Rating: 
(out of 
)
Spider-Man is about to gross 400 million dollars. This comfortably solidifies the fact that movies based on comic book heroes will never stop. And if they are all like Spider-Man, mediocrity is going to be a hard reality to face.
I think we are all familiar with the general story of Spider-Man. Nerd Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically enhanced spider, and Peter starts to develop spider like attributes. When his uncle (and legal guardian) is killed in a car-jacking, he decides to put his powers to good use and start to fight crime. At first, it is preventing robberies, muggings...etc. But soon Spidey has an arch-nemesis in “The Green Goblin.” All the while, Peter is in love with Mary-Jane. His next door neighbor and member of the “cool group” at school.
The special effects of the film come highly recommended. However, I was not that impressed. I found a lot of the effects to be rushed, dizzying and mediocre. The acting in the film is mediocre, but understandable based on the childish script. Willem DaFoe’s “Green Goblin” is the obvious stand-out though. And the story line is, you guessed it, mediocre. Mostly due to the fact that “The Green Goblin’s” character set-up is weak at best.
The film is not without its bright spots. The sequence when Peter is experimenting with his new found powers is fun. But over-all, the movie just doesn’t do it for me. I am sure it will go on to make lots and lots of money. But it will have to do so without my endorsement.
© 2002 Jake Sproul