This month, Captain America Civil War introduced movie fans to a brand new incarnation of Spider-Man as he joined the clash between Marvel's greatest heroes, who have proven time and time again that they are beyond a doubt the biggest characters in movies today. 14 years ago, however, in May 2002, superhero movies were not the unstoppable proven force they are today. Two years earlier, X-Men was a large success financially and critically, but after recent failures like Batman and Robin, many fans and studios alike were wondering if comic book heroes could ever be successful on the big screen. Before release, the World Trade Center was edited out of the film, as a stark reminder through abscess of how much the world had changed. In a post-9/11 world, could people really look up to flickering capes or see themselves in glimmering saviors?
Below, you will find my review and analysis of the comic book classic, Spider-Man. This movie was a big hit and is now 14 years old, so I won't hesitate to talk about some spoilers. If you have somehow not seen Spider-Man, you may want to watch it before reading this.
THAT'S WHERE I COME IN
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man is not about Spider-Man. Sure, it features the web slinging classic we all knew as kids, but the movie is entirely and importantly about Peter Parker. The spider bite origin and the superpowers propel the action, but this is the story of a young man going through sudden and significant changes and his ultimate journey into self-discovery.
This was the best decision this movie made, but it is also it's most risky. Everybody has some experience and knowledge with Spider-Man. Maybe it's the long-running comic series or the animated series. Or maybe it was just the social presence he had for decades before this movie. Everyone knows Spider-Man, but do they know Peter Parker? Will they want to watch a superhero movie where there is more time spent with the man under the mask than the well-known persona it embodies?
Luckily for this movie, the answer was yes. From the very beginning, the relatability of Peter Parker is established. "Who am I?" he asks in the opening scene. A question so many people have asked themselves, especially in their late teens. And, just like Peter, we are usually not the person we wish we were. Peter is literally on the outside looking in, chasing after the bus and imagining how much easier his life would be if he was not Peter Parker and could simply be somebody else. Somebody who fits in and acts normal. Somebody without all the problems and questions he faces.
Even before receiving his powers, Peter questions his place in the world as a simple dreamer without the power or confidence to make the changes he wishes for. This is a feeling that occupied the minds of countless people around the world at the time, especially in New York City, where the film takes place. After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, people were suddenly forced to reexamine their identity and their place in the world. People, like Peter Parker, felt out of place and alone in a world surrounded by people who seemed to be living much happier and easier lives.
Peter feeling lost and his constant self-examination made him relatable for every viewer and turned him into someone worth rooting for, superhero or not.
However The Green Goblin is not all bad. We see Norman Osborn truly struggle with his sanity throughout the movie and in many scenes, such as the unforgettable mirror conversation, we get the sense that Norman truly does not want to be sucked into the evil and temptation that the Green Goblin represents to him. This conflict makes the villain much more relatable and complex. He is scary because we know that there is a Green Goblin within us all. An anger at those who wronged us and a desire to make the world into the one we want it to be through force and power.
As we sit looking back in an era with Heath Ledger's Joker and Tom Hiddleston's Loki, it is important to realize that these complexly motivated and nuanced antagonists owe a great debt to Willem Dafoe's Goblin for proving that a super hero villain can manage to be fun, scary and complex at the same time, all while pulling a career-defining performance out of a big name actor.
This type of widespread manipulation and exaggeration of mainstream media was prominent in the time this movie was made. Every paper battled for the flashier headlines and wilder pictures. The New York Times, an undeniable influence on the Daily Bugle in the movie and the comics, published a famous and controversial photo of a man jumping from the World Trade Center to his death. Every day for months and months we were surrounded by controversial images and sensationalised headlines, creating a confused and jumbled narrative over the attacks and who was to blame.
Peter feeling lost and his constant self-examination made him relatable for every viewer and turned him into someone worth rooting for, superhero or not.
THE COLD SHIVER RUNNING DOWN YOUR SPINE
One of the biggest standout performances in this movie is Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn AKA The Green Goblin. This character feels torn right from the panels of a comic book with some great cheesy one-liners complete with a maniacal laugh. His presence and gravitas turns the action scenes up to a whole new level of fun. Willem Dafoe carries the character and portrays the increasingly eccentric split personality with devotion. A villain so campy could easily feel out of place in many modern superhero movies, but the comic panel fun of Spider-Man provides a perfect fit for Dafoe and Green Goblin to fully shine.
However The Green Goblin is not all bad. We see Norman Osborn truly struggle with his sanity throughout the movie and in many scenes, such as the unforgettable mirror conversation, we get the sense that Norman truly does not want to be sucked into the evil and temptation that the Green Goblin represents to him. This conflict makes the villain much more relatable and complex. He is scary because we know that there is a Green Goblin within us all. An anger at those who wronged us and a desire to make the world into the one we want it to be through force and power.
As we sit looking back in an era with Heath Ledger's Joker and Tom Hiddleston's Loki, it is important to realize that these complexly motivated and nuanced antagonists owe a great debt to Willem Dafoe's Goblin for proving that a super hero villain can manage to be fun, scary and complex at the same time, all while pulling a career-defining performance out of a big name actor.
I'LL MAKE HIM INFAMOUS!
