Spider-Man review, Spider-Man DVD review

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Buy your copy from Amazon.com Spider-Man (2002) Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirstin Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco
Director: Sam Raimi
Rating: PG-13
Category: Action / Adventure

I’m no stockbroker, but take my advice: you’re going to want to buy Marvel stock real soon. After successfully adapting “X-Men” for the big screen in 2000, it looked as if Hollywood had finally gotten it right. Then again, they could have just gotten lucky. After all, years upon years of corny comic book movies have been ingrained in the minds of fans everywhere, and it was going to take a lot more than one great film to change their minds. Look no further than “Spider-Man,” then, for proof that a comic book renaissance is just around the corner. Featuring great action, dazzling effects and one of the best stories of the year, “Spider-Man” has ushered in a new generation of action films that simply can’t be missed.

Tobey Maguire stars as Peter Parker, a high school nerd who is invisible to everyone in school – including the girl of his dreams, Mary Jane Watson (Kristin Dunst). When he’s bitten by a radioactive spider on a field trip, however, Peter begins to develop superpowers that give him enhanced strength and the ability to spin webs and climb walls. Hoping to impress Mary Jane by entering a wrestling tournament and using the winnings to buy a new car, Peter’s plans backfire when his Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) is killed by a robber that Peter set free earlier that night. Determined to make up for his mistakes by fighting crime, Peter’s first go-around as a superhero pits him against the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), a respected scientist who’s recent experiment turns him into the city’s newest threat.

Director Sam Raimi proves he’s up to the task by taking on such a complicated project – and one that has switched hands between several A-list directors over the past few years. Raimi injects a very true-to-the-book script along with his own twist of wit and style that he brought to such films as “The Evil Dead.” Additionally, Tobey Maguire does a fine job as the web-crawling superhero, but Willem Dafoe steals the show as the Green Goblin. Not only does he give the character a life many thought only possible in the comics, but he also showed the courage to get inside a green metal suit that looked more like a Halloween costume than a Hollywood prop, and for that, he deserves tons of credit.

Overall, “Spider-Man” is a near-flawless experience that serves as the perfect start to the summer season. Longtime fans of Stan Lee’s most famous character might notice some differences to the story, but besides a few minor details here and there, it’s like a comic book come to life. The film takes the audience on an action-packed thrill ride about a superhero that still has to deal with everyday problems, and if future comic book movies are even half as good, moviegoers will be in for a pleasant surprise.

~Jason Zingale