#spiderman15

[theblackestnerdsyouknow-blog]

Spider-Man, 15 Years Later: The Birth of the Comic Book Movie.

I firmly believe that Spider-Man is one of, if not, the greatest comic book movie ever made. It was the arrival of a new era for freaks and geeks; Not only can comic book movies entertain and make bank, but they can be really good. Our parents grew up with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman on the television screens, but there seemed to be a lull in the movie world, especially after Schumacher left his indelible mark on the Bat-franchise. Sure, we had some mild hits. Blade kept it real for the die-hard horror fans, and Bryan Singer brought an exciting and thought-provoking vision to X-Men. For many comic book fans around the world (like yours truly,) the web-slinger’s introduction to the silver screen became something of a turning point. And its mark is still felt 15 years later.

               You know the story: Geeky bookworm Peter Parker gets bitten by a radioactive spider, thus turning his world upside down. Instead of leaping foot first into hero mode, Peter does what most of us would do: Exploit these newfound abilities for cold hard cash. After getting into an argument with his Uncle Ben, Peter gets scammed by a shady wrestling company (Too bad Youtube wasn’t a thing back in 2002.) When the manager gets robbed, Peter lets him be. Just so happens that’s the same robber who shoots his uncle. From that day forward, Peter learns the ultimate lesson; “With Great Power comes Great Responsibility.”

               What does Spider-Man mean to me? Let me take you back for a minute, boys and girls. I was all of nine years old. Front row seats to Jurassic Park III (Stay with me.) the last trailer I remember looked simple enough; a bank robbery sequence, the criminals are planning their major getaway in a helicopter until they find themselves ensnared…in a giant spider web. And I lost it. Here he was. Swinging, leaping, live and in living color. Peter Parker isn’t an alien demigod, a legendary Asgardian warrior, or a vengeful sociopath billionaire. What makes the journey of Peter Parker so riveting is that he’s just like us. He has to find a job, keep up his grades, try to please his girl, maintain a social life, and take care of his family, all while mentally unstable criminals attempt to tear the Big Apple in half. And Sam Raimi translated his strife and struggles beautifully. We can’t forget about the cast. Tobey Maguire is to Peter Parker what Sean Connery is to James Bond. He was the first, and perhaps even the best to wear the red and blue suit. Kirsten Dunst brings such a vulnerability and sweetness to MJ that it’s almost impossible to not fall in love with her. James Franco balances the line between smarmy and endearing as Harry Osborn, and Willem Dafoe is an absolute scene-stealer as his father Norman, who we all know as the Green Goblin. Many of the people in my age group see this as the pinnacle of the superhero genre. Just try to convince someone that J.K. Simmons shouldn’t be J. Jonah Jameson again. Before The Dark Knight convinced every major studio that dark and gritty were the magic words, Raimi brought a bright and friendly atmosphere to the world of Spider-Man. It was New York, but cranked up to 11, which feels like how Stan Lee and Steve Ditko intended when they created Spidey all the way back in 1963. It’s hopeful, colorful, earnest, and optimistic, traits you don’t often hear when it comes to the genre nowadays.

If you take Spider-Man away from the pop culture lexicon, the trickle effect is stupendous. Marvel wouldn’t dare have the gall to green-light a space odyssey about a talking raccoon and his talking tree. Spider-Man gives me the same feeling that 1978’s Superman does, what Jurassic Park does. It’s still one of those moves that if I catch it on television I will sit down and watch it like it’s the first time, and my heart will still soar every single time I see that bridge sequence. It’s that unexplainable magic that takes ahold of you and never lets go, and it’s the same magic that Marvel still uses to this day. Spider-Man is the movie we needed after 9/11; a story of how hope can triumph over all, and we can always find something to believe in.