Spider-Man: Homecoming: 8 Things It Must Learn From The Sam Raimi Originals
7. Don't Be Afraid To Make Peter Parker Awkward
There's a distinct difference between the Peter Parker portrayed in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man and the Parker who appears in Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man. And, even if we put aside for a moment the Peter Parkers of the comics, it's clear one is superior.
In Webb's movies, it's much more difficult to appreciate the transformative effect that being bitten has on Parker's life. He's quite a “cool” character from the get go: he's got thick, styled hair, dresses trendy, carries a skateboard and within the first ten minutes of the movie seems to have charmed Gwen Stacy. Compare this to Raimi's Parker, an introverted social reject who misses the bus, awkwardly photographs Mary Jane and whose facial expressions are consistently totally cringe-worthy. Tobey Maguire's entire demeanour is an essential part of selling the character.
Regardless as to which one holds greater accuracy to the Parker in the comic books, Raimi's depiction is much more coherent, sympathetic and likeable. With Homecoming pipped to be a “coming of age” story that focuses on a teenage Peter, there's no better opportunity to delve into the sorts of weird, bumbling experiences that come with attending high school. Bringing Peter low will only make the juxtaposition between him and his Spider-Man ego that more tangible and satisfying.