- "Whatever life holds in store for me, I will never forget these words: 'With great power comes great responsibility.' This is my gift, my curse. Who am I? I'm Spider-Man."
- ―Peter Parker[src]
Spider-Man is a 2002 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is the first film in the Spider-Man Trilogy. The film was released in the United States on May 3, 2002.
The film is directed by Sam Raimi and stars Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, James Franco as Harry Osborn, Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker, Rosemary Harris as May Parker, and J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson.
The film spawned two sequels: Spider-Man 2 in 2004 and Spider-Man 3 in 2007.
Synopsis
Average teenager Peter Parker is transformed into an extraordinary superhero after he is accidentally bitten by a radioactive spider. When his beloved uncle is savagely murdered during a robbery, young Peter vows to use his powers to avenge his death. Deeming himself "Spider-Man," he sets about ridding the streets of crime, bringing him into conflict with malevolent super-villain "Green Goblin."[1]
Plot
High school student Peter Parker visits a genetics laboratory with his best friend Harry Osborn and Peter's love interest, Mary Jane Watson. There, Peter is bitten on the hand by a genetically modified "super spider". Shortly after arriving home to his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, he is rendered unconscious. Meanwhile, Harry's father, scientist Norman Osborn, owner of Oscorp, is attempting to preserve his company's critically important military contract. He experiments on himself with a new but unstable performance-enhancing chemical vapor that hugely increases his speed, strength, and stamina. However, it also drives him insane, and he kills his assistant, Mendel Stromm. The next morning, Peter finds that his previously impaired vision has improved and that his body has metamorphosized into a more muscular physique. At school, he finds his body producing webbing and that his quickened reflexes let him avoid injury during a confrontation with rival and bully and Mary Jane's ex-boyfriend Flash Thompson. Peter discovers he has developed superhuman speed, strength, the ability to stick to surfaces, and a heightened ability to sense danger.
Rebuffing Ben's advice that "with great power comes great responsibility," Peter enters an underground wrestling event to get money to buy a car and impress Mary Jane. He wins his first match, but the promoter cheats him of his earnings. When a thief steals money from the promoter, Peter allows him to escape as revenge. He later discovers that Ben has been carjacked and shot dead. Peter chases down and confronts the carjacker in a warehouse, only to realize it is the same thief he let get away. After Peter disarms him, the fleeing carjacker falls out a window to his death. Meanwhile, Norman kills several scientists and the military's General Slocum.
Upon graduating from high school, Peter begins using his abilities to fight injustice, donning a costume and the persona of Spider-Man. Loudmouthed newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson hires him as a freelance photographer, since Peter is the only person providing clear images of Spider-Man.
Norman, upon learning Oscorp's board members plan to sell the company, assassinates them at the World Unity Fair. Jameson quickly dubs the mysterious killer the Green Goblin. The Goblin offers Spider-Man a place at his side, but Spider-Man refuses. At the Osborn and Parkers' Thanksgiving dinner, Norman, unknown to Peter, deduces Spider-Man's true identity; the Goblin subsequently attacks and hospitalizes Aunt May.
Mary Jane admits she has a crush on Spider-Man, who has rescued her on numerous occasions, and she asks Peter whether Spider-Man ever asked about her. Harry, who loves Mary Jane, arrives and learns she does not feel likewise toward him. Devastated, Harry tells his father that Peter loves Mary Jane, unintentionally revealing Spider-Man's biggest weakness.
The Goblin kidnaps and holds Mary Jane and a Roosevelt Island Tram car full of children hostage alongside the Queensboro Bridge. There, he forces Spider-Man to choose who he wants to save and drops Mary Jane and the children. Spider-Man manages to save both Mary Jane and the tram car, while the Goblin is pelted by civilians on the bridge showing loyalty to Spider-Man and contempt for the Goblin's evil deeds. The Goblin then grabs Spider-Man and throws him into an abandoned building where they battle with the Goblin gaining the upper hand. When the Goblin boasts of how he will later subject Mary Jane to a slow and painful death, an enraged Spider-Man overpowers the Goblin, unmasking him.
Norman begs for forgiveness, but his Goblin persona attempts to remote-control his glider to impale Spider-Man. The superhero avoids the attack, causing the glider to impale Norman instead, finally killing him. In his dying breath, Norman tells Peter not to reveal his crimes to Harry. Spider-Man takes Norman's body back to Osborn's house and hides the Green Goblin's equipment. At Norman’s funeral, Harry swears vengeance toward Spider-Man, believing him responsible for killing his father, and asserts that Peter is all he has left. Mary Jane confesses to Peter she is in love with him, but Peter, feeling that he must protect her from the unwanted attentions of Spider-Man's enemies, hides his true feelings and tells her that they can only be friends. As Peter leaves the funeral, he recalls Ben's words about responsibility, and accepts his new life as Spider-Man.
