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Spider-Man
The MM -
"Hollywood serves up the first appetizer of its summer block
buster menu. For movie goers who like to nibble on the finger foods,
the palate will be assuaged. However, for those who still own and
wear Spidey underwear and consider a subscription to the comic book
an excellent 35th birthday present, this flick will disappoint like
a big bowl of non-fat ice milk.
Peter Parker's (Tobey
Maguire) transformation into the colorful arachnid is not true
to the comic and neither is his method for producing web even though
original creator Stan Lee worked on the production team. The movie
has other problems: 1) The difference between live action and
computer action is noticeable. 2) Fight sequences rip off other
movies. 3) The bad guy isn't always bad. 4) The bad guy's son is
only bad at the end when it is obvious they are setting up a sequel.
5) The love of Spidey's life isn't loveable.
Millions
of viewers will undoubtedly return to the buffet to devour this
first offering but the Movie Man suggests that you be calorie
conscious and take this film with a grain of salt."
Ed's Note - One of us who is not familiar with the comic checked out the
film and found it good but far from great. Maguire and Kirsten
Dunst are passable in the lead roles although something
definitely seems
askew with the chemistry and the film concludes with their relationship
at an unsatisfying stage. The following may sound confusing but Dunst
the actress, and Mary Jane by extension, have grown up and Maguire as Parker,
and therefore Parker as Spidey have not, yet Parker is busy battling
ultimate evil and gets derailed by his
obligation to herodom to the point where he can't consummate the
deal. Maguire is clearly flummoxed by his onscreen and reportedly, off screen,
infatuation with Dunst but the film won't allow him to escape the
web of responsibility that Spidey has draped over him to pursue
either avenue.
To the rest of the Movie Man points: 1) The computer thing didn't seem
any more noticeable than in other recent films but the scenes are not
all that spectacular or stunning in any event. 2) What new
and original fight sequences haven't been done already? 3) The bad guy is never good
either and, like Spidey, he is dealing with embodying two totally different
creatures that travel in the same social circles. 4) The bad guy's
son is lame throughout and if he is the arch enemy in the sequel
that will be a definite problem. 5) Not loveable maybe but very attractive
(see link) all the same and what man hasn't/wouldn't have made that mistake at age
nineteen?
The best part of the movie in our opinion is the brief performance
by the editor of the paper J.
K. Simmons who barks out instructions to his staff, takes
decorating calls from his wife, negotiates contracts with photogs,
and wise cracks and hard boils his way through the mayhem of a
breaking story with the aplomb of a Coen Brothers character. Since
he is only in the film a total of about two minutes it's hardly
enough to save the movie from the aforementioned mishmash but it does provide some
well needed relief from all the swinging through the streets.
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