Spider-Man (Limited Edition Collector's Gift Set) [DVD]

Sam Raimi’s 2002 film, “Spider-Man,” adapts the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko character for the big screen. The film stars Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, James Franco as Harry Osborn, Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker, Rosemary Harris as May Parker, J.K. Simmons as J. Jonash Jameson, Bill Nunn as Robbie Bobertson, and Elizabeth Banks as Betty Brant. Raimi retells Spider-Man’s origin, with Peter Parker starting out as an outcast nerdy kid living in a working class neighborhood of Queens with his aunt and uncle. On a field trip, a genetically-modified (rather than radioactive) spider bites him, granting him powers including strength, speed, agility, a danger-sense, and the ability to shoot webs out of his wrists. He initially tries to use this power to make money, but lets a thief escape when the man running an underground wrestling match cheats Peter out of his winnings. The thief kills Peter’s Uncle Ben and so Peter learns the meaning of his uncle’s wisdom: “with great power there must also come great responsibility.” Meanwhile, Norman Osborn, fearful of losing military contracts, tests an experimental enhancement formula on himself, which drives him mad and turns him into the Green Goblin as he seeks revenge against those he perceives as having wronged him. Spider-Man and the Goblin clash, with their personal connection lending emotional weight to the physical fight. While “Blade” (1998) and “X-Men: The Movie” (2000) helped launch the modern superhero movie, Raimi’s bright and colorful “Spider-Man” proved that comic book movies could be faithful to a comic book aesthetic and tone while still being powerful films. He went on to direct both sequels to this film, which also launched an animated series spin-off that aired on MTV. I purchased this DVD because I had worn out my old DVD of the film and it was time to revisit this series.

Sam Raimi was the best choice for director for Spider-Man. His parents had a Spider-Man mural painted on his wall for him in his childhood, and he had the perfect vision for how Spider-Man should be. Better actors could not have been picked to play these roles; Tobey Maguire made the role of Peter Parker his. Kirsten Dunst was an excellent Mary Jane, and Cliff Robertson and Rosemary Harris were the best as Uncle Ben and Aunt May. J. K. Simmons stole the show as Jameson, who played the part magnificently; he literally WAS Jonah. Sam's brother Ted Raimi (from Xena) was a nice surprise appearing in the Daily Bugle office. Willem Dafoe's Norman/Goblin over-the-top performance was superb, but the armored costume took some getting used to. If you look quickly, you'll see Stan (The Man) Lee making a little heroic appearance! Right from the start, the characters are believable, and the characters are fleshed out wonderfully from the comic. A great deal of time was invested in getting a costume for Spidey that looks awesome; this endeavor was obviously taken very seriously and the designers did a great job.The CGI Spider-Man was fantastic! The talents involved with the CGI captured Spider-Man's movements so flawlessly, I almost believed at some points that it was actually a person performing Spidey's complex acrobatic abilities and fighting style, but would have liked to see a bit more jumping; Spidey can jump pretty high and far, but will hopefully be more prominent when the character is older (in the sequels!) I'll have to get used to the organic webs; which was my least favorite aspect of the film. The creators decided it was easier than having to explain how he was able to pay for the chemicals for the webbing. This doesn't allow us to see Pete as a scientist, which I love, but maybe they will bring some of that out (and some higher jumping) for the sequel! More of the Bugle characters hopefully will make an extended appearance in the sequels, too.The DVD is literally packed with special features from on-screen pop-ups that display information and tidbits pertaining to what was said, or shown in a particular scene, and a "spider sense" that takes you from the main movie to a mini-movie when you press the proper remote button. The menu selection is a visual treat and the DVD-ROM extras are a nice bonus, from Marvel dot comics to an Activision Spider-Man PC game demo. I would have liked to see some deleted scenes, but disc 2 provides some outtakes and gags which are a delight to see. It finally took a true, talented Spider-Man fan to turn out the best Spidey production I've ever seen. Sam Raimi's love for Spider-Man and the hard work of all the talented people in this film gave those of us who love Spidey an unforgettable movie experience, and just as much work was put into this DVD edition that is a pleasure to own.