"With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility." Thoughts on the Spider-Man Movies

The First Five Spider-Man Movies

2002-2007 Directed by: Sam Raimi, 2012-2014 Directed by: Marc Webb

SPOILERS

Spider-Man

3.5/5

            15 years ago Marvel Studios released an origin story for one of the greatest heroes of all time, Spider-Man. The Web Head has always been my favorite comic book super hero, and in 2001 I was thrilled to hear that he was going get his own movie. I did not see it in theatres, but I would borrow it from the library and from friends' houses every chance I got. I couldn't get enough of it, until I discovered the wonder that is the special features on disc two. Spider-Man was the DVD that taught me how films are made.
            Spider-Man's mainstay is lead Tobey Maguire's likable performance as the intelligent dork, Peter Parker, who became the most infamous and distraught super-hero New York City has ever seen, Spider-Man. He is funny, abrasive, cool, careless, powerful, and dynamic, and it makes his transition from dork to hero that much more compelling and enjoyable. Accompanying Tobey Maguire's spectacular performance are the two father figures in his life, Norman Osborne and Uncle Ben Parker. Both offer impactful and emotional performances, but for different reasons. Willem Dafoe's Norman is an obsessed businessman whose goal is to be the best and let nothing get in his way. Dafoe also portrays the villainous Green Goblin with over the top creepiness, and a haunting and visible internal struggle. On the other hand, Cliff Robertson's Uncle Ben wants to raise Peter to be a man of honor and courage, but also one who takes responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves. It's great seeing the contrast and similarities between these two father figures, and how their worldviews will shape Peter Parker into the man he will grow up to be.
            I have one gripe with this film. The pacing slows down in the second half, and the story almost comes to a complete halt during the dialogue scenes in the hospital. The characters restate things the audience already knows, it belabors Peter and Mary Jane's possible romance, and it has little comical appeal.
            The pacing, however, picks up during the film's final action sequences. The climax is filled with grit and volatile destruction, as the Green Goblin and Spider-Man fist fight to the death. Punches impact, blood spews, and dust fills the screen. By the end of the battle the two men look as if they were in a war zone.
            Before the film was released, its main tagline was "go for the ultimate spin," which meant this film would feature web swinging through New York with Spider-Man. Each one of these sequences is still fully engaging. Without a moment of hesitation, the camera seamlessly follows Spider-Man through the city, and twists and turns with him around buildings and over street cars. Even though the CGI is rather dated and looks like rubber, the unique movement, fluidity, and speed of the camera still sells the feeling of web swinging freely like Spider-Man. There is also a one minute web sequence at the end of the film, and it is a fantastic way to conclude the first chapter of the amazing Spider-Man's first film.

Spider-Man 2

4.5/5

            Two years after Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man movie, he released an all new and reenergized sequel. I was excited to see this film in theatres, but that, unfortunately, did not happen. I still enjoyed seeing this film when it was released on DVD, but I find I appreciate it more nowadays. This is a marvelous stand alone film, and one that stands up to the quality and excellence of Marvel Studios' most recent movies.
            The first prominent element in Spider-Man 2 is its phenomenal score. The film opens with an opening web credits sequence, accompanied by Danny Elfman's iconic theme from the first film. The credits are a series of comic book illustrations, by Alex Ross, and they retell all of the great scenes from the first film. It is a terrific beginning, and one that will get any audience member, even Marvel newcomers, in the mood for watching some Spider-Man.
            Tobey Maguire is back as the one and only web head, and his life could not be worse. The screenplay does an incredible job of showing how much is against Peter, and how impossible of a task it is for him to maintain a job at the Daily Bugle, pass his classes at college, take care of his dear Aunt May, try to impress the girl of his dreams, and be Spider-Man.
            The new villain in town is the once proud minded brilliant scientist, Doctor Otto Octavius. Portrayed tremendously by Alfred Molina, the genius doctor goes mad once his fusion experiment becomes a horrific failure, and the fierce metal claws attached to his spine become sentient and manipulative monsters. It is fun watching him battle with Spider-Man, but because of how immensely powerful and psychopathically inclined he is, I find myself dreading when and where he will appear next. He's not onscreen as much as the Green Goblin was in Spider-Man, but when he is, he makes the most of his screen time, with an unnatural charm and a fiendish mind.
            Another amazing character in this film is the fuming head of the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson. Portrayed exceedingly well by J.K. Simmons, he blends downright abuse and childish insults in a way that remains fresh and wholly hilarious thirteen years later. As a side character, he supplies laughs with a side of anger in a way that compliments the film's narrative.
            Sam Raimi's direction spans a myriad of genres in this film. It's a drop dead farce, to a tragic romantic comedy, into a nightmarish horror fest, and then an ultimate action thriller. As a comedy the jokes are not limited to the dialogue. Most of them are done through sight gags and unique line delivery. As a horror film, it uses suspense to its maximum and delves into some terrifyingly graphic imagery, though this imagery is heavily implied. As an action thriller, it pulls no punches, and fully immerses audiences in its incredible action sequences, complimented by their intricate and fully utilized complex sets. The film portrays all of these different genres with finesse, and the genres do not appear to clash or distract from the story. This not only makes the pacing smoother than the last film, but it also makes Spider-Man 2 far more enjoyable, as the audience is enthusiastically wondering where the film will take them next.
            What distinguishes Spider-Man 2 from other comic book movies is its strong emotional core. This is prominently illustrated through Kirsten Dunst's beautifully charismatic performance as the gorgeous girl next door, Mary Jane Watson. Her romance with Peter Parker does not feel like a cliché "will she, won't she" scenario. It is clear she is searching her heart for what she truly wants, and desperately seeking what is right and pure for her. It is this conflict's resolve that capably concludes this film. As Spider-Man web swings off into the sunset, the film closes with a shadowy atmosphere and raises the question of what things are yet to come.

