Written by: David Koepp
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris
Rating: [4.5/5]
Superhero origin stories allow audiences to see how someone fairly normal finds themselves in a situation where they possess powers beyond their imagination and choose a life where they fight crime. Something that has quite the formula and can only be told in so many ways with the journey of Spider-Man being quite well-known due to this popularity. Through this feature, we see this origin but also introduce us to quite the web-slinger as it grounds the story with tangible characters going through real problems.
Meek but smart, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) endures bullying in high school by all around him but he maintains a crush on Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and a best friend in Harry (James Franco). When on a field trip with his class, he gets bitten by a genetically modified spider that suddenly gives him the ability to shoot webs out of his wrist as well as strength and agility he does not know how to handle.
Outside of Superman and Batman, it would be hard to argue any other superhero has more popularity than Spider-Man and some could argue the web-slinger has surpassed them, which has led to a bevy of iterations of him leading to financial success on each occasion. Amid all of the live-action adaptations of this character that have followed this iteration the one portrayed by Tobey Maguire remains the peak not because of whether or not he matches what gets displayed in the comic books but rather what makes him such a compelling character to follow.
As someone with no knowledge of the comics, I frankly do not care about the comic accurateness of this character but through this story, we get someone who’s a real person going through problems in his life while also existing as Spider-Man. Something that finds its grounding in the other characters in the story as well throughout this trilogy. We have Peter with the struggles of bullying along with losing Uncle Ben, Mary Jane deals with an abusive father, Harry contends with not living up to his father’s aspirations for him, and the villain at the center demonstrates a level of desperation. This all displays how and why they collide with each other at this moment in their lives. We feel their struggle, which only makes their triumphs that much more impactful.
This all begins with Peter and his presentation as this bullied kid at school even if everyone at this high school looks like they’re in their mid-20s. Peter encounters some actual bullying here from others expressing his underdog status, where he does not come from wealth and has struggled in not being humiliated by classmates. With all love to Tobey Maguire, he sells the true nerd status well and much more than Tom Holland and Andrew Garfield who follow him in the portrayal of this character. Again, in no world would someone who looks like Tom Holland be bullied in high school. Through everything he goes through, Parker in this feature demonstrates kindness at every turn as he just wants to get through each day allowing his gaining of these powers simply a magnification of what makes him a great person and what he will utilize his newfound abilities to do for the community.
As he begins his duties as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, this film also very much feels like it takes place in New York. One where the random people on the street give off the vibe and persona of the city they each inhabit continuing to give this grounding feeling to the story. One where it gets absurd in moments how these individuals act but certainly matches the characters anyone could encounter if they walk through the streets of New York. With this character having his foundation as a neighborhood superhero of this city, having him feel part of the community remains such an integral force and ultimately one of the more touching themes this and its succeeding films capture so well.
A genuine excitement exists in the build-up to Peter fully developing his persona as Spider-Man showing he’s just a kid making for some iconic scenes that have always remained ingrained by my head. Such as the sequence on the rooftop when he attempts to ascertain exactly how to utilize his web o. Something so childishly funny but very much in keeping with an 18-year-old trying to figure out exactly how this all works and then how he can use it to his advantage initially making for one of the more impactful scenes in the feature about the decisions these characters make and how it has a knock-on effect on everything else.
With a slew of villains to choose from within the catalog of Spider-Man characters, in this feature we get Green Goblin portrayed by Willem Dafoe. Such an intriguing portrayal of the push and pull for this man as he gives his all to craft a scientific breakthrough and his descent into what he becomes is quite sad but makes for an incredible villain. Having anyone else pick up the mantle and portray this character seems impossible because of the pitch-perfect performance given by this man. From the laugh to the eccentricities of the character, Dafoe’s work here represents one of the best performances ever given in a comic book film. His encounters with Spider-Man make for some brutal battles making these fights difficult to watch in moments because of the violence on display. These characters leave a mark on each other with each blow dealing some damage making it quite impactful as the stakes continue to elevate.
Taking the crown as the ultimate live-action Peter Parker, Spider-Man introduces us to a version of the character who feels completely real. Someone who does not have everything figured out and can barely help keep his aunt and uncle keep the lights on. We see this through the other characters as well making this such a unique superhero film. Filled with iconic imagery that has withstood the test of time like the upside-down kiss shared by the web-slinger and Mary Jane. So much of this feature displays excellence and the emotion of it lands on every single occasion.
Films with Josh 