Cast
- Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man
- Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin
- Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson
- James Franco as Harry Osborn
- Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker
- Rosemary Harris as May Parker
- J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson
- Joe Manganiello as Flash Thompson
- Gerry Becker as Maximillian Fargas
- Bill Nunn as Robbie Robertson
- Jack Betts as Henry Balkan
- Stanley Anderson as General Slocum
- Ron Perkins as Dr. Mendell Stromm
- Michael Papajohn as Dennis Carradine
- K.K. Dodds as Simkins
- Ted Raimi as Hoffman
- Bruce Campbell as Ring Announcer
- Elizabeth Banks as Betty Brant
- John Paxton as Bernard Houseman
- Tim DeZarn as Philip Watson
- Taylor Gilbert as Madeline Watson
- Randy Savage as Bone Saw McGraw
- Larry Joshua as Wrestling Promoter
- Timothy Patrick Quill as Wrestling Arena Guard
- Lisa Danielle as Bone-ette
- Natalie T. Yeo as Bone-ette
- Erica D. Porter as Bone-ette
- Kristen Davidson as Bone-ette
- Jason Padgett as Flash's Crony
- Shan Omar Huey as Teacher
- Sally Levi as Girl on Bus
- Evan Arnold as Doctor
- Jill Sayre as Nurse
- Jim Ward as Project Coordinator
- David Holcomb as Captain Curtis
- Octavia Spencer as Check-In Girl
- Brad Grunberg as Heckler
- Shane Habberstad as Little Billy
- Deborah Wakeham as Billy's Mom
- Rachael Bruce as Times Square Child
- Mackenzie Bryce as Times Square Child
- Julia Barry as Times Square Child
- Macy Gray as Herself
- Myk Watford as Cop at Fire
- Bill Calvert as Fireman
- Sylva Kelegian as Mother at Fire
- Kristen Marie Holly as Young Lady at Fire
- Ajay Mehta as Cabbie
- Peter Appel as Cabbie
- Scott Spiegel as Marine Cop
- Matt Smith as Cop at Carjacking
- Sara Ramirez as Cop at Carjacking
- Lucy Lawless as Punk Rock Girl
- Jayce Bartok as Subway Guitarist
- Maribel González as Lady Dogwalker
- Amy Bouril as Office Lady
- Joseph D'Onofrio as Opinionated Cop
- Jim Norton as Surly Truck Driver
- Corey Mendell Parker as Chaperone in Tram
- Ashley Edner as Girl in Tram
- William Joseph Firth as Boy in Tram
- Alex Black as Boy in Tram
- Laura Gray as Tram Group Mother
- Joe Virzi as New Yorker on Bridge
- Michael Edward Thomas as New Yorker on Bridge
- Jeanie Fox as New Yorker on Bridge
- Robert Kerman as Tugboat Captain
Uncredited
- Josscy Vallazza Aartsen as College Student
- Stephanie 'Stevvi' Alexander as Singer
- John P. Anthony as Parent
- Ari Averbach as Dancer
- Joni Avery as Cop
- Rick Avery as Cop
- Peter Aylward as Colonel
- Margaret Baker as Punk #2
- Amy Beth Bennett as Jewelry Thief #2
- Brian Bennett as Doorman
- Camille Bennett as High School Student
- Greg Beville as Wrestling Fan
- Andy Bray as Boy Carrying Tray in Cafeteria
- Jophery C. Brown as Chef
- Craig Castaldo as Man with Bike in Front of Moondance Diner
- Jacob Chambers as Cop
- Jillian Clare as Crying Girl in Tram
- Ty Copeman as Car Driver
- Chris Coppola as Kyle
- Alex Couey as Running Pedestrian
- Cody Cundiff as World Unity Day Attendee
- Una Damon as Lab Tour Guide
- Chandra De Alessandro as Cop
- Mark De Alessandro as Cop
- Donald DeCosta as World Unity Day Attendee
- Michael Patrick Dobkins as Wrestling Fan
- Patrick Coleman Duncan as Oscorp Lab Technician
- Chloe Dykstra as Girl on Tram
- John Dykstra as Man Running in Front of Little Billy
- Marcus Edward as Screaming Fan at Wrestling Match
- R.C. Everbeck as Eddie Brock
- Dane Farwell as Man at a Street
