I am not a Spiderman fan. Never was and probably never will. Why? Just plainly because I am a Batman fan. I am really not into the wisecracking hot headed kid who almost mistook Daredevil as a villain. Just because they both prowl the rooftops of New York City, plus! I'm also not keen on the common factor in comic books stories wherein the lead character is in the wrong place at the right time and having him involved in a freak science accident. It's just too cliché for me.

But with this entire pretense aside, I do believe that the Spiderman series are terrific films. Not because of Spiderman being an icon of the 21 st century but I guess because of the passion of one man. No, not Stan Lee, but the director Sam Raimi. (a round of applause please!)

Though, I am not a fan of Sam Raimi either (if you have seen his earlier work, it's quite unacceptable to tell you the truth) I do believe he is the perfect choice for the role of directing the adaptation of the life of the web slinger. Why? Because, if you take away the director's mask, you have a simple man who just adores Spiderman ever since he could remember. And just because of that factor, it gave Spiderman a place in movie history.

Though a friend of mine did comment that the movie should be named Peter Parker, not Spiderman since, it focused on Peter's dilemmas and joys. She did have a point but then if you think about it, without Peter Parker, Spiderman would cease to exist, Peter Parker IS Spiderman. And that's what Sam Raimi focused on.

Special effects and love story aside, Raimi centered on the fact that there is a hero in all of us. Wanting to make a difference in someone's life and the desire to understand why they are put in this world in the first place while battling it with the inner desires of their hearts. Peter Parker's story is the prime example of the saying; the greatest enemy that you will ever face is yourself. 

That usually is the major drama that we as humans have to partake in. And along with that trial comes the choice on leaving the comforts of your routine life or go forth and explore what God has perfectly planned out for you. Peter made a sacrifice of leaving Mary Jane because he believed that there is something much bigger happening than his own needs. And that is ---helping people who are less fortunate than he.

Still, the Spiderman series didn't fully follow what was in the comic book; I guess it was timely enough to remind each one of us that we all experience the same thing in wanting to make a difference in this world. It's just up to us on taking the first step to do it.

Though Sam Raimi didn't make a Spiderman fan out of me; he did make me believe that Peter Parker lies in all of us.

Eunice Malijan is a 24 year old filmmaker who just finished work as Art Director for a telemovie for Channel 2 and now currently working on her first feature while helping out other filmmakers in their own projects.

You can reach her at oraclecaptain@yahoo.com or you can also e-mail comments and reactions to lifeandleisure@crossroad77.com

Media Source: www.spiderman.sonypictures.com