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In emphasizing angst over energy, the movie is much like its hero--not the dashing crime fighter in a red-and-black bodysuit but the introspective nerd who both endears and exasperates. Perhaps that's artistically appropriate, for Spider-Man is about the awkward process of becoming, of somehow surviving teen turmoil to turn into, as Peter's saintly Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) tells him, "the man you're going to be for the rest of your life." Why shouldn't there be growing pains in the Spider-Man movie? Just as Peter's transformation is a process of trial and error, so the series may be able to mature in the planned sequels. The James Bond, Star Wars and Batman series show that first episodes are often outshone by later installments.
"With great power," Uncle Ben also says, "comes great responsibility." And with great hype come great expectations. This movie, which will be a big hit, is up against more than a beloved comic book; for the millions of visitors to Universal Studios Florida, it must overcome memories of the Spider-Man theme-park attraction. In a six-minute tram tour of upper Manhattan, the ride provides careering thrills, state-of-the-art 3-D visuals and a fistful of supervillains. There, and not on Sam Raimi's screen, is where to find a charismatic Spider-Man--and a moving marvel.