Spider-Man (2002)

Most people think so. 80% of audiences gave it a thumbs up, by Google's archived audience score. Critics agree, scoring it 82%.

After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man. Wikipedia ↗

Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, the first major theatrical adaptation of Marvel's most iconic character. The film stars Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker, a shy, academically gifted high school student in Queens who gains superhuman abilities after being bitten by a genetically engineered spider during a school field trip. After the murder of his beloved Uncle Ben, Peter learns that with great power comes great responsibility and adopts the costumed identity of Spider-Man to protect New York City.

Willem Dafoe plays Norman Osborn, a weapons manufacturer driven mad by an experimental performance enhancer who becomes the villainous Green Goblin. Sam Raimi's Spider-Man was a watershed moment for superhero cinema, proving that Marvel properties could generate blockbuster returns and paving the way for the comic book movie boom that would dominate Hollywood for the next two decades. The film's upside-down kiss in the rain between Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson, played by Kirsten Dunst, became one of the most iconic romantic moments in film history.

Danny Elfman's heroic score perfectly captured the exhilaration of Spider-Man's web-swinging through Manhattan. The film's success was particularly remarkable given that it opened just eight months after the September 11 attacks, and its New York City setting resonated powerfully with audiences seeking escapist entertainment and stories of ordinary people becoming heroes. Tobey Maguire's earnest, vulnerable portrayal of Peter Parker defined the character for a generation of fans.