- Steven D. Fernandez as Kid in Falling Cable Car
- James Furlong as Wrestling Fan
- Peter Genovese as Fleeing World Unity Day Patron
- Eric Goldman as Angry Wrestling Fan
- Marcus Gorman as Man in Street
- Al Goto as Cop
- Johnny Guerra as Festival City Guy
- Juan Guerra as City Guy
- Roman Güttinger as Man in Crowd
- Randy Hall as Cop
- Christopher E. Hayner as Terrorized Fair Attendee
- Jesse Heiman as Spectator at School Fight
- Paxton Hickey as School Bus Bully
- Tia Dionne Hodge as Uptown Woman
- Kevin Jackson as Bellman
- Loren Janes as Board of Directors Member
- Andray Johnson as Balkan's Aide
- Janis Jones as Research Scientist
- J.D. Kaye as World Unity Festival Attendee
- James J. Kim as Passerby/World Unity Festival Concert Goer
- Kolby Kirk as Festival Guest
- Erik Kleven as Chef
- Frederick E. Kowalo as Wrestling Fan
- Kathy Krantz as Spider Technician
- Gary Lane as Graduation - Chess Club Twin
- Larry Lane as Graduation - Chess Club Twin
- Patrick Lee as Cheering Spectator
- Stan Lee as Man in Fair
- Kahlil Lyons as Student
- Pete Macnamara as Pentagon Officer
- Anthony J. Maldonado as Midtown High School Student
- Lynnette Marshall as Extra
- Troy Martin as Graduation Guest
- Daniel Maysen as Man on Street
- Ryan McGonagle as Wrestler
- Kara McLeod as Wrestling Fan
- Claudia Katz Minnick as Robbie's Assistant
- Joy Michelle Moore as World's Fair Mom
- Justin Neill as Flash's Crony
- Philip Ng as Diamond District Attendee
- Debra Orenstein as Doctor
- Gary Otto as New Yorker
- Anthony Palato as World Unity Festival Patron
- Richard Par as World Unity Festival Patron
- Brian J. Patterson as World Unity Fair Guitarist for Macy Gray
- Leroy Patterson as World Unity Festival Attendant
- Martin Pfefferkorn as Thug
- Argenis Pirela as Screaming Person
- Anthony Pittman as Ryan Gill
- Lance Polland as Bonesaw Fan
- January Pugh as Mary Jane's Friend
- Ivan Raimi as Family on Street
- Kyle Raimi as Family on Street
- Max Raimi as Family on Street
- Sophie Raimi as Family on Street
- Sumner Redstone as Oscorp Board Member
- Robert Resto as Cop
- Sabrina G Samuels as Student at Cafeteria Table
- Scott L. Schwartz as Screaming Wrestler
- Robair Sims as Bellman
- Richard Stephens as Man on Brooklyn Bridge
- Tammi Sutton as Street Vendor
- Lindsay Thompson as Mary Jane's Friend
- Lou Torres as Enrique
- Benny Urquidez as Mugger
- Sean Valla as Boat Light Man
- Kevin Vila as Graduation Guest
- Michael Wajacs as Cop
- Derek C. Wallace as Homeless Man
- Dick Warlock as Man on Roof
- Graig F. Weich as Student
- Jason Weiss as Flash's Crony
- Mark Wheaton as Wrestling Fan
- Brian J. Williams as Young Thug #2
- John Wojnowski III as Man in Street
- Dared Wright as Pedestrian - Man on Street
Gallery
References
External Links
| Raimi Film Series | |
|---|---|
| Films: | Spider-Man | Spider-Man 2 | Spider-Man 3 |
| Characters: | Peter Parker/Spider-Man | Mary Jane Watson | Harry Osborn | J. Jonah Jameson | Uncle Ben | Aunt May | George Stacy | Gwen Stacy | Robbie Robertson | Betty Brant | Curt Connors | Flash Thompson | Dr. Stromm | Mr. Ditkovich | Ursula Ditkovich | Maximillian Fargas | Henry Balkan | Rosalie Octavius | Hoffman | Bernard Houseman | Mr. Aziz | Bonesaw McGraw |
| Enemies: | The Green Goblin | Doctor Octopus | The Sandman | New Goblin | Venom | The Carjacker |
| Locations: | The Daily Bugle | Oscorp Technologies | Quest Aerospace | Osborn Penthouse | Goblin Lair |
| Video Games: | Spider-Man | Spider-Man 2 | Spider-Man 3 |