"Spider-Man" sounds like the old "loser finds his place in the world scenario", played out in Jim Carey comedies and in nerd flicks.

Peter Parker (aka Spiderman) is picked on and can’t sweep the girl of his dreams off her feet (Kirsten Dunst). While at school a laboratory spider, genetically enhanced, accidentally bites Peter and he metamorphosis's into the legendary super hero and fights off the evil of the city and gets the girl.

It sounds clichéd and contrived but I was, however, pleasantly struck by an awesome and slick portrayal of Adrian Mole goes barmy, i.e. growing pains of the adolescent. Striking also is the simplicity with which these themes are conveyed, culminating in one straightforward maxim that will haunt Spiderman all of his life, particularly effectively staged in the surprise, cliffhanger ending. If Anakin Skywalker was anticipated as the protagonist of depth this year, I’m afraid he better bow to Tobey Maguire.

The scene is set for the new millennium hero, not despised because he wears black tights and lives in a mansion or spouts off American patriotic verve while capturing a criminal, which was okay in the 1970’s. This hero is likeable and earthly, not otherworldly and esoteric, yet still the mystery of Spiderman is profound.

It is like the makers are understating past comic book legends and film icons by grafting in throwbacks to similar films. In tone, "Spiderman" is like "Superman The Movie", yet darker, including a shot almost a replica of that film. The father-son relationship of "The Empire Strikes Back" is amusingly parodied in one scene. The villain, played by Willem Dafoe, is a composite of Darth Vader, the Joker (Batman) and is uncannily haunted by voices prompting him to evil (like Dafoe’s Christ in "The Last Temptation of Christ"). It could have fell flat in its attempt to resurrect classic motifs and parody them, but is convincing and disarming.

Put this together with a comic book style, strong visual presentation and score, and action gusto and one can see why it has made over $350 million at the U.S. box office alone.