Spider-Man 3

2.5/5

            Three years later, in 2007, Sam Raimi released Spider-Man 3. With the promise of a darker Spider-Man story, complete with the symbiote suit and Venom, Spider-Man 3 looked like it was going to be the best Spider-Man film, yet. I almost had a chance to see this one, but I had a previously scheduled outing, while my other friends and family saw it. They later told me I was the lucky one, as this movie is unfortunately average at best.
            From Peter Parker's immediate extra campy opening monologue about how perfect his life is, it is evident that the atmosphere from the first two haunting and thrilling films is going to be more lighthearted and comical. This frilly fun keeps a hold on the story, until Harry Osborne shows up demanding revenge, another accomplice in Uncle Ben's murder is revealed, and Spidey turns into a black web suited arrogant abomination. This balancing act of being super family friendly, while trying to tackle darker themes gives Spider-Man 3 an unsteady pace and a nonsensical storyline.
            Spider-Man 3 is the most ambitious of all the Spider-Man movies, trying to take on the challenge of having three main villain characters. This results in multiple exposition and dialogue heavy character introductions. One of these villains is the Sand Man, an escaped convict who wants to save his daughter but accidentally turns himself into a bad guy made of sand. His goals are noble, his luck is rotten, but his character's tender hearted conclusion is justified. The most over bloated and nonthreatening of all the villains in this trilogy is Venom. He has a scary face that he refuses to wear, he cries for no reason, and he is a CGI pile. The last villain in this movie is Harry Osborne, as the "New" Goblin. While his story arc does not feel like a proper conclusion for his character, at least he got two good fight sequences.
            The screenplay never takes itself seriously, which allows audiences to be in on the joke of this movie's more outlandish moments. These moments are separated by this story's juggling act of an unnecessarily large amount of sub plots. It is hard to tell what the primary story is. The film's supposed inciting incident, the symbiote suit's arrival, does not occur, until an hour into this movie. The drama in Spider-Man 3 is illustrated, through melodramatic performances and some bizarre facial expressions. The comedy in this movie is considerably forced, but there are still a few moments offering earnest chuckles. One of them is Peter's emo dance sequences. They are cringe worthy, but they make me smile every time I watch them. His dance in the jazz club is even a great choreographed number, it's just in the wrong movie.
            A bad part of this movie is its use of side characters. J. Jonah Jameson, hilariously famous for his angry outbursts, is relegated to a running gag about keeping his temper down and lowering his blood pressure. It is funny, but it would have been better if his character had at least one angry outburst. Another bad side character is Harry's droll butler, Bernard. He gives a stilted performance, and he did not have a grip on his lines (this is seen in his multiple bloopers). He may also be the worst butler ever, as he chooses to hold onto crucial information that Harry has needed for one and a half movies, who killed his father. He releases this information, but only after Harry's life has been irrevocably ruined. I would fire him.
            Another big issue in this movie is the CGI. Spider-Man appears to have only been matted over shots of New York, instead of web swinging from building to building. Sand Man looks like a character model from The Polar Express (2004), instead of a man made out of sand. The destruction from buildings looks like video game rubbish, instead of deadly debris. These dull special effects bog down the action sequences in this movie, which is a feat all its own, as Spider-Man 3 features some of the most outlandish fight scenes in the trilogy. The big action climax features Spider-Man and Harry Osborne teaming up and taking down the Sand Man, and Venom, and saving Mary Jane. It might not be as exhilarating as other climaxes, but it certainly looks cool.
            Spider-Man 3's poor writing, overdramatic acting, and lack of natural humor will deter certain audiences from even looking in this movie's direction, but with its selection of amusing scenes, decent payoff, its sense of spectacle, and campy emo Peter Parker moments (the infamous jazz club sequence) this movie has its own unique, if unflattering, charm.

