It has been a long time coming, but finally we have been blessed with a live-action, feature-length movie of the masked, arachnid-like super-hero. I am older now, but those feelings of my youth which have all but burnt out can now be re-kindled. I suspect that is what it was like for many of us this past weekend, as Spider-Man smashed all previous opening-weekend records with a whopping $114 Million.

Unfortunately, while this movie may be great for those of us seeking to find the excitement and fantasy of our youth, it is not great for those who are children today. Spider-Man is rated PG-13 due mostly to violence. There are a couple of scenes which kind of freaked me out, including one quiet scene with an unexpected subliminal vision of the main villain (The Green Goblin) accompanied by an extremely shrill and terrifying shriek. So unfortunately, I will not be sharing this experience with my seven-year-old daughter, who is most certain to have nightmares. And that is disappointing. Cut out about 2-3 minutes of this film, and you will get a PG-rated flick suitable for a larger audience. My daughter will have to wait for the TV version (which will probably just cut out those 2-3 minutes which aren't really needed anyway).

All that aside, however, this movie totally RULES! I love this movie because of the hope that it offers those of us nerds. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) begins the film as a dork. He doesn't fit in at school, and he absolutely has no self-confidence which effectively prevents him from making a move on the girl he has had a crush on for over a decade (Kirsten Dunst). So as I am watching this, I'm thinking, "Hey! That's a lot like me! I could be Spiderman!" This proves that I still haven't outgrown my boyhood fantasy.

Eventually, Peter is bitten by a genetically-engineered super-spider (which is a modern twist on the radioactive spider from years ago). Overnight, the infection from the spider-bite somehow genetically alters Peter Parker, giving him all of the really cool qualities about being a spider (such as Spidey-Sense, the ability to climb walls, and the power to spin and shoot a spider web) without losing much of his human qualities either (he still has only four appendages, two arms and two legs, rather than eight, and his webs come out of his wrists as opposed to his butt).

What is so great about the story however is that Peter Parker not only develops as a spider, but as a man (hence Spider-Man). He goes from being a shy and immature teenager to a super-hero, accepting the responsibility which came with his newfound powers.

Woven within this web (am I the master of puns, or what?) is a love story. Peter loves MJ, but keeps his feelings to himself while MJ goes from boy to boy like a Black Widow hopping from limb to limb as she prepares her death trap...OK - I got carried away there for a while, but I am happy to report that while the love stuff does get a little mushy and icky, there is a nice and deserving twist at the end which makes up for it.

Another great thing the story does is to more-or-less stay true to the essence of Spider-Man. This movie had a character set with its own history of comic books and cartoons. Though it did take liberties here and there for modernization and other things, it did not betray its roots. I was especially happy to see that the Spider-Suit was more or less unchanged (I was worried that I might see an all-black Spider-Suit akin to the Batman movies spurning the grey and blue tights for the dark rubber muscle suit).

The music in this film is by the legendary Danny Elfman. However, I am somewhat disappointed. I think back to his Batman music, for instance, and this one doesn't quite measure up. What is missing are memorable and melodic themes. Right now, the Batman theme is playing in my head. I can't do the same with the Spider-Man music. It is just an assortment of various percussion beats and seemingly random orchestral notes.

A super-hero couldn't exist without a super-villain. That is where Willem Dafoe (above) comes in. Dafoe plays Norman Osborn whose ruthlessness as CEO of a defense contractor leads him to use himself as a guinea pig for his own engineered performance enhancers. What results is both power and insanity in the form of the Green Goblin. Dafoe is excellent, especially during a scene in which he has a conversation with himself in the mirror. What I did not like, however, was that his Green Goblin mask (see below) was an immovable fixture which hid Dafoe's talents making it difficult for him to act through it.

One corny thing that I could have done without was the tribute to New-Yorkers as they take it out on the Green Goblin at the end. This was a bit too much for me, but I am able to put up with it given what that city has gone through this past year.

But nothing is cooler than watching Spiderman swing from building to building through the city as he shoots his web from here to there. The special effects here were top notch. The camera not only follows him but also takes us for a thrill ride through the city from Spiderman's point of view. This was breathtaking and exciting.

And finally, while I didn't especially care for the mushy lovey dovey stuff that permeates the film, I did enjoy this unique kiss. This isn't your everyday Hollywood kiss. This one is something else and I am sure that most moviegoers are going to love it. Spider-Man is only partially unmasked by his rescued damsel in distress as he is suspended upside down - in the rain. They kiss briefly but passionately and he is gone. See below.

A great movie, all-around. The script, performances, and special effects are superb. Only problem is that it isn't suitable for young children, which is a shame.