Read on Twitter
Movie #1 of 2021: Sam Raimi’s SPIDER-MAN
Nothing like a revisit to remind you how many actual superhero movies aren’t this good. At least from on engaging the themes of superheroics, if that makes sense? It’s late, so bear with me.
Like, most superhero movies are fun or at least engaging! But truly great shit like TDK, Logan, Hellboy 2, GOTG, Batman Returns all feel like they’re primarily interested in using the framework of the superhero to explore other genres.
And that’s not even inherently a bad thing! It just reminds me how much genuine potential is left untapped outside of the Raimi trilogy. Maaaybe a handful of others that work as Superhero Movies.
The Raimi trilogy understands the nature of superhero stories are fundamentally interested in characters and their relationships. The conflict between characters here works in just a pure dramatic sense. The superhero action and fantasy are *accentuating* it. Not driving it.
But how many other superhero origin stories are actively interested in exploring the weight of power thrust or bestowed upon characters? How many more of those stories actually pull off a superhero origin like that? Donner Superman, Rocketeer, Iron Man, Shazam...
Oh Batman Begins also kicks monumental ass, and understands the nature/status of what really gives Bruce Wayne his power (masks, so much mask talk). That and Donner Superman are probably the only real competition in the origin story department for Raimi’s Spider-Man.
Anyways, I think we need to appreciate the origin story again. I get *why* we wanted to move on from them for the weird sequel stuff. Just gotta be careful not to skip any essential character stuff (a pretty consistent problem with the assembly line productions of the 2010s)
Lots to explore with a character trying to understand the world before and after discovering their newfound power. Our reality already makes so little sense without actual superheroes flying around!
