Such self-glorification forces viewers to pay attention to their own tingling "Spidey sense," the one that reminds them that bigger isn't always better -- especially where Hollywood blockbusters are concerned. Yet remove Spider-Man the movie from its red herring surroundings and it's apparent that this is one summer film that satisfies. Although not in the same league as the screen versions of Superman, Batman or X-Men, this one largely works because director Sam Raimi and scripter David Koepp have managed to turn their movie into a successful tightrope act between soap opera and spectacle, retaining the personal elements that made the comic book so wildly popular while also providing the requisite big-bang special effects that thankfully never overwhelm the story.
Taking his cue from Amazing Fantasy #15 -- the comic that first introduced Spider-Man to the world back in 1962 -- Koepp has been remarkably faithful in getting that origin story onto the screen. As before, Peter Parker (played by Tobey Maguire) is a nerdy high school kid who undergoes a dazzling transformation after he's bitten by a rather unique arachnid (a radioactive one in the comic, a genetically mutated one in the movie). Suddenly, he possesses all sorts of incredible powers: If he's not quite faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, he still places a pretty impressive second with his extraordinary strength and ability to climb walls like his diminutive namesake.
The first half of the film follows the template of the genesis story in a way that should satisfy the hardliners, even keeping such plot elements as the wrestling match that Peter enters in an attempt to gauge the limit of his abilities, and the death of his Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson). Indeed, the only major digression from the original text is that instead of Peter building wrist devices that enable him to shoot webs, the webs are now part of his own makeup, shooting out from under his actual skin (a guy named Peter spewing white streams from his body whenever he's in an exciting situation -- Freudians should have a field day with that one).
The second part of the film settles into more conventional territory, as Spider-Man finds himself locked in a deadly battle with the Green Goblin, a masked villain who, unknown to Peter, is the alter ego of Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe), a harried industrialist and the father of Peter's troubled best friend Harry (James Franco). There's also a heavy emphasis on the spunky girl-next-door Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and her burgeoning romance with Peter. Dafoe and Dunst are well cast, but if the film gets bogged down in the second half, it's because there's too much Goblin gobbledygook to wade through and because Mary Jane spends too much time as a simpering damsel in distress rather than as the dynamic individualist of the printed page.
Raimi, perhaps still best known for his cult Evil Dead films, keeps the picture hopping, and he receives major assists from composer Danny Elfman and three-time Oscar-winning costume designer James Acheson, whose duds for Spider-Man look as if they literally sprang off a comic book panel (he has less success with the Goblin, whose cumbersome outfit makes him look about as frightening as Count Chocula). The special effects are, for the most part, first-rate, especially in the exhilarating sequences in which Spidey swings from skyscraper to skyscraper, treating the concrete jungle as if it was his own personal playpen. The characters of kindly Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and irascible Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson (perfectly played by J.K. Simmons) have been accurately rendered, and a tossed-off comment by Peter regarding a Dr. Connors (in the comics, the true identity of arch-villain The Lizard) may hint at what a future sequel has in store for us.
Still, little in Spider-Man would count for much if the central role hadn't been so perfectly cast. This particular character had a large impact largely because he's equal parts man and hero -- that is to say, whereas Clark Kent clearly comes second to Superman and Bruce Wayne pales in comparison to Batman, Peter Parker has always been as interesting a character as his web-slinging alter ego. Maguire's portrayal lets what's always been true in print become a reality on the screen. He's wonderfully endearing as Peter Parker -- the initial scenes set at his high school have us really believing he's a hapless victim of the social pecking order. And the later sequences in which he uses his new powers allow Maguire to display a heady mix of joy and wonderment, as the character brims with the sensation that he's taking the necessary steps from youthful indiscretion to adult responsibility. Raimi probably had neither American Graffiti nor Rebel Without a Cause on his mind as he filmed this enjoyable superhero opus, but thanks to his lead actor's commitment, he ended up with a story that, true to its source, celebrates the ordinary as much as the extraordinary. *
SEEING RED Ben Affleck has been SEEING RED Ben Affleck has been cast to play Daredevil in the upcoming film
Make Mine MarvelMore cinematic superheroes on the wayBy Matt Brunson
Over the years, comic book fans have known something that Hollywood has long been unable to grasp: There's gold in them thar spandex outfits.
