 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Spider-Man
- Review Date: February 8, 2004
- PG-13
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2002
Common Sense Media says
A fun movie; may be too intense for younger kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie's PG-13 rating comes from a couple of mild words, a clingy wet T-shirt, and -- particularly -- a great deal of comic book-style violence. It can get very intense and includes not just fires and explosions, but people getting vaporized, shot (off-camera), and impaled. Characters lose people close to them; a group of schoolchildren is in peril; and parents emotionally abuse their children. But the movie's core messages about empathy and responsibility are strong, and Peter Parker is one of the comic book world's more thoughtful heroes.
What's the story?
Toby Maguire stars as Peter Parker, a brilliant and sensitive high school student who's so deeply in love with his next-door neighbor Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) that he can barely bring himself to say hello to her. On a school field trip, he's bitten by a genetically engineered spider; the next morning he wakes up with some distinctly arachnid-like qualities: He can see without his glasses, climb walls, eject webbing with the swinging power of rope and the strength of steel, and anticipate danger. Peter plays around with his newfound superpowers but quickly learns that power comes with great responsibility. Great risk comes as well: Everyone Peter cares about is put in danger because of who he is. Meanwhile, Peter's best friend's father, industrialist Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe), has decided to try out his company's new product on himself. He, too, develops extraordinary power -- and a mad fury. His new alter ego is dubbed the Green Goblin for his bizarre armor-like covering.
Is it any good?
Maguire is just right as Peter, the supporting cast is great, and the script is excellent, striking just the right note of respect and affection for the source material. It has a contemporary feel without being showily post-modern or ironic. The special effects are thrilling. New York City is brilliantly stylized. Peter's relationship with MJ is sweetly romantic. The movie's weakest point is that it fails in the single most important requirement for a comic book-based movie: The villain isn't unforgettably crazy or evil or larger-than-life. Dafoe is a brilliant actor, but the part of Osborn/Green just isn't interesting enough to be truly scary.
Parents who are struggling with whether this movie is appropriate for kids under 13 should know that it's at about the same level as the X-Men movies. Keep in mind that just because kids can repeat after you that "it's only pretend" doesn't mean that they fully understand what that means until they're 10 or even older. Some kids may see the movie and appear to have no problems with it but later act out in other ways. Be watchful for kids who respond by desensitizing themselves to violence or re-enacting it.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the fact that two major male parent figures die. Many of the kids (particularly boys) who will be most interested in seeing the movie are at an age when separation from parents is starting to become an issue. You might want to have a conversation about real-life ways to deal with that.
Also, do you agree that people "love to see a hero fail"?
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AGE
Common Sense Pretty Accurate
I watched this movie at the theater when it came out, but I've probably only seen it once or twice since then. My 12 year old has been bugging me to see it. Trustin Common Sense, I decided to let her watch it. She has seen all the Heroes (NBC) episodes, so know up front that she's accustom to a certain level of violence and language.
I have to agree with Common Sense's review. It's appropriate for kids 11 and older depending on the child and the parent's leniency for violence or language. I listened for the "S" word and never heard it. Lots of "A" (rear-end) references, even by Peter's Uncle Ben. I don't remember Peter himself ever using bad language. There is a degree of violence throughout. The last fight sense was rather painful for my daughter to watch (as Spidy gets the snot beat out of him). There's quite a bit of blood to boot. So just be careful.
In the end, the movie was still an appropriate watch for my 12 year old. It has some good overall themes about what it means to be a hero that I enjoyed recapping later with my child. For the faint of heart, preview (as always) this movie before letting the kids watch, but I give it a thumbs up for 12 and over.
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AGE
With Great movies comes great reviews for it.
And hopefully this one doesn't fall short! Spiderman is a web-slinging adventure that takes you through the process of Peter Parker's transformation from becoming the average teenager with a crush on the girl next door to the ultimate superhero. Kid's everywhere will love this movie! I especially recomend it to tweens, because some bits and pieces of the film are not for the little ones. Swearing (words like the P word the H word) is in it, and violence between Spidey and the Green Goblin might scare small kids
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AGE
Donning a costume and name--A good 10-year old action funfest!
Spider-Man is the funniest,touching,action-packed tale about a nerdy teen named Peter Parker accidentally got bitten by a spider,Drawing concept art,Then donning the name--SPIDER-MAN,Spider-Man can be fun for 11-year olds,But too intense for 6-year olds,Fun and exciting!
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Kid, 12 years old
May 3, 2011
AGE
perfect
i love the movie its good
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Kid, 12 years old
April 19, 2011
AGE
Good movie, but very, very, very, very, very, very violent.
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Kid, 11 years old
October 9, 2010
AGE
This is one of my favorite movies. Next to star wars Episode VI and III
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AGE
Enjoyable for tweens, teens and adults, but NOT younger kids.
Very enjoyable movie. Older kids, teens and adults will love it. But, IMHO, the villain is just way too scary for kids under 10.
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AGE
Nice comic book adaption of Spider-Man
This movie was good. I didnt know if I'd like it as much as the 1995 TV series since usually film adaptions of something aren't as good as the original or they leave out some stuff from the original. But this movie was an exception. The violence is a bit tense, but it's fairly mild for a PG-13. There isn't much sex, but there is the famous upside-down kiss between Peter and Mary-Jane. Language consists of h-ll and d-mm. It might be okay for middle-graders; it really depends on their maturity.
Written on 9/12/11
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AGE
good movie teens will love it 11 and over for kissing and violence
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| Topics: | superheroes |
| Studio: | Columbia Tristar |
| Director: | Sam Raimi |
| Cast: | Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 121 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 3, 2002 |
| DVD release date: | November 1, 2002 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | violence. |
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