"We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by"- Will Rogers (Spider-Man / Spider-Man 2 (DVD))

Member Name: ILoveJackDaniels

Product:	Spider-Man / Spider-Man 2 (DVD)
Date:	13/06/02 (484 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's a Spiderman movie, Great acting, Not too 'Hollywood'

Disadvantages: Green Goblin looks like a bad guy from the Power Rangers

The chances are that when you think of Spiderman, you pop yourself into one of three groups. First are those who think comics and cartoons are for kids, and that you really don't want to waste your time with such childish rubbish. The second group are those of you who loved Spiderman as a kid, along with plenty of other superheroes and comics (Hulk movie next year, Silver Surfer movie in 2-3 years - woohoo!), but don't really read them anymore, but wish in some ways you'd never stopped. The third main group are the die-hard fans - the ones who buy Spiderman comics whenever possible, and loved the first Spiderman movie even though the effects were rubbish.

Spiderman is probably not what you will be expecting. It is the was Batman should have been - a dark, broody film, which focuses more on Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and his development into the most famous of superheroes, and the effect it has on him. There is little hero worship here - as they say in the film, being Spiderman is both Peter's blessing, and his curse.

The film starts by introducing Peter, still at school and living with his aunt and uncle, with dreams of being a photographer. While out on a school field trip (taking pictures for the school paper, naturally) Peter is bitten by a new species of spider, and his transformation begins. The changes are rapid, and soon he begins to discover his powers. I mean that not in the sense that he suddenly realises he has them (though obviously that is a part of it) but in the sense that he begins to develop his control over them, experimenting with them, finding his limits and uses for them.

A crush on the love of his life (Mary-Jane, played by the delectable Kirsten Dunst), and the desire to impress her with a new car, soon find him pitted against Bonesaw (played by Macho Man Randy Savage), in a fight with $3000 to be won if he can last 3 minutes. This match in a cage gives a great opportunity to see some of Spiderman&#
39;s powers in action, and our hero knocks out his opponent in just 2 minutes - little realising that this would lead to the death of his beloved uncle.

And so Spiderman the hero is born. The rest of the film sees him fighting crime, Superman-style, and taking on the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) in some amazing sequences. It is when fighting the Green Goblin throughout the film that the realisation dawns on Peter that being Spiderman is a curse - the people he cares about will always be at risk as long as he is Spiderman.

This has to be one of things I loved most about this movie - the comics always focussed on this side of Spiderman, the fact that with his power came responsibility and risk to his friends and family, and I was worried that the movie would overlook this in favour of putting a typical Hollywood hero angle to the film. Sam Raimi has done a great job of capturing the feel of the comics though, from Peter's typical adolescent fears and foibles to the dark side of actually being Spiderman.

The special effects are superb, complimenting the film perfectly, though I wish the Green Goblin were more like his comic book inspiration and less like a Power Rangers extra. Spiderman swinging through the streets is one of the best special effects scenes I have yet seen, especially as throughout the film you can actually see him get more used to swinging, and actually getting better with his web shooters.

The soundtrack is worth a mention, with not only the likes of Alien Ant Farm, the Strokes and the Hives, but also the original Spiderman theme from the 60s cartoons! Macy Gray also puts in a live performance on stage, which is the scene in which if you keep your eyes open you will also catch a quick glimpse of Spiderman's co-creator, Stan Lee (we're not worthy, grovel grovel etc).

The cast all put in a superb performance. Tobey Maguire shines through as Peter Parker/Spiderman, putting in a superb performance wh
ether with Mary Jane (read unrequited love scenes) or taking on the bad guys. Kirsten Dunst has to do little more than look stunning, and does it superbly, but is brilliant whenever she does have a scene. Willem Dafoe is also excellent both as Norman Osborne and the Green Goblin, his voice as the Goblin being one of the most memorable parts of the film.

So how would the three groups at the beginning feel about the film? The first group - the over-serious boring lot - would probably enjoy it, if they could suppress for a minute the thought that they were watching a movie based on a comic book character. The second lot will love it. How do I know? I'm in that second group. I haven't bought comics in ages, but am determined to get back into it now, especially with a Silver Surfer movie in the making. If you read any comics as a kid, or even liked those Superhero Top Trumps, you will love this movie. The third group will be the hardest to please, as being avid fans they will see and hate every single diversion from the original comics. Even so, I think they will enjoy the way it has kept the same dark feel as the comics, and stuck closely to Stan Lee's original idea of the character.

Overall, this has to be one of the most entertaining and enthralling movies of the year so far. I would be suprised if I saw better in the next few months. You will be kicking yourself if you miss this one on the big screen, so don't!






CAST

Tobey Maguire (Cats and Dogs, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas)
Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Shadow of the Vampire)
Cliff Robertson (Escape from L.A., Mach 2)
J.K. Simmons (The Gift, The Mexican)
Kirsten Dunst (Small Soldiers, Crazy/Beautiful)
James Franco (At Any Cost, James Dean)
Rosemary Harris (Sunshine, Holocaust)
Bruce Campbell (every Sam Raimi movie, most famously the Evil Dead trilogy)
Randy Savage (Ready to Rumble, most other movies with a wrestl
er in them)



RATING

US - PG 13
UK - 12



TRIVIA

In the original movie, the editor of the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson, was played by David White - of Bewitched fame (Darrin's boss).

Cameos in this film include Stan Lee as a souvenir salesman and Bruce Campbell as a ring announcer, who along with a 1973 Dodge Oldsmobile, have appeared in almost all of Sam Raimi's films, including Darkman, Evil Dead, Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness.

Summary: