Spider-Man 2002

In a world where anonymity reigns supreme, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), a bespectacled high school senior, navigates the concrete jungle of New York City. Orphaned at a young age, he resides with his Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) and Aunt May (Rosemary Harris), who shower him with love and support. Amidst the sea of cliques and social hierarchies, Peter finds solace in his next-door neighbor, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), whose kindness towards him is a beacon of hope. Unfortunately, her boyfriend, Flash (Joe Manganiello) and his cohorts, treat Peter with disdain. However, he does have a loyal companion in Harry Osborn (James Franco), a wealthy and attractive outcast who harbors a secret resentment towards Norman (Willem Dafoe), his father, for showing more affection to Peter.

As Peter’s science class embarks on a field trip to Columbia University’s genetics laboratory, he captures the essence of Mary Jane through his photographs. The lab, renowned for its innovative work with spiders, has successfully engineered new species through genetic manipulation and combination. While taking snapshots of Mary Jane for the school newspaper, one of these peculiar creatures alights on Peter’s hand, leaving a lasting impression in the form of a venomous bite. Upon returning home, Peter feels unwell and retires to his bed, where the genetic magic of the spider bite begins to take hold.

Meanwhile, General Slocum (Stanley Anderson) pays a visit to Oscorp, seeking updates on Norman’s super soldier formula. When Dr. Stromm (Ron Perkins), one of Norman’s top scientists, expresses concerns about the formula’s stability, General Slocum threatens to cut off all military funding from Oscorp. That night, under the guise of secrecy, Norman injects himself with the formula, granting him superhuman strength and agility but also driving him mad. He brutally murders Dr. Stromm and absconds with two other Oscorp inventions: an exoskeleton and a jet-powered glider.

The morning after, Peter Parker emerges from his slumber a changed person. His frail physique has given way to chiseled muscles, and his eyesight has become crystal clear. As he navigates the halls of his school, he discovers that his newfound physical prowess extends to Spinnerettes on his wrists, which allow him to shoot webs with ease. At lunchtime, Peter’s agility is put to the test as he saves Mary Jane from a near-fall and effortlessly dispatches an enraged Flash in a thrilling fistfight. As the night falls, he and Mary Jane engage in flirtatious banter across their shared backyard fence, but their romantic repartee is cut short by Flash’s arrival with his new ride.

As Peter navigates these changes, he becomes increasingly consumed by his desire to impress Mary Jane and prove himself as a worthy suitor. He begins to covet the status symbol of car ownership, despite knowing that neither Ben nor May can afford such a luxury. One evening, while scanning the local classifieds, Peter spots an advertisement that catches his eye - a professional wrestling league is offering a whopping $3000 to anyone who can survive three minutes in the ring with their formidable champion, Bone Saw (Randy “Macho Man” Savage). Intrigued, Peter concocts a plan and dons a disguise, claiming to Ben and May that he’s headed to the library.

As Ben and May grow increasingly concerned about Peter’s erratic behavior and Ben implores him to exercise his newfound powers responsibly, citing the wisdom that “with great power comes great responsibility,” Peter becomes defensive. He asserts his independence, insisting that Ben should not try to parent him like a father. Undeterred, Peter takes matters into his own hands and signs up for the wrestling match, determined to prove himself.

In a stunning upset, Peter not only survives the three-minute gauntlet against Bone Saw but emerges victorious in just two minutes, earning a paltry $100 from the promoter. Enraged by what he perceives as a raw deal, Peter stands idly by as an armed robber (Michael Papajohn) holds up the promoter. However, when the thief fatally wounds Ben and makes off with his car, Peter’s anguish turns to fury. He gives chase, ultimately subduing the robber who falls to his death from a window, where he is later recovered by the police.

As Peter grapples with the aftermath of these events, a sinister figure clad in the stolen Oscorp exoskeleton and piloting the jet glider launches a surprise attack on Quest Aerospace’s weapons test facility. The prototype is destroyed, and General Slocum meets his untimely demise, setting the stage for a web of intrigue that will soon entangle Peter Parker in its threads.

As the reverberations of Ben’s words still lingered within him, Peter Parker seized the opportunity to channel his extraordinary abilities towards a higher purpose. With a newfound sense of responsibility, he crafted a modified costume and embarked on a quest to protect the streets of New York as the enigmatic Amazing Spider-man - a moniker borrowed from the charismatic wrestling announcer who had unknowingly inspired his alter ego. However, this noble endeavor did not go unnoticed by J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons), the fiery editor and publisher of the Daily Bugle, New York’s most influential tabloid. Despite Peter’s efforts to make a positive impact, Jameson remained skeptical, only growing more eager for sensational headlines when he discovered that Spider-man was generating significant interest in his newspaper.

As the trio of friends - Peter, Harry (Peter’s best friend), and Mary Jane (Peter’s love interest) - navigated the transition from high school to adulthood, they found themselves embracing the challenges and opportunities presented by their new surroundings. Peter and Harry shared a loft together, attending classes at Empire State University while Mary Jane pursued her dreams of becoming an actress, struggling to land auditions and working as a waitress to make ends meet. Meanwhile, Harry’s blossoming romance with Mary Jane served as a poignant reminder to Peter that he had always been too hesitant to express his own feelings.

As Peter continued to grapple with finding stable employment, Norman Osborn, the enigmatic businessman, offered guidance and support in his quest for independence. However, when Norman learned of Jameson’s call for photographs featuring Spider-man, he saw an opportunity to capitalize on his protege’s heroic exploits and agreed to purchase more of Peter’s photos. Little did Norman know that this decision would soon have far-reaching consequences, as the Board of Directors at Oscorp accepted a buyout offer from Quest, plunging Norman into a state of turmoil.

As Norman’s grip on reality began to slip, his personality became fragmented, giving rise to two distinct entities: the driven yet bewildered Norman and the cunning, malevolent Green Goblin. This dark alter ego emerged as a force of chaos, unleashing terror upon Oscorp’s annual Unity Day Street fair by killing the Board of Directors. The resulting carnage also put Mary Jane in harm’s way, prompting Spider-man to intervene and rescue her from certain doom. As Spider-man fought valiantly against the Green Goblin, he inadvertently won Mary Jane’s heart, earning a profound kiss as a token of gratitude when he saved her from a group of would-be predators just days later. Unbeknownst to Mary Jane, this act of heroism was performed by none other than Peter Parker himself.

As the enigmatic Goblin, Norman Osborn (character name), concocts a scheme to recruit Spider-man as his partner in crime, the web-slinging hero is unwittingly lured into a trap. With calculated precision, the Goblin launches a brazen attack on the Bugle offices, prompting Spider-man to engage in a high-stakes showdown. The Goblin’s audacious proposal: join forces and dominate the city together, warning Spider-man that the people will eventually turn against him. As Thanksgiving approaches, the tension simmers beneath the surface. On Turkey Day, the Goblin orchestrates a daring fire in an apartment building, hoping to entice Spider-man into his trap. The two arch-nemesis clash, resulting in a gruesome gash on Spider-man’s arm.

As Peter Parker (character name) arrives at the loft for the holiday dinner, still reeling from the battle with the Goblin, he finds himself torn between loyalty and secrecy. Norman Osborn, oblivious to Peter’s dual identity, hurries back to join his fellow guests, only to be met with a harsh reality: the truth about Spider-man is out. Mary Jane Watson (character name) takes umbrage at Harry’s silence, leaving her heartbroken. Meanwhile, Aunt May’s hospitalization serves as a stark reminder of the Goblin’s malevolent intentions.

In a desperate attempt to strike at Spider-man through his loved ones, the Goblin kidnaps Mary Jane and sets in motion a catastrophic sequence of events. With the Roosevelt Bridge as his playground, he sabotages a trolley car, forcing Spider-man to make an impossible choice between saving the damsel in distress or the innocent civilians. Just as all hope seems lost, pedestrians on the bridge intervene, slowing down the Goblin’s murderous impulses and allowing Spider-man to save both Mary Jane and the trolley car.

As the battle rages on, the Goblin becomes increasingly enraged when Spider-man thwarts his every attempt. The final confrontation unfolds in an abandoned building, where the two foes engage in a brutal and intense fight. In a moment of unbridled fury, Spider-man beats the Goblin, only to learn that Norman Osborn is behind the mask. As the dust settles, the Goblin’s last-ditch effort to kill Spider-man with his jet glider ends in tragedy: he impales himself on the contraption.

In the aftermath, as Spider-man returns Norman’s lifeless body to his penthouse apartment, Harry Gordon (character name) appears, consumed by a burning desire for vengeance. At the funeral, Harry delivers a eulogy filled with venom and vows to exact revenge on the person he holds responsible: Peter Parker.

As the solemnity of Uncle Ben’s grave settles upon him, Peter (Peter Parker) finds himself face to face with Mary Jane, her eyes sparkling with an unspoken intensity. The air is heavy with anticipation as she confesses her deep-seated passion for him, her lips brushing against his in a tender yet ardent kiss. But even as the thrill of the moment courses through his veins, Peter’s conscience struggles to reconcile his true identity with his desire to reciprocate Mary Jane’s affections.

With a heavy heart, he musters the strength to reveal his reluctance to pursue a romantic relationship with her, opting instead to maintain their platonic bond. As he turns away from her, it becomes apparent that even Peter himself is unsure if this is the first time they’ve shared such an intimate moment - the uncertainty hanging precariously in the balance.

In this poignant exchange, Peter’s dual identities as Spider-man and ordinary teenager collide, leaving him grappling with the weight of his secrets. As he whispers his superhero moniker to himself, the gravity of his situation becomes starkly apparent: “Who am I? I’m Spider-man.”