 My
Spidey senses are all a' tingling. This movie is going to be one of
THE hits for the summer. Of course, I don't have to have superpowers
to figure that out.
I
was excited about seeing this movie. While I didn't grow up on the
Marvel Comics I watched the classic 2D cartoon faithfully, right
after Rocket Robin Hood. I was expecting big effects, entertainment
and excitement and Spider-Man delivered. It's no academy
award winner but who would want a lot of themes and messages from
a superhero movie anyway.
Spider-Man,
a.k.a. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), is the everyman hero, which
is why so many of us relate to him. He's not from another planet
like Superman, and he doesn't have the
money to buy his gimmicks, like Batman. He is a regular guy, not
even that strong, muscular or handsome.
 The
interesting twist in the movie is that Peter is not transformed
by a radioactive spider but by a genetically modified one. The fear
of days gone by has been updated to a more modern controversy. It
is still as believable and gives it a more current edge.
 The
best part of this movie is the parallel transformation of Peter
Parker and his evil counterpart Norman Osborn. Both are transformed
by technology in the blink of an eye and both face the same question.
How do I use these new powers?
In
their first display of power each man realizes the potential of
the new gifts. Osborn uses them to kill and Peter uses them to bring
a bully to his knees. Both men could go down the same road; it would
be easy to use the superpowers to his advantage and become rich
and powerful.
 But
for Peter, his Uncle Ben saves the day when his words of wisdom
hit home. He says, "With great power, comes great responsibility."
When Uncle Ben is killed shortly afterwards by a thief that Peter
could have stopped, Peter realizes that his uncle was right. Spider-Man's
new powers need to be balanced with a sense of duty. Peter decides
to be the city's new crime watchdog, and he starts bringing down
criminals and helping the defenseless.
 In
the meantime, Osborn is going through some struggles of his own.
He is fighting a split personality and the evil side is slowly winning
out - no one could do that part better than Willem Dafoe. He becomes
the Green Goblin and starts trying to kill the board of his Corporation.
The company has been sold right out from under him and there is
no longer a place for Osborn.
 He
quickly realizes that the only person with the ability to stop his
ride to the top is Spider-Man, and he comes up with a plan to lure
the superhero over to the dark side. The battle that ensues is as
much a moral battle as a physical battle, and Spider-Man is tempted.
The people of New York, while grateful, are skeptical about the
unknown super hero. Peter's boss, newspaper mogul, Mr. Jamieson,
flames the fire with articles questioning Spider-Man's intentions.
 The
reason this battle works is because both men are tempted by the
other side. Hidden underneath the menacing Green Goblin is a man
who wants to do right. And Peter is frustrated by the distrust of
the people he is trying to help and protect. While you never feel
that either one is going to switch sides, you do see them pause
and think about it.
So
it's not the most earth shattering 'moral of the story' and they
do tend to beat it into your head by repeating Uncle Ben's ghostly
voice saying "With great power, comes great responsibility" at least
twice. But I wouldn't like an action movie that tries to take itself
to seriously anyway. I just hope that there is more of Mr. Jamieson
in the next movie; I've never seen such a perfect casting job before.
I would pay to go to a sequel and I hear it is already in production
- I am sure that I won't be the only one in line.
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