In 2002, a special movie – “Spider-Man” – was released. It starred Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man; Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin; Kirstin Dunst as Mary Jane, and Sam Raimi was the director. It was the first installment in a terrific trilogy. I am unashamed in how much I love this movie series. All 3 movies were huge blockbuster hits. Yet, for some reason, it seems this movie franchise isn’t given the credit and praise it deserves today. While you may disagree with me on my assessment, I submit these films are even better than people remember.
First of all, before we can even look at the films we
have to remember the historical context.
Back in 2002, superhero movies were not nearly as common as they are
today. There was no Marvel Cinematic
Universe. No Robert Downey Jr. or Chris
Evans had emerged on the screen yet. The
Batman movie series had basically been murdered by the horrendously bad 1997
film “Batman and Robin”. No Christian Bale or Ben Affleck capers at
that point. Further, there were no
Superman movies because, sadly, the last Christopher Reeve Superman movie “Superman 4: Quest for peace” (1987) was outlandish
and absurd.
However, the historical context wouldn’t be as relevant
if the Spider-Man films were lacking in quality. It all began with a fantastic origin story in the first film. I could stop and camp out here with just the
great elements of this movie. (And this
is particularly true with the fact that I’ve haven’t been blogging for a month!) I could speak of Willem Defoe’s impressive
Dr. Jekkyl/Mr. Hyde performance. The
epic kiss between Spider-Man and Mary Jane where Spidey is actually hanging
upside-down! Or how about that amazing
scene where Spider-Man heroically overcomes the Green Goblin’s “sadistic
choice” and saves both a group of children and Mary Jane?
But what I love about “Spider-Man” – and the entire trilogy – is its heart. It’s not just action; there are also genuinely
heartwarming moments. Take one scene
between Peter and his Uncle Ben as an example.
The situation is Peter has just obtained his spider powers. And as a result, he is enamored with his newfound
skills. He had just punched the school
bully that always picked on him. So a
concerned Uncle Ben decided to speak with him.
“You’re changing,” Ben remarks. “I know.
I went through exactly the same thing at your age.” “No,” Peter replies accurately. “Not exactly.” “Peter, these are the years when a man
changes into the man he’s going to become the rest of his life. Just be careful who you change into.” And if that wasn’t emotionally gripping
enough, a few moments later, Ben gives the famous line: “With great power comes
great responsibility.” While it took
some time for Peter to learn from Ben’s wise advice, it was a pivotal scene for
Peter’s life and mission as a superhero.
Two years later, in 2004, “Spider-Man 2” was released.
It was another incredible film – in fact, many would say it’s the best
one of the trilogy. I would agree with
that. Moreover, I would submit that it
is one of the best superhero films ever made.
As the years have passed, I have come to appreciate the depth of this
film even more. In 2007, “Spider-Man 3” hit the big screen. I plan to say more about this particular film
in the next blog. For now, let me just state
while this film is perhaps the weakest of the trilogy, it is far from the train
wreck that some claim it is.
In conclusion, some may wonder why I am even bringing
this up. While on the one hand, in this
crazy world, I would say it’s just good to remember an inspiring, bright gem of
a superhero franchise. But it’s not just
nostalgia, either. There are important
themes that I want to discuss. And, God
willing, I will do so next time.
Kevin
