Streaming Gems: Spider-Man (2002)
Photo from IMDb
From Shane Conto
When did this comic book movie bubble even begin? There were obviously comic book movies well before 2000 with the likes of Superman: The Movie and Batman but it was the turn of the century that put these adaptations into full throttle. The one-two punch of X-Men and Spider-Man blew up at the box office and set into motion a cinematic trend that is still riding high after 25 years. One of the biggest Marvel properties that relates to so many is Spider-Man and when 2002 rolled around, so many people were ready to see the wall crawler swinging into cinemas.
What makes Spider-Man feel so special and unique even with 25 years of Marvel consistently coming into our lives? Sam Raimi. One of the biggest criticisms of the MCU is that it feels a bit bland and safe from a filmmaking perspective. They lack distinct personalities in many ways but one filmmaker recently at least shook things up a bit…Raimi. His cinematic voice is weird, dark, and campy. This is a great vibe to bring to a story based off of a comic book. There is plenty of fun humor injected into this film with some pseudo-horror moments that Raimi pulls from his Evil Dead days (most centered around the Green Goblin and his devious shenanigans). There are plenty of moments that capture the comic books vibes with panels and cartoony visuals effects. But Danny Elfman’s iconic score brings the whole package together with plenty of unique texture and personality of its own.
What does Spider-Man do really well? Tell a origin story. This is arguably one of the most iconic origin stories in comics and this film nails it. We feel the immense wait of Uncle Ben’s “With great power…” and his inevitable death. The journey to seeing Peter Parker master his powers is earnest and fun. The narrative web that develops around Peter, Harry, Mary Jane, and Norman Osborn makes for an entertaining and engaging story. The descent into madness of Norman as he goes full blown Goblin is one of the more iconic villain arcs in comic book movies. There are some great action moments as well from the parade to the bridge scene to the brutal and visceral final confrontation between Peter and Norman. There is plenty of emotional resonance with Peter’s dynamic with Aunt May and his struggle between being Spider-Man and his love for Mary Jane. This feels like THE Spider-Man story on film.
What makes this film work so well? This incredible cast. Toby Maguire is an acquired taste as Peter and it might be a generational thing depending on which was YOUR Spider-Man. He captures the emotion and awkwardness for sure. This Peter Parker is certainly a bit of a loser but he is our lovable loser. The real standout of the film is Willem Dafoe. His line deliveries are legendary with so many of his quotes becoming iconic and transcended into the world of memes. The way he converses with himself is so compelling and he delivers all the physicality and facial expressions you need. He even makes the silly Power Rangers villain costume work. The duo of Cliff Robertson and Rosemary Harris bring so much weight and presence to this film and sell all the incredible emotional moments along the way. J.K. Simmons is iconic and perfect as the greedy and prickish Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson. Kirsten Dunst and James Franco have even become so synonymous with their characters as well. Sprinkle in a fun Bruce Campbell performance (it is a Raimi film…you need it) and you have the perfect cast to bring this story to life.
Do you miss comic book movies oozing with personality and filmmaking expertise? Spider-Man is an incredibly fun and moving experience. Raimi captures the wonder and energy of comics and delivers a lasting film that would spawn one of the best sequels in the genre. We don’t get comic book movies quite like this often anymore and it is a refreshing experience to go back and get lost in Raimi’s cinematic brand.
Spider-Man is streaming on Netflix.
