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Plot Summary
Average teenager Peter Parker is transformed into an extraordinary super hero after he is accidentally bitten by a radioactive spider. When his beloved uncle is savagely murdered during a robbery, young Peter vows to use his powers to avenge his death. Deeming himself "Spider-Man," he sets about ridding the streets of crime, bringing him into conflict with malevolent super-villain "Green Goblin."
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Director
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Rotten Tomatoes Movie Reviews
TOMATOMETER
89%- Reviews Counted: 225
- Fresh: 201
- Rotten: 24
- Average Rating: 7.6/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Fresh: Raimi gives this unapologetic fluff a mind, a heart and a keen sense of fun.
Fresh: A perfectly serviceable early-summer popcorn picture that will satisfy its core teen constituency and not displease general viewers looking for some disposable entertainment.
Fresh: With earnest, unpretentious delivery, Maguire is an eminently likable hero audiences will root for from his earliest moments as the class wimp.
Fresh: The perils and advantages of being bitten by a genetically modified spider are made abundantly clear in Sam Raimi's enjoyable, if broken-backed, exercise in high-cost pulp.
Customer Reviews
One of the greatest superhero movies ever!!
The action, acting and pacing are excellent and the movie manages to action, romance, drama and comedy all into one great package!
Good Film That Hits the Target With Fans, but Misses in Script...
I saw Spider-Man on opening day 'cause I was very excited to see it. I'm not a particular fanboy of comic books, but Spidey has always been one of my favorites. I was surprised that Raimi was given the role of director with this film, considering his only real claim to fame is the Evil Dead series before this, but his direction here is very well done. The acting is very good. Maguire IS Spider-Man/Peter Parker. Everyone fits into their role well -- great cast. The special-effects are okay. Raimi can't seem to decide what scene should be CGI or which should be wires when it comes to the antics of Spidey saving the day or duking it out with a villain or "Bonesaw". When it's computer-Spidey, things tend to get a little fake -- Mummy Returns fake -- be it the balloons in the parade, or Spidey hopping and slinging webs. Where the heII does the budget for this film go? I know the actors get a big chunk, but jesums, you'd think the computer guys could add some detail into the work. The script here... drags with a sigh. It may be an origins story, but Raimi could take a note from Nolan on how Spider-Man could've been portrayed. Sure, it's fun to see Parker slowly realize his powers, but it's just forgettable -- special-effects had a hand in it too. The Green Goblin, while an interesting choice of villain, is not shown enough as an intricate character to the plot, which can be a good thing (as in the case for The Joker, King Kong, and Jaws) but Raimi focuses far too much on the relationship between the Osborn boys and not enough on the villainy of Osborn's alternate personality. The strain on Parker and Watson's "relationship" is very good however. The begginning internal struggle for Parker is also portrayed very well, and is a great connector for Spidey 2. The music by Elfman isn't very good. I own it, and it's one of the least listened to on my iPod. There's a point with a really sweeping cue, but Elfman -- as seen in the rest of his work -- doesn't know diddley squat on how to evolve. Overall, Spider-Man is an okay begginning to the film franchise. It's no where near as great as Batman Begins, but that is DC, so as a Marvel film, it is the best so far... until #2 that is. Worth a rent, and a buy.
In A Web Of Excellence
This movie was a great to see in theaters when it came out in 2002. The musical score was only part of the succes for this movie thanks to Danny Elfman. The special effects were mind blowing for me to see Spiderman swing from high buildings to catch the bad guys. Also my dad grew up reading this comic book hero and now I am reading the comics of the webslinger. This movie is worth every penny and it is worth owning. "With great power comes great movies"
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- $12.99
- Genre: Action & Adventure
- Released: 2002
- Motion Picture 2002 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved,Spider-Man Character ® & © 2002 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Available Bundle
- Spider-Man Trilogy
- Genre: Action & Adventure
- Released: Oct 23, 2012
- View In iTunes
Also Available
- Spider-Man (Music from and Inspired By)
- Various Artists