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In 2002, the world was introduced to Spider-Man, a superhero movie directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire as the titular character. Based on the Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the film tells the origin story of Peter Parker, a nerdy high school student who gains spider-like abilities after being bitten by a genetically modified spider.

At the beginning of the film, we see Peter as a socially awkward teenager who is constantly bullied by his classmates. He has a crush on his neighbor, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), but is too scared to talk to her. After attending a field trip to a scientific laboratory, Peter is bitten by a spider and starts to develop superhuman strength and agility.

As he learns to control his new powers, Peter decides to use them for good and becomes the superhero known as Spider-Man. He designs his own suit and starts using his abilities to stop crime in New York City. His actions catch the attention of Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons), who starts a smear campaign against Spider-Man, calling him a menace to society.

Meanwhile, businessman Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe) is working on a dangerous military weapon that transforms him into the villainous Green Goblin. Osborn, who is also the father of Peter's best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco), discovers Spider-Man's true identity and decides to use it to his advantage.

As the Green Goblin starts wreaking havoc on the city, Spider-Man must use all of his abilities to stop him and save the people he loves. Along the way, he struggles to maintain his secret identity and deal with the consequences of his actions.

One of the strengths of Spider-Man is its strong cast. Tobey Maguire gives a nuanced performance as Peter Parker, balancing the character's nerdy tendencies with his newfound confidence as Spider-Man. Kirsten Dunst is charming as Mary Jane, adding a touch of romance to the film. Willem Dafoe is intimidating as the Green Goblin, embodying the character's madness and unpredictability.

The film also features impressive action sequences, with Spider-Man swinging through the city and fighting the Green Goblin in intense battles. The special effects hold up well even years later, and the film's soundtrack, featuring songs by bands like Sum 41 and Nickelback, adds to the film's energy.

One of the themes of the film is the idea of power and responsibility. As Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) tells Peter at the beginning of the film, "With great power comes great responsibility." Peter struggles with this idea throughout the film, trying to balance his desire to be a hero with the risks he is taking and the consequences of his actions. His decision to become Spider-Man is not just about gaining powers, but about using them to make a difference in the world.

Another theme is the idea of identity. Peter struggles to maintain his secret identity as Spider-Man, trying to hide his true self from those around him. At the same time, he feels more powerful and confident as Spider-Man, allowing him to express a side of himself that he can't as Peter Parker. The film explores the idea of who we are and who we want to be, as well as the consequences of our actions on those around us.

Overall, Spider-Man is a classic superhero film that helped kickstart a new era of superhero movies. With solid performances, impressive action sequences, and themes that still resonate today, it remains a beloved film for fans of the character and the genre.

Spider-Man is a 2002 action movie with a runtime of 2 hours and 1 minute. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4 and a MetaScore of 73.