Spider-Man (2002)
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A timid teenager gains superhuman abilities after being bitten by a genetically engineered spider and must navigate the challenges of being a masked hero.
The story
After being bitten by a genetically engineered spider during a field trip, teenager Peter Parker gains superhuman abilities, including enhanced strength and the ability to cling to walls. While struggling to balance his personal life and his new powers, he adopts the masked persona of Spider-Man to fight crime in New York City. However, his emergence as a hero draws the attention of the malevolent Green Goblin, a villain who seeks to destroy the city and those close to Peter.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
During a field trip, Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically engineered spider, granting him superhuman abilities. Simultaneously, Norman Osborn injects himself with a chemical that gives him great power but drives him into madness, creating the Green Goblin. After the death of his Uncle Ben, Peter begins crime-fighting as Spider-Man. He works as a photographer for the Daily Bugle while trying to navigate a budding romance with Mary Jane Watson. The conflict escalates when Norman Osborn targets Peter's loved ones, leading to a final confrontation where Peter must choose between saving Mary Jane or a group of children. Ultimately, Peter defeats the Green Goblin, who dies and leaves behind a legacy of vengeance for his son, Harry. Peter must then decide how much of his secret identity to reveal while grappling with the responsibility of his powers.
- First release year
- 2002
- Runtime (minutes)
- 121
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Sam Raimi
- Writers
- David Koepp · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Tobey Maguire · Peter Parker / Spider-Man; Willem Dafoe · Norman Osborn / Green Goblin; Kirsten Dunst · Mary Jane Watson; James Franco · Harry Osborn; Cliff Robertson · Ben Parker; Rosemary Harris · May Parker; J. K. Simmons · J. Jonah Jameson
- Genres
- superhero; action; science fiction; romance
- Themes
- responsibility; identity; coming-of-age
- Tone and mood
- action-packed; heroic
- Premise and plot tags
- superhero; origin story; vengeance
- Source material / true-story basis
- Marvel Comics
- Franchise connections
- Spider-Man trilogy
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, becoming the first film to reach $100 million in a single weekend.
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Awards · musical score · 2003 · win; People's Choice Award · Favorite Motion Picture · win; MTV Movie Awards · Best Kiss · 2003 · win
- Production trivia
- The film was the first to reach $100 million in a single weekend.; The suit worn by Tobey Maguire took six months to create.; The upside-down kiss scene was featured on a list of the best pop culture creations of the decade.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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