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Movies / On DVD / Spider-Man
Spider-Man

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Spider-Man (2002)

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Reviews Counted:209

Fresh:188

Rotten:21

Average Rating:7.6/10

Consensus: Not only does Spider-Man provide a good dose of web-swinging fun, but it also has a heart, mainly due to Maguire.

Runtime: 2 hrs 1 min

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: Orphaned at an early age, Peter Parker (Toby Maguire) lived in Queens, New York with his beloved Aunt May (Academy-Awards®) nominee Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Academy Awards® winner... Orphaned at an early age, Peter Parker (Toby Maguire) lived in Queens, New York with his beloved Aunt May (Academy-Awards®) nominee Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Academy Awards® winner Cliff Robertson). Peter leads the life of a normal student, working as a photographer at the Daily Bugle under the tutelage of publisher J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons), pining after the beautiful Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and hanging out with buddy Harry Osborn (James Franco). On a school trip, during which Peter and his classmates are given a science demonstration on spiders, Peter is bitten by a genetically altered spider. Soon after, he discovers that he has unusual powers: he is endowed with the strength and agility of a spider along with a keen, ESP-like "spider sense." After discovering these powers, Peter appears in a televised wrestling match and, armed with his new spider strength, wins the match in record time. But the wrestling match promoter refuses to award Peter the $3,000 prize money, alleging that Peter won too quickly. Soon afterwards, Peter has the opportunity to catch a burglar fleeing from the promoter's office, but because he wants revenge, he refuses to stop him. Moments later, the same burglar kills his beloved Uncle Ben. As Spider-Man, Peter apprehends the burglar but is plagued with guilt for not being a hero sooner. During his time of turmoil, Peter remembers something Uncle Ben once told him: "With great power, there must also come great responsibility." Peter takes this to heart and decides to us his extraordinary powers to fight crime. Meanwhile, megalomaniacal businessman Norman Osborn (Academy Award® nominee Willem Dafoe), Harry's father, is undergoing some changes of his own. An experimental formula has blown up in his face, increasing his intelligence and strength but also driving his insane. He is now the Green Goblin, Spider-Man's arch-enemy, who will put young Peter Parker's vow to fight crime and help innocent people to the ultimate test. -- © 2001 Columbia Pictures [More]

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, Ted Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Bill Nunn, Scott Schwartz, Randy Savage, Michael Papajohn, Deborah Wakeham

Director: Sam Raimi

Director: Sam Raimi
Screenwriter: David Koepp, Alvin Sargent
Producer: Laura Ziskin, Ian Bryce, Grant Curtis
Composer: Danny Elfman
Studio: Columbia Pictures

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Reviews for Spider-Man

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Colourful, energetic and well-cast, Spider-Man is a good-quality, highly-entertaining action movie.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
03/05/08
Daniel Etherington
Daniel Etherington
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Practically pitch-perfect summer entertainment.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Ian Freer
Ian Freer
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This accomplished blockbuster announces itself as a stylish piece of pop myth-spinning.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Terrifically entertaining blockbuster that, for once, gets everything right.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
10/30/02
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Full of deftly handled small moments and characters.

Full Review Source: Sight and Sound | comment Comment
08/08/02
Kim Newman
Kim Newman
Sight and Sound

'Tobey Maguire is a poster boy for the geek generation.'

Full Review Source: Teletext | comment Comment
06/26/02
Paul Arendt
Paul Arendt
Teletext

This is entertaining stuff, and Sam Raimi has spun a good yarn for the summer.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
06/18/02
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A review threatens to turn into a session of gushing because the film is that type of experience; watching it, I kept wanting to applaud.

Full Review Source: UK Critic | comment Comment
06/17/02
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
UK Critic

A stylish, exciting, and ingenious thrill-ride.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
06/10/02
Neil Smith
Neil Smith
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A franchise is born.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
06/06/02
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
09/08/09
Kit Bowen
Kit Bowen
Hollywood.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: NPR.org | comment Comment
10/18/08
Bob Mondello
Bob Mondello
NPR.org

An adaptation of the Marvel Comics superhero adventures that effectively takes time between exhilarating digital effects to develop character and motivation.

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Mark Halverson
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review

A perfectly serviceable early-summer popcorn picture that will satisfy its core teen constituency and not displease general viewers looking for some disposable entertainment.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/05/08
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

[Sam] Raimi captures the ineffable quality that makes this misfit with muscles New York's own blue-collar, working-man's hero.

Full Review Source: Seanax.com | comment Comment
02/28/08
Sean Axmaker
Sean Axmaker
Seanax.com

Spider-man flows as smoothly from scene to scene, catching the audience in its charming web and setting us up for a sequel which, for once, will be welcome.

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

Unfortunately the film, like many of its ilk, is driven by special effects, and there's a serious disconnect between Maguire's sweet-natured dialogue and Spider-Man's pounding violence and stunning acrobatic work.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 2 Comments
04/17/07
J. R. Jones
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader

At its best, it's action packed fantasy, grounded in reality by a talented cast who pack a real emotional wallop. At its worst, it's over the top, and more than a little sappy.

Full Review Source: Three Movie Buffs | comment Comment
09/30/05
Scott Nash
Scott Nash
Three Movie Buffs

Spider-Man was the first really alienated guy to swoop around fighting crime in a funny outfit. His strange powers made this teenage outsider into even more of an outsider -- and Spider-Man... stays true to that idea, thanks mostly to Maguire.

Full Review Source: Nation | comment Comment
03/03/05
Stuart Klawans
Stuart Klawans
Nation
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Spider-Man

September 04, 2009: Weekly Ketchup: Disney buys Marvel, WB announces Lobo & Deadman
This Week's Ketchup features an unusual number of "threequels," with plans being announced for the third entries to the Bad Boys, Big Momma's House and Halloween franchises.... More...

August 21, 2009: Weekly Ketchup: Spider-Man 5 & 6 Planned
Although remakes have been a common trend in the Weekly Ketchup for quite a while, few weeks have ever been as dominated by them as this one, with remakes taking up 6 of the 11... More...

April 01, 2009: Weekly Ketchup Special Edition: Raimi Announces Next Spider-Man Villians
This week's first few days, mostly because of the annual Entertainment Exhibitors Expo in lovely Palm Springs, has brought a surprising amount of movie news, so this is an extra... More...

February 25, 2009: Spider-Man Musical Gets Title, Opening Night Opens in new window
The Julie Taymor-directed, Bono-scored "Spider-Man" Broadway musical we've all been giggling about just got itself a title ("Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark") and an opening night... More...

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