Spider-Man

Really enjoyed watching this film on Blu-ray, so much detail on a big tv and an excellent film all the way through.

great soundtrack, great action, lots of brilliant effects, really good all round stuff, the ending is a bit mushy but otherwise its still good

I was a disappointed in the film versions of Marvels Comic series. There was no humour which the comics has. Could not stand Tobey, until he put on the mask so did not have to see his face.

Best bit is when Stan Lee makes an appearance.

Meet Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), your typical high school nerd, bullied by jocks, fascinated by science and having a crush on the popular, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). Peters life is dull, empty, however, one day while out on a trip with his science class to a research facility, he is bitten by a genetically modified spider. As time passes Peter eventually becomes more athletic, his senses are stronger, he can shoot webs from his wrists and he is a lot more stronger than he has ever been in his entire life. Everything is looking up for lucky Peter, until one day a menace known as the Green Goblin appears, vent out on ruining his life. Peter now must defend his title as a super hero, as well as save the city of New York from real danger.

As cliche'd as the film may appear to be, don't be discouraged. Spider-Man is one of the most unique Comic-Book heroes to make it to the big screen, more so than Superman or The Hulk. What makes Spider-Man unique? Well, the narrative is simple and structured well, with many plot twists that have you on the edge of your seat in anticipation. The film is also very symbolic, director Sam Raimi has taken Spider-Man to a whole new level, Spider-Man is clearly intended to be a character that shows the positives of nature and life, while the Green Goblin represents the negative flaws of science and war.

There's also something breathtaking about watching Spider-Man in action, watching him swing round the buildings of New York in sunset is exhilarating. The characters are truly realistic, we can all empathize with Peter, he's going through changes which nobody understands. Its amusing to watch how his grandparents try to talk to him and be there for him, because for once they don't understand!

As amazing as the film is, it could have had some touch ups. The CGI, for the time it was released, is good but could've definetly been better. There's moments where you don't even notice the graphics, as the spectacular visual effects are most common in the slow motion scenes. Fast paced motion shots are the most disappointing, I feel they could've been so much better with the time producers had to make the film in.

And although the film flows naturally well, you can't help but feel some scenes were rushed. Noticeable editing mistakes and effect errors bring the films realism down, and almost distracts you from the narrative. An example being Spider-Man whisking Mary Jane off her feet and around the buildings of New York, she looks around astonished, her hair gently waving in the breeze...if only it was blowing in the right direction to where Spider-Man was going, then maybe the audience could forget about the obvious green-screen moment here.

As I briefly mentioned, we can all relate to Peter as a character, but what about the others? His grandparents May (Rosemary Harris) and Ben (Cliff Robertson) are the adorable couple your guaranteed to appreciate. Mary Jane appears to be just the pretty girl, she feels almost like an object in possession by the jocks, no guy seems to really understand her, they just want her. What she doesn't realise is there is a man out there for her, she was just just looking in all the wrong places. Then there's father and son, Norman (Willem Dafoe) and Harry Osborn (James Franco). Norman, a well respected business man who is trying to save the world by creating a suit with ultimate power, and Harry, friend of Peter, trying to follow in his fathers footsteps and make him proud. As stereotypical as these characters appear to be, we can watch and understand them, they relate strongly to people we know in our life. However, minor characters do appear over-the-top, the jocks for example, typical school bullies whom in reality wouldn't be accepted at a top ranking New York High-School because of their behaviour towards other students.

In conclusion, Spider-Man stands out from any super-hero film I have ever seen. Its not only a battle to save society, but a battle for the protagonist to be accepted. The music and the scenery is beautiful, the actors and actresses suit their roles perfectly. Despite a few flaws with the CGI and character personalities, this film is definetly worth seeing. I give this film a worthy 4 stars.

It was always going to be a disappointment after a ten-year wait. For the pure pleasure of a Spidey movie, it's fun. But as a film, can you really recommend it? Sadly, no.

The Goblin is ridiculously Power Rangers-esque and makes for a crap villain. If they could've at least made him the Hobgoblin it might've been less silly.

It's a chewing gum for the eyes, but don't expect to be able to use this as an example of how comics aren't for kids.

If I wasn't a Spidey fan already, this would've had two stars or less.