When Spider-Man was released in May of 2002, I was six years old. Now, when The Amazing Spider-Man is to be released this Thursday, in June of 2012 (I live in Switzerland and therefore get to see this earlier than those in the U.K. and U.S.), I am sixteen years old. The Sam Raimi directed trilogy which spanned until 2007, was the Spider-Man of my childhood, now this cinematic re-imagining of the character, will be the Spider-Man of my adolescence. What better way to prepare for Thursday, than to watch and review Raimi’s three Spider-Man films, one a day. Much has changed in the world, film industry and me since the first Spider-Man was released and now seems the perfect time to swing back and see how strong the web is that Raimi and co spun.
Spider-Man sees Tobey Maguire play the titular superhero, with Kirsten Dunst playing Mary Jane Watson and Willem Dafoe performing villain duties as the Green Goblin. For some reason, revisionist history has seemed to set in amongst many internet forums, that Raimi’s original Spider-Man films were campy, cheesy and silly. While this film does undoubtedly have its campy, cheesy and silly moments (As almost every superhero film does) it is nowhere near as lightweight as the current internet consensus would have you believe and we are lightyears away from Schumacher’s Batman films. What Spider-Man has, which is lacking in superhero films post Dark Knight (Although this year’s Avengers is an exception) is optimism. While The Dark Knight is one of my favourite films of all time, the grandness of its well deserved success, has lead almost every superhero film if not every blockbuster film since to replicate the same dark, gritty and realistic approach. Raimi’s Spider-Man film despite only being a decade old, already feels like a throwback to old-school entertainment heroism.
That’s not to say that this Spider-Man film doesn’t have its dark moments, however when you look at just how dark some superhero films have become, this film perhaps appears to be relatively childlike rather than viewed absolutely, as what it is and was. For me, the film that is most interesting to compare this Spider-Man film to and which arguably “damages” it the most, is this year’s Chronicle. While Chronicle’s teenagers get superpowers conceit is absolutely inspired from Spider-Man, it could be argued that on the big screen, Chronicle did a much more realistic, but then again darker job. In Chronicle the three main characters use their powers irresponsibly, throwing baseballs at each other, scaring people at shops, looking at girls underwear and one of the characters only uses their powers for good when they absolutely have to, and even he is driven to murder. In Spider-Man the most irresponsible that Peter Parker gets with his powers is entering a wrestling competition so he can get money to buy a car to impress Mary Jane. While admittedly the boys in Chronicle didn’t have a heartbreaking Uncle Ben moment or figure to change their spirit, it can still be argued that while Spider-Man has worthy and heart-warming idealism and optimism regarding how teenagers would respond to superpowers, Chronicle is the more realistic. Peter Parker uses his powers to respond to bullies by punching one in the chest, in Chronicle, Andrew rips a bully’s teeth out. Now perhaps one could argue that Chronicle is not more “realistic” but merely a product of “kids today” However either way, when people say that looking back this Spider-Man film is naive, or cheesy...it doesn’t appear to be that way relative to stories that share nothing more than a genre such as The Dark Knight but for me at least, against films such as Chronicle, which takes the same concept and takes it to a less inspiring but arguably more recognizable place. It is ironic that in one scene in Chronicle, Andrew uses his powers to pick up a Spider...and rips it to pieces.
One of the things that really works about this Spider-Man film is the casting. Marc Webb (Director of Amazing Spider-Man) has a very difficult task finding a better J. Jonah Jameson and Aunt May. Tobey Maguire plays the role very well and while I find Andrew Garfield to be a better actor, when it comes to the films, Tobey Maguire will always be the first Spider-Man and the one that many grew up with. Willem Dafoe is having so much fun here in the role of the Green Goblin and my new found maturity was able to pick up on and appreciate the theme of father figures that blew over my six year old head. Speaking of things I didn’t realize back then and how the film industry has changed, now Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer has about a twenty second scene in this film. Kirsten Dunst is charming as Mary Jane Watson and the chemistry between her and Tobey Maguire is fantastic. Ultimately one of this film’s strongest, if not the strongest, elements is its cast. There isn’t one bad performance in this film and each cast member feels like their role, perhaps its because I saw them all playing these characters at an early age but when I see this movie I don’t see Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Willem Dafoe, I see Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson and Norman Osborn.
