Review of Spider-Man (2002) by Nigel B — 04 Jan 2015

This is actually a great film and a fantastic attempt of the famous comic books. Sam Rami doesn't just bring the comic books to life, he brings you into it, with amazing spider-swinging scenes that will blow you away.

Toby Maguire is great as geeky Peter Parker, turned into Spiderman after been bitten by a radioactive Spider. The geekiness becomes cool but it's Willem Defoe as the Green Goblin who's one of the best bad guys for a long time and Kirsten Dunst makes a credible love interest.

In emphasizing angst over energy, the movie is much like its hero -- not the dashing crime fighter in a red-and-black bodysuit but the introspective nerd who both endears and exasperates. A perfectly serviceable early-summer popcorn picture that will satisfy its core teen constituency and not displease general viewers looking for some disposable entertainment.

The special effects are brilliant, which sometimes takes over from the film but is much needed for this kind of thing. The film has heart, which not every "Hero" film has. The only problem is that it felt slow in some places, one minute the film is in a rush and then comes to an unwanted halt, still this is one of the best comic book adaptions around and is defo worth a look.

Colorful, energetic and well-cast, Spider-Man is a good-quality, highly-entertaining action movie. Recommended.