Amazon.com
For devoted fans and nonfans alike,
Spider-Man offers nothing less--and nothing more--than what you'd expect from a superhero blockbuster. Having proven his comic-book savvy with the original
Darkman, director Sam Raimi brings ample energy and enthusiasm to Spidey's origin story, nicely establishing high-school nebbish Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) as a brainy outcast who reacts with appropriate euphoria--and well-tempered maturity--when a "super-spider" bite transforms him into the amazingly agile, web-shooting Spider-Man. That's all well and good, and so is Kirsten Dunst as Parker's girl-next-door sweetheart. Where
Spider-Man falls short is in its hyperactive CGI action sequences, which play like a video game instead of the gravity-defying exploits of a flesh-and-blood superhero. Willem Dafoe is perfectly cast as Spidey's schizoid nemesis, the Green Goblin, and the movie's a lot of fun overall. It's no match for
Superman and
Batman in bringing a beloved character to the screen, but it places a respectable third.
--Jeff Shannon
Product Description
A shy intelligent outcast teenager is accidentally bitten by a genetically engineered spider. Suddenly he is empowered with the speed strength and agility of a spider transforming him into an extaordinary hero. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 09/27/2005 Starring: Tobey Maguire Kirsten Dunst Run time: 121 minutes Rating: Pg13 Director: Sam Raimi
See all Editorial Reviews