that of Marion Davies in "The Cat's Meow!") is the girl friend of one of the high school in crowd leaders, a rich kid who has just received his very own sports car for a present.

In spite of the fact that these two move in very different circles, they are actually next door neighbors in a decidedly lower middle class neighborhood in town. They each have a sneaking admiration for the other and both are loyal to each other as friends who somehow never quite found the time to get really close.

For his part, Peter has carried a secret torch for M. J. ever since she moved in next door at the age of six. He thought she was an angel then, and his current opinion of her hasn't changed at all from his original assessment.

They both have family problems. Peter is an orphan who is being raised by his Uncle Ben Parker (Cliff Robertson) and his Aunt May (Rosemary Harris). For her part, poor M. J. often comes home to an abusive and drunken father.

Peter is a science nerd who also has aspirations to be a photographer on the side, especially if Mary Jane is in the view of his camera lens. He is taking pictures for the school newspaper of their class science trip to see an electromagnetic reactor in the city when he is bitten by a test spider that has escaped from its cage. Nothing special immediately happens from this bite, so Peter continues on with the class science tour.

The next day, however, he is surprised to notice that his physique has bulked up. Furthermore, his reflexive reactions have speeded up to the point that everything else seems to be operating in slow motion. This latter trait is evidenced by his saving both M. J. and the food on her tray when she slips on some spilled juice on the cafeteria floor. To make matters even more strange, he pummels the class bully to a pulp in front of their classmates, an act that freaks everyone else out.

Slowly Peter comes to realize that he is in possession of some rather extraordinary talents, talents which he is both ill-equipped to handle or understand. Spider hairs grow out of the palms of his hand that somehow allow him to crawl up the walls of buildings. Web stringers shoot out of his wrists, but aiming them and controlling the material so that he can use the webbing to swing from building to building does present quite a steep learning curve for our young super hero. There are also some cute vignettes of Peter drawing, creating, and then trying out stylistically different, but equally ill-fitting and silly looking, costumes.

His aunt and uncle, both with the best of intentions, try in vain to
ascertain just what is going on with their suddenly silent and reflective ward. Peter even gets into an argument with his uncle while being dropped off at the city library. Peter accuses him of not having any authority over him since he "isn't his real father." His beloved uncle falls silent from this hurtful comment.

His trip to the library, however, is only a ruse, for his first practical
thought is to attend a wrestling challenge match against all comers for a $3,000 prize for lasting three minutes in the ring with the reigning champion. Peter has hopes of buying a modest car for himself with his winnings. Naturally he wins, but he is then brushed off by the corrupt promoter who does not give him his cash prize.

Leaving in a huff, Peter finds a young punk rushing past him with the stolen gate receipts from the wrestling match. This seems like sweet justice to the just cheated Peter, and he refuses the promoter's cries for help. He leaves the building and heads back to the street to meet his uncle, who has been waiting curbside in the family car to pick him up after his "studies at the library."

Peter is horrified to find out that this very same punk has not only car jacked his uncle's car, but has also murdered his uncle in the process. Peter, as the now costumed Spider-Man, chases down the murderous thief and makes quick work of him.

Peter is wracked by remorse over having parted from his uncle with his angry words, now forever to be the last words spoken between the two of them. He is also tormented and challenged by his uncle's parting advice which will now become his theme, and those words are "With great power comes great responsibility."

His subsequent exploits both thrill and terrify the populace as the
townspeople initially don't know whether he is a friend or a foe. Throwing gasoline on the fire of the public curiosity is the flamboyant publisher with the crew cut of the city's newspaper, J. Jonah Jameson (J. K. Simmons), who ends up hiring Peter as a stringer photographer because he can deliver photographs of Spider-Man for the newspaper's front page.

An important side development is Peter's friendship with another class rich kid, Harry Osborn (James Franco). During a period of time in which Peter is trying to figure out just how and what his new talents are to be used for, he finds himself unduly distracted and thus unwilling to make a play for the clearly interested M. J.

His inaction in the field of romance ends up leaving her by default to his friend, Harry. The two of them remain good friends, however, and they end up moving into an apartment loft together after their graduation from high school.

Harry's father is the quintessential military industrial complex magnate, Norman Osborn (William Defoe). Norman is stunned to hear from his military contacts that his government contract will not be renewed, news that might mean the collapse of his overly extended business empire. It seems that his proposed chemical potion to create a soldier superman has the undesired side effect of causing the test subjects to go crazy.

Norman steps out on a very long limb to salvage his empire and imbibes the potion himself. Of course, he ends up turning into a lunatic as the dangerous "Green Goblin," who flies around the city on a metallic, rocket powered magic carpet of sorts. His first murderous foray is to kill all the military men who have turned down his firm for the receipt of the government largesse. Naturally, Peter, as Spider-Man, turns up to save what is left of the day and the parade that also happens to be taking place at the same time.

Norman is able to divine at a dinner with his son, Harry, in his apartment that Harry's roommate, Peter, is Spider-Man well before Peter has an inkling that the father of his high school chum is the dreaded Green Goblin. This knowledge gives the Green Goblin a leg up on the unsuspecting Spider-Man, especially when it comes to blackmailing him by threatening to do harm to Peter's family and friends.

Poor Peter Parker is forced to fight for truth and justice in a very public arena without the satisfaction of having the private love and companionship of the woman he loves. Matters are made worse by her falling in love with this new super hero who always seems to be around to rescue her when disaster strikes.