The theme music by Danny Elfman is one of the best pieces of music in modern film and despite having still to hear the score for The Amazing Spider-Man, this is one element of the original films that I am pretty confident in saying this reboot won’t best. Sam Raimi’s direction is fine, however now being sixteen and having seen his other films (Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell) I wish his horror past (and future) had been indulged a little bit more in this film. I also feel that Marc Webb has a chance to do something special in his first Spider-Man film that was lacking in Raimi’s. In this Spider-Man film, I always felt like I was watching Spider-Man swing through New York, yet I wasn’t swinging with him. If the trailers are anything to go by, Marc Webb could be giving us a much more thrilling, immersive Spider-Man experience, that no doubt aided by advances in technology, will mark a stylistic shift from Sam Raimi.
Ultimately why Spider-Man undoubtedly has its cheesy parts (New Yorkers throwing food at the Green Goblin) and looks even more so in relation to modern films, its idealism and optimism is inspiring rather than sickening. The cast are their roles, the music sweeps you into the world and while Marc Webb could and hopefully will make the teenage dynamics and high school scenes more believable, relatable and/or relevant and make the audience feel like Spider-Man, credit has to go to Sam Raimi for bringing this franchise to the big screen. This is a film with genuine heart, has an emotional and engaging story and what it lacks in depth, realism and even action, it makes up for by being fun, never dumb and a heartfelt, genuine realization of actual characters. This film for people of my age will have a special place in superhero movie history and while The Amazing Spider-Man could be a better film and make this look even more dated, this re-watch certified for me, that no amount of technological development, realism or depth is going to stop me from enjoying and loving this cinematic incarnation of our friendly neighbourhood, Spider-Man.
Come back tomorrow for my review of what is arguably one of the best sequels of all time, Spider-Man 2.
Give us all your Spider-Man thoughts, in the Your Say section, discuss the films in our forum and vote in the polls below.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Spider-Man sees Tobey Maguire play the titular superhero, with Kirsten Dunst playing Mary Jane Watson and Willem Dafoe performing villain duties as the Green Goblin. For some reason, revisionist history has seemed to set in amongst many internet forums, that Raimi’s original Spider-Man films were campy, cheesy and silly. While this film does undoubtedly have its campy, cheesy and silly moments (As almost every superhero film does) it is nowhere near as lightweight as the current internet consensus would have you believe and we are lightyears away from Schumacher’s Batman films. What Spider-Man has, which is lacking in superhero films post Dark Knight (Although this year’s Avengers is an exception) is optimism. While The Dark Knight is one of my favourite films of all time, the grandness of its well deserved success, has lead almost every superhero film if not every blockbuster film since to replicate the same dark, gritty and realistic approach. Raimi’s Spider-Man film despite only being a decade old, already feels like a throwback to old-school entertainment heroism.
