Spider-Man

"With great power comes great responsibility".These words, spoken by Peter Parker's uncle Ben(Cliff Robertson)during their last conversation and which have become Spider-Man's motto, also perfectly represent the challenge Sam Raimi was facing when asked to bring one of America's most loved superheroes to the screen.

You can relax, fellas: Raimi's movie is definitely worth a look.Loosely based on the origin story and the Stan Lee/John Romita Sr. run, it's a fascinating mix of spectacular action and powerful drama, as it chronicles Peter Parker's(Tobey Maguire) transformation into a superhuman and the responsibilities deriving from said metamorphosis: while fighting crime to avenge his uncle's death, he also has to deal with his feelings for Mary Jane Watson(Kirsten Dunst) and his friendship with Harry Osborn(James Franco); add Harry's father Norman(Willem Dafoe), who's become schizophrenic psycho Green Goblin, and you've got a quite complicated situation.

Raimi's excellent at showing us the hero's pain, as well as the one he causes to others, and he gets terrific performances from the entire cast, particularly Maguire, Dafoe and Robertson.

On its own, it's a very good superhero flick, alongside the sequel, it's an absolute masterpiece.

Recommended even if you don't care about the comics.

That movie starts the string of the spider man that I'm grown with and raise the bar really high for the next super hero movie which comes soon after it. This part is really good synthesized. I can tell much more good thing abouy the movie but you can make them on your own.

I am not into action films particularly,(I'm 17) but this was a really pleasant surprise. This is a well-designed, well-acted and well-directed film, that is close to the comics, which my younger brother used to collect. I loved the music score by Danny Elfman, very like Batman. The special effects were excellent, especially with the scene on the bridge, and the direction from Sam Raimi was fast-paced and secure. But for me, the acting was the best aspect of the movie. Tobey Maguire was the biggest surprise. Usually actors playing comic book heroes are bland, but Maguire was not that at all. If anything he was very charming. Kirsten Dunst portrays the thankless role of the damsel in distress, and I must say, she is very impressive. J.K Simmons gets the most laughs as Jameson, but the best actor was Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn aka the Green Goblin. He not only looked the part of the Green Goblin, but brought some welcome gravitas to the role. The story is sweet and sometimes poignant towards the beginning, though the only real complaints I have of this movie is that the script at times is a little uneven, and the film is a bit long. All in all, a satisfying take on the comic book hero. 8/10 Bethany Cox.

One of the most successful translations of "comic book to screen" has fine results in SPIDER-MAN, a handsomely produced version of the comic book classic with a sprightly score by Danny Elfman and some incredibly realistic looking CGI effects.

The simple plot of good vs. evil begins when Peter Parker is bitten by a spider while touring a local museum with his high school class. The plot thickens when he develops webs and the ability to soar over rooftops and vehicles with ease--as well as climbing walls. Toby Maguire plays the nerdy teen-ager with a wholesome air of innocent charm, his open-eyed expression never concealing the delight he takes in the role. As his girlfriend, Mary Jane, Kirsten Dunst does a likable enough job even if the costume department decided to dress her like a teen hooker.

Everyone else is in fine form. William Dafoe deserves top praise for his Green Goblin--evil enough to frighten the wits out of the faint-hearted. J. Jonah Jameson is excellent as the bombastic newspaper editor who takes advantage of his most famous client. Rosemary Harris and Cliff Robertson, in quieter roles, are warm and human. James Franco is believable as Peter's best friend.

Admirers of the comic book tales should have no trouble liking the movie with its amazing CGI effects. It's heart-warming and funny, with some terror thrown in for good measure. Good escapist entertainment even if the message seems a little vague. Message??

Really good movie, I enjoyed the whole Trilogy with Toby Maguire but this was the best of the 3. Willem Dafoe made an excellent villain as the Green Goblin. Excellent super hero movie.