phytopetria

Spiderman (2002).rvw

director: Sam Raimi

starring: Tobey MacGuire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco

d.p.: Don Burgess

I do <3 spidey.

There she goes, there she goes again, racing through my brain, and I just can’t explayayain… it can almost go without comment, which isn’t a bad thing. The movie is punchy. An unforgettably simple script,doles out without a second thought. Down to earth actors grace Queens pavement (remember when Peter’s voice cracks when he says “Hi M.J”?). The movie has cosmopolitan action scenes and a wonderful score. The 2002 Spiderman is one of the greatest superhero films, and it’s a classic that in my opinion outshines the following versions.

We open up in modern day New York, where the saturated colors bring to life the original comic artistry. Everything and everyone is stark, and playfully mundane. Mary Jane is exceptionally colorful, and the lake-eyed (behind glasses) nerd Peter Parker is a navy, dorky contrast. We relate to Peter, the boy you never notice. We love M.J., the girl from a less than happy family. And we look out for Harry, who’s just James Franco. The dynamic between the trio is one of my favorite parts of the entire film. In the beginning, they all go on a field trip with their class to a science museum. Inside, there’s a bunch of genetically engineered super spiders. Superhero origin stories are totally the reason I’m interested in science. A tour guide says that the creatures are premeditative. Ooo, spider sense. It’s definitely a trait a bullied high schooler like Peter could use, but then the story moves on - a sense of responsibility is something completely different. Uncle Ben’s death is one of the saddest deaths in the history of film.

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