By Guy Wheatley
The Texarkana Gazette

For a movie about a superhero, the charm of this film isn't in the action. Marvel comics ran several titles involving this character. One of the most successful was, "Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spiderman." Following the lead from the comic title, Director Sam Raimi ("A Simple plan" "Darkman") and Columbia Pictures, focus on Peter Parker (Toby Maguire) more than his alter ego. This is a coming of age film focusing on morality. It takes its theme from the introduction of Spiderman in "Amazing Fantasy" issue 15. The closing panel of this August 1962 comic featured the lesson Peter learned, and that would guide his life and adventures for the next four decades. "With great power must also come great responsibility."
We see Peter Parker as a nerdy high school student at the bottom of the social ladder. His fateful encounter with a genetically engineered spider brings about physical changes that are exaggerated versions of the change all boys go through to become men. Parker's struggle to "become the man you will be," is really the same struggle we all face.
Time and physiology shake up the pecking order. The way we deal with these changes is an ageless and fascinating story that Spiderman, in both the comic and the movie version, has brilliantly tapped into. Parker first uses his gift selfishly and thoughtlessly. In a humorous reproduction from the comic, he tries to capitalize on his power for personal gain. He sees other people only as objects that effect him. The same fate that gave him his power will also give him a painful lesson about responsibility.
The decisions we make carry consequences. Parker's decision to let a thief escape comes back to haunt him. The thief had just robbed a man who cheated Parker out of almost $3,000. When Peter complains, the man responds that, "He missed the part where it was his problem." As the thief escapes down an elevator, the man accuses Parker of allowing him to escape with the money. Parker answers back with the man's own line, "I missed the part where it's my problem." Later that evening he learns about the part where it is his problem. Peter's Uncle Ben is killed by a car-jacker. Using his new power Peter tracks down the killer, only to discover that it is the same thief he allowed to escape.
This event is an epiphany for Parker. Many of the things his Uncle had been trying to tell him come clearly into focus. From this point on he views his power, not as a gift, but as a responsibility. He searches for the right path. His is not a white hat world, where the good guys are easy to spot. He is also confused when he discovers that the world won't necessarily pat him on the back for taking the right path. His motivation comes from within himself and will keep him struggling for justice, even in the face of castigation by a fickle public.
Maguire carries the film. Kirsten Dunst, as Mary Jane Watson, is little more than set decoration except when Maguire dreamily describes what she means to him. This is the only time in the film that we understand the wonderful and terrifying link between two people. We get a hint that Watson is not simply an attractive prize to be won, but is potentially a precious part of Parker that must be nurtured. It is a rare and all too brief glimpse of a young man understanding that the most important part of him may be another person. For a quick moment, he understands that he is not whole without her.
William Dafoe's portrayal of the Green Goblin/Norman Osborn, while brilliant, is distracting. The garish costume is the most comic book like part of the film, and the Goblin's smoking glider, skimming past giant balloons above a parade, is too similar to another Super Hero film to be easily ignored. Dafoe tries valiantly to salvage his character by showing Osborn's struggle with madness. Even a talented actor like Dafoe must have something to work with, and there's not enough here for him to pull it off.
Many films suffer from an identity crisis, and that is the major weakness in Spiderman. Going with the Goblin as the antagonist put the action part of the film at odds with the Parker character development. With 20/20 hindsight, another of Spidey's nemesis, such as the KingPin, may have been a better choice.
The Movie stays true to the character and theme of the comics. It diverges only slightly from the comic story line to update Sipdey's creation, and to condense two decades of development into a single feature. It leaves the last 20 years of comic story lines for sequels. It also morphs Gwen Stacy, Parker's first love in the comics, with Mary Jane Waston who will become the focus of Parker's life in the two decades of comic action following Stacey's death.
A sticking point for many Spidey fans is the organic version of the web shooters. The movie version has these as a part of the physiological change in Parker's anatomy. True Spider fans know that the brainy Parker constructed these himself, and occasionally runs our of web fluid. While this may rub true web heads the wrong way it has little impact on the film.
This is a must see film that is equally enthralling for three generations. Spidey fans will love the incredible recreation of the Marvel comic panels. There are dozen's of shots that can be traced to a specific panel from specific issues. This is literally a comic come to life on the big screen. The story will stand on its own. This is a tale that would be interesting, even without the comic book nostalgia.

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