3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Web of wonders
Date of Review: Sep 18, 2002
The Bottom Line: A popcorn movie that transcends the genre.
Based on the old comic book, and the later TV series, Tobey Maguire is the latest in a long line of cinematic super-heroes. Although I wasn?t really familiar with either, the film mixes fantastic special effects against the usual struggle of good vs. evil. Willem Dafoe plays the main villain here, and what a villain he is. In one of the story?s intriguing twists, he develops his super-villainy at the same time and in contrast to Tobey?s developing powers.
What distinguishes this film as opposed to the run-of-the mill comic book film is the strong story. Similar to BATMAN and SUPERMAN, the quality of the story is as important as the special effects, and the effects never really overpower the film narrative. Although they are spectacular and amazing, with Tobey making continual high-flying swoops across New York on nothing more than a spider-web filament, we never lose sight of who Spider-Man is and we continually care about his predicaments. This can most certainly be tied to Tobey Maguire?s strong sympathetic portrayal ? he?s just an ordinary guy who just happens to be bitten by a gene-altered super-spider, and he is as perplexed as we would be if spider filaments started springing from our wrists. Watching him develop this and take on his arch-nemesis is pure pleasure. If you can call anything with a comic book premise smart, well, this is a perfect example.
Kirsten Dunst provides the love interest this time around, and she is very good, indeed, as Mary Ann, matching Tobey note for note, nuance for nuance. Their love scenes, when they finally come, are palpable and memorable, adding a dimension to the film and yet not sacrificing its main thrust, so delicately handled as to give you awe. If nothing else, you will remember them.
SPIDER-MAN is very, VERY enjoyable, absolutely living up to its hype and good reviews. I now see why they've been praising Tobey Maguire as the perfect choice. It reminded me somewhat of the first SUPERMAN movie ? but different. I thought, too, that I'd get tired of all the acrobatics but I never did.
But what really impressed me most of all was the SOUND. I don't think I've heard sound this good since PVT. RYAN or ENEMY AT THE GATES. ) While enveloping you as few films do in their sound design, it provides another awesome detail to the film.
The film is fast-paced ? in fact, so fast-paced that you wish it would slow down so you can savor it. Danny Elfman, no stranger to comic book heroes, provides the propulsive score that will instantly remind you of BATMAN before it takes on a life of its own.
It's a movie that's a whole lot of fun.
