SPIDER-MAN
directed by Sam Raimi; (2002)
Review by
Film Rating:
Okay, this is what happens
when you starve an audience for good movies: the first halfway
decent movie that comes out is a sudden blockbuster. Tobey Maguire was
good in the title role. He captured it. But Willem Dafoe overplayed
the Green Goblin. Now, you can crucify me for speaking against an independent
film actor, or maybe we can blame the director, but I was disappointed by Dafoe's Prozac personality
and theatrical exaggeration. This was a film, not a stage show.
Similarly, I was unimpressed by the character played by Kirsten Dunst.
Perhaps the role of Mary Jane stifled her talent, but I had the feeling that she was just reciting
memorized lines and behaviors. I didn't believe the character.
Overall, the film was fun and probably worth seeing. The
pacing was great, the CG aerobatics were decent, the screenplay was cool.
I enjoyed watching Peter Parker change from a shy nerd to an "incredible human-spider" to a superhero.
