Spider-Man

Spider-Man has built a real following in Australia on Foxtel Now, and in the US on Netflix and Disney Plus among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. With 20,863 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Tobey Maguire's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Available now on Foxtel Now — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Spider-Man is worth clearing space for. Spider-Man treats its concept seriously enough to follow it all the way through. After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man. Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe lead a cast that keeps the bigger ideas grounded in something human. It hit screens in 2002. Spider-Man resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Sci-fi fans who want ideas alongside the spectacle will find Spider-Man genuinely rewarding. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Tobey Maguire's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.