Talking about any of the films in the Spider-Man trilogy is impossible without bringing up J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson. One of the most memorable and quotable characters in recent years, J.J. is a phenomenal and defining character for the series. He does not have much screen time compared to other characters, but nearly every line and action he delivers gets a laugh as he quickly hangs up on his wife or bluntly tells the timid and self-conscious Peter Parker that his perfect pictures of Spider-Man are crap.
Like most of the characters in the movie, even J.J. has his moment of complexity and heart. When Green Goblin breaks through his window and violently demands to know who is taking his pictures of Spider-Man, the seemingly-heartless and practical J.J. lies to protect Peter Parker, a kid he barely knows. "I don't know who he is," J.J. lies, "His stuff comes in the mail!" This small moment in a larger scene could easily be missed, but it further supports the running theme in the movie that there is more to who people are than what they show and that complexity is a part of everyone.
Initially, J.J. is uninterested in publishing news about a menace like Spider-Man, however when he hears about the sales numbers he instantly changes his mind. "He doesn't want to be famous? I'll make him infamous!" He vows to cover every front page for weeks with pictures and headlines about Spider-Man, true or not. When Peter Parker tries to argue J.J. on his uneducated, negative portrayal of Spider-Man, he is shut down. "You take the pictures, I'll make the headlines!"
This type of widespread manipulation and exaggeration of mainstream media was prominent in the time this movie was made. Every paper battled for the flashier headlines and wilder pictures. The New York Times, an undeniable influence on the Daily Bugle in the movie and the comics, published a famous and controversial photo of a man jumping from the World Trade Center to his death. Every day for months and months we were surrounded by controversial images and sensationalised headlines, creating a confused and jumbled narrative over the attacks and who was to blame.
Any arrest of a Middle Eastern or Muslim was immediately covered, and any violent act or threat was quickly tied to Al Qaeda and "Muslim Extremism." This resulted in mass distrust of Muslim Americans and even violence towards completely innocent people who happened to look like those whose faces we had come to know so well from our TV screens and front pages.
In Spider-Man, the Bugle portrays Spider-Man as their enemy despite knowing nothing about him. They cover their front page with his image, connecting him unjustly with Green Goblin simple because they both dress in masks and costumes. People begin to turn against and fear Spider-Man because they do not know him and their only exposure to him is through the subjective media. It is not until the end of the film when the people begin to see Spider-Man for who he truly is.
YOU MESS WITH SPIDEY, YOU MESS WITH NEW YORK
In the finale of the film, Peter Parker is met with an impossible choice: save a tram full of innocent children, or save Mary Jane, the woman he loves. This is a complex philosophical moment borrowed from a similar situation in one of Spider-Man's most famous comics (seen later in Amazing Spider-Man 2). This crisis is the emotional climax of Peter's struggles with his own belief throughout the movie. It seems that there is no way for Peter to save them both, but he still stands up against the odds and tries to be the hero.
When the moment seems lost and the Green Goblin may win after all, everything changes. A barge below hurries with a crane to help Spider-Man and citizens from the bridge throw things at Goblin, shouting "You mess with Spidey, you mess with New York!" and "You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us."
This is easily the most on-the-nose reference to 9/11 in the film and feels like a deliberate call of unity to the people of New York, and the people on the world. The day is saved, but only when the people of New York City, despite what they have been told to believe and despite their fear, come together as one to protect someone different from them. Because when it truly matters the most, there is no Spider-Man or Peter Parker. There is no Mary Jane Watson or innocent child. There is a single human race, finding peace through unity.
YOU'RE NOT SUPERMAN, YOU KNOW
Spider-Man is a movie ahead of it's time in content and character. It took one of the most famous superheros ever and stripped him down into the basic everyman of the day. He became relatable through his groundedness; a human just like the rest of us, with questions and flaws and concerns for the world. It created two incredibly memorable characters in Norman Osborn and J. Jonah Jameson, pulling the performances of a lifetime out of both actors. The movie reflects a dark and troubled time for the country beautifully and optimistically by examining the complexities of characters and asking the people of the country to unify in acceptance and understanding.
In one of the final scenes, we see Spider-Man dropping off the body of Norman Osborn at his home to stage a peaceful death. Despite everything Goblin has put him through, Peter still feels a sense of compassion for the man whose hatred had consumed him. And when his friend walks in, Peter is more willing to let Harry, the friend he had been constantly jealous of, believe Spider-Man killed his father than allow him to know the dark truth.
The movie begins with Peter Parker questioning who he is. And in the end, after hardship and struggle, a year before Nolan's Batman and six years before Tony Stark, Peter Parker proudly declares his newfound identity: "I am Spider-Man."
If you like what you read, you can check out my Blogspot, The Film Fan Awakens, where I post detailed reviews and breakdowns of movies and TV, including Captain America: Civil War. Follow me on Facebook at Facebook.com/TheFilmFanAwakens.
Let me know your thoughts on Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man. What are your hopes for Tom Holland's portrayal as the characters enters the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Which of the Spider-Man movies is your favorite? Thanks for reading!
All images and clips used in this article are owned by Sony Pictures and the respective creators. They have been used under Fair Use for commentary and criticism.
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