That’s not to say that this Spider-Man film doesn’t have its dark moments, however when you look at just how dark some superhero films have become, this film perhaps appears to be relatively childlike rather than viewed absolutely, as what it is and was. For me, the film that is most interesting to compare this Spider-Man film to and which arguably “damages” it the most, is this year’s Chronicle. While Chronicle’s teenagers get superpowers conceit is absolutely inspired from Spider-Man, it could be argued that on the big screen, Chronicle did a much more realistic, but then again darker job. In Chronicle the three main characters use their powers irresponsibly, throwing baseballs at each other, scaring people at shops, looking at girls underwear and one of the characters only uses their powers for good when they absolutely have to, and even he is driven to murder. In Spider-Man the most irresponsible that Peter Parker gets with his powers is entering a wrestling competition so he can get money to buy a car to impress Mary Jane. While admittedly the boys in Chronicle didn’t have a heartbreaking Uncle Ben moment or figure to change their spirit, it can still be argued that while Spider-Man has worthy and heart-warming idealism and optimism regarding how teenagers would respond to superpowers, Chronicle is the more realistic. Peter Parker uses his powers to respond to bullies by punching one in the chest, in Chronicle, Andrew rips a bully’s teeth out. Now perhaps one could argue that Chronicle is not more “realistic” but merely a product of “kids today” However either way, when people say that looking back this Spider-Man film is naive, or cheesy...it doesn’t appear to be that way relative to stories that share nothing more than a genre such as The Dark Knight but for me at least, against films such as Chronicle, which takes the same concept and takes it to a less inspiring but arguably more recognizable place. It is ironic that in one scene in Chronicle, Andrew uses his powers to pick up a Spider...and rips it to pieces.
One of the things that really works about this Spider-Man film is the casting. Marc Webb (Director of Amazing Spider-Man) has a very difficult task finding a better J. Jonah Jameson and Aunt May. Tobey Maguire plays the role very well and while I find Andrew Garfield to be a better actor, when it comes to the films, Tobey Maguire will always be the first Spider-Man and the one that many grew up with. Willem Dafoe is having so much fun here in the role of the Green Goblin and my new found maturity was able to pick up on and appreciate the theme of father figures that blew over my six year old head. Speaking of things I didn’t realize back then and how the film industry has changed, now Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer has about a twenty second scene in this film. Kirsten Dunst is charming as Mary Jane Watson and the chemistry between her and Tobey Maguire is fantastic. Ultimately one of this film’s strongest, if not the strongest, elements is its cast. There isn’t one bad performance in this film and each cast member feels like their role, perhaps its because I saw them all playing these characters at an early age but when I see this movie I don’t see Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Willem Dafoe, I see Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson and Norman Osborn.
The theme music by Danny Elfman is one of the best pieces of music in modern film and despite having still to hear the score for The Amazing Spider-Man, this is one element of the original films that I am pretty confident in saying this reboot won’t best. Sam Raimi’s direction is fine, however now being sixteen and having seen his other films (Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell) I wish his horror past (and future) had been indulged a little bit more in this film. I also feel that Marc Webb has a chance to do something special in his first Spider-Man film that was lacking in Raimi’s. In this Spider-Man film, I always felt like I was watching Spider-Man swing through New York, yet I wasn’t swinging with him. If the trailers are anything to go by, Marc Webb could be giving us a much more thrilling, immersive Spider-Man experience, that no doubt aided by advances in technology, will mark a stylistic shift from Sam Raimi.
Ultimately why Spider-Man undoubtedly has its cheesy parts (New Yorkers throwing food at the Green Goblin) and looks even more so in relation to modern films, its idealism and optimism is inspiring rather than sickening. The cast are their roles, the music sweeps you into the world and while Marc Webb could and hopefully will make the teenage dynamics and high school scenes more believable, relatable and/or relevant and make the audience feel like Spider-Man, credit has to go to Sam Raimi for bringing this franchise to the big screen. This is a film with genuine heart, has an emotional and engaging story and what it lacks in depth, realism and even action, it makes up for by being fun, never dumb and a heartfelt, genuine realization of actual characters. This film for people of my age will have a special place in superhero movie history and while The Amazing Spider-Man could be a better film and make this look even more dated, this re-watch certified for me, that no amount of technological development, realism or depth is going to stop me from enjoying and loving this cinematic incarnation of our friendly neighbourhood, Spider-Man.
Come back tomorrow for my review of what is arguably one of the best sequels of all time, Spider-Man 2.
Give us all your Spider-Man thoughts, in the Your Say section, discuss the films in our forum and vote in the polls below.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton