Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17270 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-11-25
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Dutch, English, Hindi
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 116 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Marvel Comics fans have been waiting for this big-screen Spider-Man since the character made his print debut in 1962, which attaches impossible expectations to a film that rates as a solid success without breaking out of the spandex ghetto in the way that Batman Returns or X-Men did. Tobey Maguire is ideally cast as speccy Peter Parker, a high school swot with personal problems. The suit and effects take over when he gets bitten by a genetically engineered (i.e., no longer radioactive) spider and transforms into a web-swinging superhero who finds that these super-powers don't really help him get close to the girl next door (Kirsten Dunst) or protect his elderly guardian (Cliff Robertson) from random violence. The villain of the peace is Peter's best friend's industrialist father (Willem Dafoe) who has dosed himself on an experimental serum which makes him go all Jekyll-and-Hyde and emerge as the cackling Green Goblin, who soon gets a grudge against Spider-Man.

Sam Raimi gives it all a bright, airy, kinetic feel, with wonderful aerial stuff as Spider-Man escapes from his troubles by swinging between skyscrapers, and the rethink of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's origin story is managed with a canny mix of faithfulness (JK Simmons' as the crass editor JJ Jameson is the image of the comic character) and send-up (after a big introduction, Spider-Man finally appears in a really rubbish first attempt at a spider costume). Maguire and the impossibly sweet Dunst make it work as a hesitant teen romance, but somehow the second half, which brings on the villain to give the hero someone to fight, is only exciting when it wants to be affecting too. --Kim Newman

On the DVD: Spider-Man's two-disc offering is nothing out of the ordinary, but fans will find some gems here including Stan Lee's thoughts, a gallery of comic cover art and profiles on the baddies. The two commentaries (cast and crew, and Special Effects) both have long periods with pauses, but the special effects guys are full of insight. The DVD-ROM section offers some of the more exciting features, including three comics transferred onto your computer, page by page, although be aware that the "Film to Comic" comparison is not for the original but for the new comic of the film. As you would expect from a blockbuster superhero film, the sound and vision are immaculate. --Nikki Disney

Special Features
Widescreen anamorphic 2.35:1
Dolby Digital 5.1
Commentary by director Sam Raimi, Kirsten Dunst, producer Laura Ziskin, and co-producer Grant Curtis
Commentary by special effects designer John Dykstra and visual effects crew
Theatrical trailer(s)
Disc 1:
"Weaving the Web": subtitled pop-on production notes and historical facts
Branching web-isodes
Music videos: Hero (Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott), What We're All About (Sum 41)
TV spots
Filmographies and character files
DVD-ROM features
Disc 2:
HBO Making of Spider-Man
Spider-Mania, an E! Entertainment Special
Director profile: Sam Raimi
Composer profile: Danny Elfman
Screen tests for Tobey Maguire, J.K. Simmons, and CGI Spider-Man
Costume and makeup tests
Gag/outtake reel
Conceptual art and production design gallery
Comic book artist pin-up gallery
"Spider-Man: The Mythology of the 21st Century" historical documentary
The Spider-Man Comic Book Archives
Rogues Gallery
The Loves of Peter Parker
Activision game hints and tips

Synopsis
Based on the classic Marvel Comics series, Sam Raimi's SPIDER-MAN deftly details the origin of the web-slinging superhero. When awkward New York City teenager Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) attends a class field trip to a laboratory, he gets bitten by a genetically altered spider while taking photos of his longtime crush, the lovely Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). Soon he discovers this bite has given him remarkable powers--heightened strength, dexterity, and awareness, along with the ability to cling to walls and shoot webs from his wrists. Hoping to win Mary Jane's heart using his new talents, Peter becomes distracted from home life with his doting Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), ultimately leading to tragedy--and his new role as the crime-fighting Spider-Man. Meanwhile Harry Osborn (Willem Dafoe), the industrialist father of Peter's friend Norman (James Franco), undergoes a transformation of his own, bringing about the creation of Spider-Man's arch-nemesis--the Green Goblin. In order to save his loved ones--and all of New York City--from the devastating force of the deluded Goblin, Spider-Man must take on the villain in a series of stunning battles.
By staying true to the essence of the comic book, Raimi accomplishes the rare feat of crafting a superhero movie with a real heart. Rather than focusing solely on action and explosions, SPIDER-MAN wisely shines the spotlight on the character of Peter Parker, played with perfect bewilderment by Maguire. The special effects, of course, are dazzling, but they are topped by an excellent cast that also includes the radiant Dunst, the menacing Dafoe, the brooding Franco, and the scene-stealing J.K. Simmons as Peter's tough-talking boss. (Raimi fans will notice cameos by the director's brother, Ted Raimi, and EVIL DEAD series star Bruce Campbell.) The result is a charming and amazingly entertaining film unafraid to combine CGI animation with sincere human emotion.

Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Spin
Forget Batman. Forget X-Men. Spiderman is the ultimate comic book hero movie!
What can I say....The acting is great with the standout willem Dafoe as psychotic, schizophrenic villain Norman Osborn aka Green Goblin. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst also shine bringing a much needed depth to their characters.
The SFX is also mostly brilliant despite what some may say with only a few patchy shots of the Green Goblin on his hovercraft thingy.
Aswell as the action which is not in an extreme amount but every fight scene is choreographed and presented perfectly like polished jewels. Standouts being the wrestling match and climactic finale.
But where the film really shines is in the story. Never before has such a deep, emotional storyline with dilemmas and twists been incorporated in a film of this kind.
So with plenty of laughs and romance aswell, Spiderman is definately a great package. Buy now!

The best comic book adaptation ever...
I had high expectations from this flick and was worried it might not live up to them...but thankfully it did and how!

By now, you're prolly all aware of what its about so I won't bore you with a synopsis.

The major plus point is that it is very true to the comic barring minor liberties such as the fact that MJ was not Peter's childhood sweet heart and Spidey's web shooting is supposed to be artificial, not part of his natural power. I know I sound like a geek don't I, but barring this I have no complaints.

Tobey Maguire is perfectly cast as Spiderman, and Kirsten Dunst acts ably...even though I wasn't sure she would make an ideal MJ. The chemistry between them is good which makes it better to watch. Willem Dafoe is brilliant as the OTT Goblin, though I wasn't impressed with his costume, they should not have had a helmet to cover up his face.

The effects are brilliant and kept me on the edge for most of the time especially the climax. Raimi has done a brilliant job lets hope he doesn't mess up the sequel and sticks to story telling rather than CGI.

The DVD is jam packed with features and make for interesting viewing. But why didn't they feature the original WTC teaser in the DVD, as reference is made to it in the making.

All in all this ones a great popcorn treat which has everything from romance to action. I'd recommend it to non Spidey fans too...a thumbs up!

A movie to take its place in my heart next to "Superman"!
I remember as a kid watching the Superman movie series. I still watch the first few now with nostalgia and enjoyment. I also remember later in life watching some of the other superhero spin-off movies (e.g. Batman) and being very disappointed. Spiderman is really the first superhero spin-off movie since Superman which has reach the "kid" in me (I'm 32 by the way!)

I felt involved all the way through, with the suspension of disbelief building until I was hardly analysing the movie at all - just enjoying it. Some of the computer graphics were a bit dodgy, and will probably look dated in a few years time (but then again the Superman flying scenes look dated now - and I still enjoy them).

Kirsten Dunst is a great female lead. She's not a "typical" US blockbuster female lead, and she's even got red hair like the original Mary Jane! Tobey Maguire is pretty good as Peter Parker. At one point he is excellent - it is at the end of the movie where he makes the ultimate sacrifice to protect those he loves (I won't go into details - I don't want to spoil it).

The sacrifice at the ending finished Spiderman with what I considered was a deep message full of integrity. Kind of bizarre to get that from a "Blockbuster". It left me with a good taste in my mouth.

The action scenes? Well they're great. The Times Square scene is massive, the 59th Street bridge scene is really nail-biting, and the final fight between Spidey and the Green Goblin is suitably dark, but also adrenaline pumping.

As an adult I don't know if I could watch this movie many times, it does not really have "hidden depths". (Probably if I'd seen it first as a kid, I'd have a lifetime of nostalgia coming back to it though.) However it fulfilled it purpose perfectly - it was aimed at a certain level of involvement, artistry and "intelligence" and it hit that level so perfectly I finished watching it the first time feeling elated.