Spider-Man (2002)

By started it all, I don’t mean the modern landscape of superhero cinema, I’m referring to my obsession with Spidey! This film and every subsequent film has been a massive part of my life and a huge influence on me as a creative, as a film fan and most importantly, as a person.

This film completely embodies the original 1960s Stan Lee/Jack Kirby run of Spider-Man, and it’s all the better for it. There’s an earnest love for the character present in every aspect of this film. Spending time building up Peter and his relationship to his own morality and how his Uncle Ben influences it, Sam Raimi creates such a vibrant world and story that is truly respective of the character as Lee and Kirby envisioned him.

Speaking of Raimi, his unique directing style is embedded deep in the DNA of this film. With the use of quick zooms, dynamic camera movements and very impactful fight sequences. His time producing the Evil Dead series made him an unexpectedly great fit to bring the wall crawler to the screen, a filmmaker with a true vision of how to deliver a compelling character study amongst a high octane action movie. It’s probably well known now but they developed a new camera rig in order to best capture the sequences of him swinging. Whilst Spider-Man himself is CGI, the environment around him is very much real. The camera would swing through the streets of New York, capturing footage to implement Spidey in all his glory. Raimi’s insistentence on practical effects where possible creates something that a lot of modern superhero pieces fail to capture, immersion. He creates a world we can see ourselves in, therefore allowing us to connect with Peter on a deeper/more emotional level. 

Tobey Maguire plays Peter himself and let me tell you, he was the only choice to play this version of the character. He’s incredibly believable as a 60s esque nerd, his face alone cementing him as someone who (as kindly as possibly insinuated) would get bullied in an environment like that school. The trio of him, James Franco and Kirsten Dunst all showcase a familiar bond. Like they’ve grown up around eachother and have a clear history, sometimes longing for eachother. The clear standout of this film is obviously Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn. He throws himself into the camp nature of Green Goblin and delivers an iconic performance. Balancing what appears to be two separate characters and the differences between them. He is menacing, cunning, sadistic and genuinely evil in all the right ways to make such a compelling villain. There’s a reason that any subsequent attempt at the Goblin has failed, he set the bar way too high!

The action is absolutely stellar, especially for 2002! You feel every hit, you see every web, the way its shot and edited is just absolutely incredible. The final fight against the Goblin is one that I personally view as a gold standard for superhero showdowns. The use of close ups, the detail in the suit being ripped, the blood flushing from Peter’s mouth and nose, it’s deliciously brutal.

My only complaints with this film is that whilst the kiss scene in the rain is iconic, the chemistry between Tobey and Kirsten feels very lacking. Often falling flat and sucking any emotion out of the scene, I’m not sure if its the direction, the writing or the personal choices from the actors but it never felt quite as believable as I wanted it to be.

Furthermore, whilst Spider-Man as a character is driven by personal/romantic drama, I have to admit the love triangle between Peter/MJ/Harry never worked for me. Harry always seemed too douchey for my liking, never taking responsibility and always laying the blame at someone else’s feet. But that's a critique that is best covered when we get to the third instalment eh?

Overall, this film is and has remained a classic for a reason. It’s style, its action, it’s heart, it all stands the test of time and truly embodies/respects who I consider to be one of the greatest characters ever created.

8.5/10