Spider-Man (2002)

Willem Dafoe has one of the great faces in movies, and Spider-Man hides it under a stiff Green Goblin helmet that looks like it came free in a cereal box. Every time the mask comes off, he’s terrifying. Norman arguing with himself in a mirror is the best acting in the movie. Every time it’s on, he’s a toy. Tobey Maguire nails nerdy Peter Parker and gets a little wooden once he’s in the suit. Kirsten Dunst’s Mary Jane spends a lot of the movie waiting to be rescued, a setup that felt dated even then. But Sam Raimi gets the heart right. The wrestling match, the first clumsy wall crawl and the upside-down kiss in the rain all still work. J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson might be the best casting in any superhero movie, ever. It made $810.9 million worldwide. A 7.8 because it’s earnest, goofy and big-hearted in all the right places. $437 says you flick your wrist at the remote this week like it’s about to fly into your hand.

What works: Sam Raimi’s sincere, comic-panel energy, Dafoe’s unhinged Norman Osborn, and J.K. Simmons stealing every newsroom scene.

What doesn’t: The Goblin’s rigid mask kills Dafoe’s expressions in the action scenes, and Mary Jane is mostly stuck waiting to be saved.

Who it’s for: Anyone who wants a superhero movie that’s earnest instead of ironic, and kids meeting Peter Parker for the first time.