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So I wake up yesterday in a pissy mood.
Pissy because someone stole the passes that were mailed to me for
Spider-Man. Pissy because the Toronto Maple Leafs were on the brink of
elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs. Pissy because LucasFilm
decided they were not going to allow me into the screening of Attack of
the Clones. And pissy because I think that's pretty much how I wake up
every morning. What ended up unfolding was one of the most incredible
days in the history of Empire Movies. Albeit a short history, it is
still history.
I get to work, late as usual, and listen to my messages. I have a
message from a friend, who I talk to maybe five times a year and decide
to return his call, which under normal circumstances, I probably would
have not returned for at least a day. I talk to him about hockey for ten
minutes and just as the conversation is ending and we are about to hang
up he says, "Yeah, I had a chance to see Spider-Man tonight but I
don't think I'm going to go." This, after I pretty much spent the
last 24 hours on the phone with Sony Pictures, on the internet,
listening to the radio, buying newspapers, doing anything in my power to
get passes to Spider-Man or at least find out where it was playing so I
could try to sneak in. And I couldn't get a bite. And now, all of a
sudden out of nowhere, I have this guy on the other line telling me that
he has passes but doesn't think he is going. It's gotta be fate. It's
gotta be.
Keep in mind that I am a huge hockey fan, a huge Toronto Maple Leaf fan,
and with my team on the brink of elimination, I have a choice between
watching hockey and going to Spider-Man. Well, I think my true colours
came out. I chose Spider-Man. I think this tells me how much this movie
means to me and to millions of other Spider-Man fans around the world.
I grew up on Spider-Man. I used to run home from school on my lunch hour
to watch the cheesy Spider-Man television show and thought it was the
greatest show ever. I still do. I had Spider-Man toys, Spider-Man
comics, Spider-Man wallpaper and skin-tight Spider-Man underwear. And
now, finally, it was coming to the big screen. I drove an hour outside
of the city I live to get the tickets. I fought traffic, fought
frustration, fought confusion and made it to the packed theatre with
only minutes to spare. I snuck a friend into the theatre. Took another
one from work, putting my own job, my own reputation, on the line. All
for Spider-Man.
And let me tell you, I was not disappointed. Spider-Man is one of the
great comic book adaptations of all time. It is better than X-Men.
Better than Batman. Better than Superman? Well, I'll leave that one up
to you to decide. But I will say this - Spider-Man does not disappoint.
It really is an outstanding movie. Everyone in the crowd was riveted to
the screen during this one. You could have heard a pin drop in the
theatre as the movie began. I can't remember the last time I felt such
excitement in a theatre. And by the end of the movie, I can guarantee
there was not a person who did not leave that theatre without a smile on
their face.
With all that being said, I will say this. Spider-Man was not the
perfect movie. There will be those who criticize the choice of Tobey
Maguire. I thought he was good and refuse to debate who could have been
better. Seriously, just give it a rest. Tobey won the role. He is
Spider-Man, so who cares about "the others". Okay, maybe Wes
Bentley would have been an interesting choice. But that's it. No more! I
don't ever want to hear about it again!
Kirsten Dunst plays Mary Jane Watson to a tee. She is the perfect
"girl-next-door", except for the fact that I don't think she
wears a bra. What am I saying, that is the perfect girl-next-door! J.
Jonah Jameson, Uncle Ben, Aunt May, Harry Osborne - they were all great.
The Uncle Ben death scene was perfect. You felt Peter Parker's anguish -
his heartbreak. His growth from geek-boy to Spider-Man was impeccable.
The web-slinging and web-swinging was great. The Green Goblin? Willem
Dafoe was outstanding. His costume? I didn't like it from the beginning
and after seeing the movie, I still don't like it. It was a talking mask
but it had no mouth. Now that I think about it, so was Spider-Man! But
that's okay, Spidey is untouchable. The Green Goblin isn't and it is
probably the only major criticism I have of the entire film, but who the
hell am I to be complaining.
Okay, one more minor complaint. I felt the Green Goblin's conflict. His
hate. His anger. But I would have liked to have hated him more. To tell
you the truth, I almost liked the guy as much as I liked Spider-Man and
I didn't like liking him. Make sense?
I could go on and on about Spider-Man but I will say this. Don't miss
it. And when you see it once, you will want to see it again. And then
again. Was it a great movie? I wouldn't say great. Actually, I did call
it great earlier, but that was for dramatic effect. I would, however,
classify it as a very good movie. Very good. Very, very good. And the
best thing about it? There's more to come.
As for my pissy mood? Well, I saw Spider-Man and loved it. The Leafs
won. I am getting a passport to go to Ireland. I'm going to see a
screening of Attack of the Clones in less than a week. The world is a
great place. My world is a great place. For today...
  
- 8.5/10
Brendan Cullin - Senior
Editor
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