Between the colorful characters, the engaging storylines and the emphasis on action, it would seem like a no-brainer that popular superhero comic book titles could be turned into motion picture blockbusters on a regular basis -- and certainly since the late 70s, when the "special effects film" became a cottage industry unto itself. Yet curiously, Hollywood rarely took the bait. Superman was a huge hit in 1978, but nobody bothered to jump on the bandwagon at the time. Batman was a smash in 1989, yet few felt the need to strike while the iron was hot. Instead, superhero properties tended to either be diluted and placed on the small screen (the popular The Incredible Hulk, the short-lived The Amazing Spider-Man, the TV movie Dr. Strange) or completely bastardized and sent straight to video (wretched adaptations of Captain America and The Punisher).
It wasn't until the success of the film version of X-Men a couple of years ago (not to mention the recent reemergence of the Marvel empire as a powerhouse company) that studios decided to stop dawdling and start making a serious commitment to placing all those do-gooders in their own motion pictures. Here, then, is a look at the various Marvel superhero franchises that are currently being considered for movie treatment -- some are sure things, while others are still early in the planning stages. (Giving credit where it's due, some of this info was culled from www.upcomingmovies.com and www.rottentomatoes.com, two informative sources for cinema news and trivia.)
X2 The X-Men sequel is gunning for a release date of May 2, 2003. Director Bryan Singer returns, along with practically the entire cast of the first film, including Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto, and Hugh Jackman (an overnight star thanks to the original picture) as Wolverine. Script details are fuzzy, though rumor has it that a couple of other X-Men from the comics will be added to the mix.
Daredevil One of the very best (and infinitely underrated) superheroes in all of comicdom will make his big-screen debut sometime in early 2003 (the role was previously played by kitschy Solid Gold co-host Rex Smith -- Rex Smith! -- in a lame Incredible Hulk TV movie in 1989). Ben Affleck will star as the blind hero, fighting criminals by day as attorney Matt Murdock and by night as the swashbuckling man in red. The cast also includes Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin, Alias's Jennifer Garner as Elektra, and a cameo by Chasing Amy director (and former Daredevil scripter) Kevin Smith as a character named Jack Kirby (after the late, great illustrator).
Hulk After appearing in a well-liked (if not terribly inventive) 70s TV show, the not-so-jolly green giant is being accorded his own motion picture, due out next summer (a teaser trailer is being shown in theaters before Spider-Man). Eric Bana (Black Hawk Down) will play Dr. Bruce Banner, while his monstrous alter ego will be completely computer-generated. The cast also includes Nick Nolte, Sam Elliott and recent Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly. The director will be Ang Lee of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fame.
Fantastic Four The heroes of the comic that started it all back in 1961 were featured in a no-budget 1994 yarn that was shelved almost immediately upon its completion (it can only be found in bootleg video copies). This new take, however, will be the real deal (i.e. sizable budget, studio backing), thereby introducing the masses to the likes of Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, The Human Torch and Invisible Girl. At one point, Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) was slated to direct, although now he'll serve only as producer and co-scripter, with Bring It On helmer (and Raleigh native) Peyton Reed scheduled to take control. This one's still in the development stage, meaning there's no telling when it will see the light of day.
Ghost Rider One of Marvel's most unusual heroes -- a motorcycle-riding stuntman whose demonic pact resulted in a flaming skull for a head -- has found his film stranded in pre-production hell for quite a while. At present, those involved are Nicolas Cage, who would play the title character, Jon Voight, who would function as producer and co-star, and the Blade writing- directing team of David S. Goyer and Stephen Norrington.
And this is only the tip of the iceberg: Plans are also underway for film versions of The Punisher (all the better to erase memories of the 1989 Dolph Lundgren debacle), Captain America, The Sub-Mariner and The Silver Surfer. Meanwhile, competitor DC Comics is also moving forward with two new Batman flicks (Batman: Year One and Batman Beyond) as well as Catwoman, starring Ashley Judd. *
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