Spider-Man

After Bryan Singer's X-Men in 2000, it was Sam Raimi's Spider-Man in 2002 that further revolutionized the superhero genre. Spider-Man, till the very day, is the quintessential example of how to blend drama by prioritizing characters and action without sacrificing any superhero film signature into an ultimately satisfying silver screen event!

It's evident that screenwriter David Koepp had a blast writing this script as much as Sam Raimi had directing it! A lot of the superhero feature clichés that we know of today, originated here. So imagine a time when a screenwriter and director has to create the unprecedented! How exciting it must have been! Sequences such as Peter bitten by a spider, physical body changes, spider-sense demonstration, sharp fangs growth on fingers, wall-crawling, web-summoning, wrestling fight practice, drawing and designing costumes are considered classic superhero origin ideas now!

Sure, like aforementioned, you do get to quench your superhero cravings in Spider-Man. But David Koepp was smart enough to place the characters at the center of attraction and knew too well how to present a protagonist to us. Right from the first scene, you immediately feel pity for Peter Parker. He is constantly bullied and taken advantage of. He has a plot goal - Mary Jane Watson, a girl whom he doesn't stand a chance to get. That's the reason why, when a superpower gift is bestowed upon an underdog like Peter, he automatically earns support from the audiences.

Spider-Man has a screenplay that flows smoothly! The protagonist is always presented with tough choices. Every action of his comes prepared with consequences waiting at the end of the line. And every scene narrows down a clean tunnel leading to the point of the next scene. Having the theme "With great power, comes great responsibility.", Peter Parker at first, treats his superpower as a means to attain the girl of his dreams. After an emotional pep talk in car followed by Uncle Ben's tragic death, Peter pursues the culprit. This sequence, not only moves the plot but shows how Peter advances his web-slinging skills along with foreshadowing what these superpowers will be actually used for in the near future - crime-fighting. Apart from facing the consequences of choosing the truth of being Spider-Man at the Midpoint such as losing personal and family time plus constantly being labelled as either hero or menace, Peter's true test is yet to come. On the other side of his spectrum, we have Green Goblin - a man who's using his enormous superpowers to cause chaos. Battling between doing the right and wrong thing while struggling to keep his loved ones safe from fatal danger, Peter rejects his goal and fully pays the price of being Spider-Man.

The set of characters here share an incredibly nuanced and intertwined web that holds them together. Peter and Harry are friends. Peter loves Mary Jane, but Mary Jane is with Harry. Harry is Norman's son yet Norman admires Peter for the common qualities they both share; the ones his own son lacks. But on the alter ego side, Norman is Green Goblin who can't wait to devour Spider-Man aka Peter Parker. Upon Norman's death, Harry swears to go after the man he mistook for killing his father - Spider-Man. But during the funeral, Harry who's unaware of Peter's identity, proclaims that Peter is his closest family member now. The concept of contrast / irony was utilized to the maximum during the penning of this script. It's complex, it's multilayered but more than anything, it's surprising to witness such a thoroughly-thought-out material written for a superhero flick!

Every action set-piece happens for a reason rather than transpiring for the purpose of spectacle. Green Goblin beating Spider-Man to pulp in the climax, World Unity Fair rebellion, Green Goblin kidnapping Spider-Man to discuss partnership, Spider-Man stuck beneath the bridge holding a cable car by its wire before being helped by the citizens of New York are fantastic scenes! Spider-Man skipping Green Goblin's glider blades and swinging through the city fluently are everything a Spider-Man fan ever wants to see! Green Goblin waiting to ambush Spider-Man inside a burning building as a woman screaming for rescue was silly though.

You simply couldn't have found better suited actors to play the display of characters here! Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn, Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, James Franco as Harry Osborn, Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker, Rosemary Harris as May Parker and J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson fit the roles to T! Performances were astounding! Willem Dafoe switching between Norman and Goblin is something to watch out for! And oh dear J.K. Simmons! Isn’t he born to play J. Jonah Jameson?!

Peter and Mary's romance is effective. Even the actors had good chemistry. Who could ever forget the staple upside-down kiss? Peter speaking on behalf of Spider-Man to Mary Jane is a highlight among all the other scenes featuring both of them having a sweet and meaningful conversation. Tiny details such as how Mary Jane interchanges her personality when she's at home versus when she's with her boyfriend Flash (Joe Manganiello) show you how much passion was involved in the making of this project.

Speaking of making, Sam Raimi did something cool with the apparels worn by the characters. During the Thanksgiving dinner scene, notice how Norman wears Spider-Man's colors, Peter has Green Goblin's colors on him and Harry dons the mix of both. Also, the director never fails to show you the superhero-supervillain scenarios from the perspective of the commoners. Not only does it make the proceedings relatable to us the viewers, it also allows the society to be a supporting character in a story that impacts them as well. On a side note, hero and villain being created at the same time is again, a delicate touch!

Danny Elfman's score is iconic! The moment his theme music accompanies the title credits, it pumps your adrenaline preparing you for the upcoming ride! Sound design for Green Goblin's inner voice and screeching noises are haunting. Gliders and costumes are amazing practical effects.