The Amazing Spider-Man

1/5

            Not even ten years, since the original trilogy finished, was it forcefully rebooted for a new audience. It is, however, an unjustified and forgettable reboot that was clearly only made to produce money. I avoided this movie, until I watched it in preparation for seeing the sequel in theatres.
            The Amazing Spider-Man is a shoddy, choppy, and off putting mess, and it pretends to be cool and original. Peter Parker starts the movie off learning about his powers through accidents and three different Bing searches. Then he goes on a revenge streak to find his uncle's killer, while a super villain is being created somewhere. After a while, Peter stops looking for his uncle's killer, never bothers to look for him again, and decides to solve mysteries, and save New York City. Only in the last thirty minutes of this movie do any action sequences happen, and they are not even choreographed or directed well. They also do not look convincing, because they are made of 100% fully fake CGI.
            The characters are a bit of a jumble. Andrew Garfield portrays Peter Parker as a punk who gets dates, skateboards, and still gets picked on. Also, Andrew Garfield unnecessarily stutters through all of his slightly romantic lines, and ruins his attempts at having some appeal. Portraying the role of Peter's lover is Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy. It's understandable why Peter likes her, but, she is not dynamic. The relationship between her and Peter is not cinematically interesting, and it never goes past "I like you, because you're Spider-Man, and I saw you shirtless" status. The worst character performance in this movie is Martin Sheen's lack luster portrayal of the most famous dead uncle, Ben Parker. He does nothing noteworthy, while he is alive, and he is inadvertently killed by Peter's secret love for chocolate milk, and the unfortunate coincidence of conveniently getting shot. I don't miss his character, and I don't think his death added any emotional weight to this movie. In addition to this, the main villain, the Lizard, is not consistent or intriguing. He starts off as an obsessed scientists who wants to regrow his arm and help humanity, but then he becomes a megalomaniac who wants to turn all the people of New York into lizard people. This is an unjustified and contrived conclusion for his character arc.
            The weirdest part of this movie is how it attempts to feel edgier than the first three Spider-Man movies. Instead of one radioactive spider getting on Peter, it's a whole swarm. Instead of having fun discovering his powers, Peter begins to shake and moan as a series of spiders jump scares assault the audience. Instead of having Peter be a dork, he's a social recluse who skateboards and picks on bullies (which makes him a bully). Instead of having Peter fight the Lizard in a super villain showdown, Gwen spends more time running from him in what appears to be a scene from Alien (1979). Instead of honoring his promise to Gwen's father, saying he would leave Gwen out of his life for her own safety, he betrays this promise, and even tells Gwen the best kind of promises are the ones "you can't keep." He basically told her, if we get married, it's not going to be "till death do us part."
            Beyond all of this The Amazing Spider-Man is not fun. There are no decent web sequences. All of them are choppily edited, and make the audience feel separate from Spider-Man, instead of in on the action. This is not how a Spider-Man movie should feel. The pacing is all over the place, and logic and clear motivations are often disregarded for the sake of pursuing what would be more popular in the early 2010's. In theory this movie reboot should work, but not without good direction, interesting performances, an enjoyable screenplay, or a sense of comic book fun.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

2/5

            Out of all five of these Spider-Man movies, this is the only one I saw in theatres, and I regret that it was my first. When I saw it I found moments that I liked, moments that were disappointing, moments that should not have been in this movie, and moments that would not work in any movie.
            Starting with the positives, a genuine improvement this movie has over its predecessor is its use of music, provided by Hans Zimmer. As the movie progresses various characters develop themes that change with them as their character transitions. None of the orchestrations are memorable, but at least they are distinct from each other. While some of the music choices in this movie are distracting and off putting, such as Electro's dubstep, at least they are attempting to convey the characters' inner psyche.
            This movie has three different villains within it, and a later promise of four more in the next (inexistent) movie. There is the Rhino, Electro, and the Green Goblin (but it's Harry, instead of Norman). Less villains would have not only streamlined this movie, but it would have also made the featured villains far more compelling and potent. Jamie Foxx's Electro is a horrendous super villain. While his motivations and background are obvious, they do not explain why he has a sudden desire to be evil. The movie wants to make audiences believe that his motivation makes sense, but once one thread in the tapestry of his character is reasonably questioned, all the other threads follow and unravel on the floor. The best villain in this movie is Dane DeHaan's twisted performance as the Green Goblin. His transformation from sudden businessman and Peter's closest friend, to warped human being and insidious killer is clear, fascinating, and one of the few things worth seeing in this movie.
            The screenplay is still a mess, but it is an enjoyable mess. There are one too many unnecessary sub plots in this movie, such as Gwen and Peter's contrived relationship troubles, and Peter finding out about his parents' secret service work in an underground subway station via secret coins in the back of his dad's old calculator. If these scenes were taken out of the movie, the plot would remain relatively unchanged. It would also be shorter, and therefore better. Similar to this movie's predecessor, logic is ignored, but it is not done to pursue what is popular. It is done to pursue what is fun and cool to look at. This is especially beneficial in this movie's action scenes. While two of them are mainly a hodge podge of super powers and CGI, the last battle features a unique set piece, the clock tower, and well done combat acrobatics. It is good payoff, after everything else this movie throws at audiences.
            The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is not a good movie, but it has some good moments. Aside from Dane Dehaan's scenes, there are good comedic moments. Andrew Garfield and sally Fields, who plays Aunt May, have some good back and forth banter, where Peter is trying to hide his identity. There are also heartfelt moments between Spider-Man and this kid who might be his biggest fan. These few and far between scenes make this train wreck watchable, but only if it's running in the back of a room, while something else more productive or worthwhile is happening.