In his first movie outing, "Spider-Man" stays rooted in the two worlds that best suit this superhero -- a comic-book geography, in which the character can climb and spin through the urban jungle just as rambunctious boys scamper about a jungle gym, and old B-movies, where things happen with a rush and no one is afraid to be a little corny. Tobey Maguire plays Peter Parker/Spider-Man, which is the smartest decision director Sam Raimi and his colleagues made. Guileless and charming with a perpetual look of startled bewilderment at the super powers he possesses, Maguire is perfect as an ordinary guy with a big secret.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.