‘Spider-Man’ swings
over the competition

“Spider-Man” has a lot of expectations to fulfill, not only those of the movie going public, but also those of the fans who have loved the web-slinging hero for decades. The final product, however, is enough to leave anyone with a big grin.

The movie wastes no time in getting to the point. We meet nerdy high school senior Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), his only real friend, Harry Osborn (James Franco) and the object of Peter’s affection, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). On a school field trip to a genetics lab, a genetically altered spider bites Peter. Soon, he discovers that he has strange new powers, including increased strength, the ability to climb up walls and he can even shoot strings of webbing from his wrists. Hiding his abilities from everyone, he begins to isolate himself from his Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), his parent figures. Uncle Ben figures it’s another one of the changes a boy goes through and gives Peter valuable advice, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

One day, Peter witnesses a robbery and the thief runs past him. Figuring that it’s not his job, he lets the thief go—only to later discover that the same man has killed his Uncle Ben. Taking his uncle’s words to heart, Peter dons a familiar costume and becomes a hero, Spider-Man. Of course, every superhero needs a super villain and Spider-Man’s is the dreaded Green Goblin, who is really Harry’s father, industrialist Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe). The Goblin threatens to take everything important in Peter’s life. Can Spidey defeat the bad guy, save the day, and get the girl?

“Spider-Man” looks and feels like a good comic book, an exhilarating ride from start to finish. There’s so much to this movie: the astounding special effects, the exciting action, and the well-executed drama. Sam Raimi, one of the finest directors in Hollywood, has an obvious love for the character, and it shows in how carefully Spidey’s world is constructed.

It would be difficult for any actor to be the perfect Spider-Man, but Tobey Maguire masters his roles as both the hero and his alter ego, giving both of them their own personalities. Willem Dafoe shows his chameleon-like ability to slide into any role, making the Green Goblin a wonderfully sinister character. Kirsten Dunst makes for an interesting Mary Jane, but I have a feeling that she’ll have more to do in the sequels.

Speaking from the perspective of a movie buff and a comics fan, I can easily say that Spider-Man is one of the best comics-to-film conversions ever, but it’s also a great movie in itself. The first big movie of the summer shouldn’t be missed.