Spider-man
Synopsis:
When bitten by a genetically modified spider, a nerdy, shy and awkward high school student gains spider-like abilities that he eventually must use to fight evil as a superhero after tragedy befalls his family.
Movie Review:
"Spider-man" is the first Spider-man movie that was released 15 years ago in the theaters AND started the superhero movie trend that is still happening right now. The director, Sam Rami got the right tone for this movie by using the old 'spidey' comics to portray a superhero story that is a little silly but emotional at the same time. Tobey Maguire was perfectly cast as the shy, nerdy and awkward high schooler who transforms into a superhero to fight crime. What makes this a great movie is the well written script by David Koepp who flawlessly combines the serious tone with entertaining, and at times humorous and meaningless elements of the plot. The supporting cast that includes: Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin, Spider-man's arch nemesis is creepy and menacing and can go toe to toe with Spider-man; Kirsten Dunst is Mary Jane Watson, Peter's love interest and James Franco is Harry Osborne, Peter's best friend; Rosemary Harris is Aunt May and Cliff is Uncle Ben—all bring life to their characters and interact with Spider-man in a charismatic, passionate and humanistic way. The best performance of this movie goes to J.K. Simmons as the famous J. Jonah Jameson. He is fun to watch as he plays the character so well with his perfect comedic timing and emotional hatred toward Spider-man. The success of this movie is credited to the superb direction of Sam Ramie. The practical and the CGI effects are exciting from the opening credits to the end scene. Ramie understands how to tell a great story on the big screen in an emotional and realistic way. There are a few minor flaws in this movie; the costume choice for the Green Goblin looks a little cartoon-like. And, I didn't feel the chemistry between Peter and Mary Jane; I just didn't think the connection was there. In my opinion, "Spider-man" is a superhero movie that embodies tragedy, life-struggles, maturity and action. You know a movie is a hit when a line from the film sticks with you— "with great power comes great responsibility". It's a fun and entertaining film that will make you laugh and cry. "Spider-man" started the superhero genre and is the first superhero movie that I actually liked as a young boy and watched over and over again. I am giving "Spider-man" a 4 out of 5 stars.
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Rosemary Harris, J. K. Simmons and Cliff Robertson
Runtime: 121 minutes