If Marvel were to have one poster boy for their superhero antics, there could be only one: Spider-Man. His films have grossed nearly nine billion to date, making him the highest grossing hero of them all.

It’s ironic to think then that he isn’t even a regular member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe due to the fact Sony bought the rights to him in 1999 for $7 million, but it was clearly a savvy business move as the web-slinger has made an impressive return for them.

Every superhero has an origin tale, and Peter Parker’s was first told on the big screen in 2002 with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, starring Tobey Maguire. It pre-dates the first entry in the MCU by six years, with the arrival of Iron Man in 2008.

This is an opportunity to see how it all began, as Spider-Man returns to the big screen once again.

Peter Parker (Maguire) is hard-working student but he has other things on his mind, mainly fellow student Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). But despite being her neighbour for a number of years, she’s just too popular at high school to notice him.

One day his class are on a field trip to Columbia University, checking out their genetics lab, and being a bit of a science geek, Peter is in his element. The lab is studying a number of arachnids, many of which are extremely rare that have also been modified genetically, and as the school paper’s photographer, Peter is keen to snap them.

It’s while shooting that he doesn’t notice one of the spiders bite him, which makes him feel unwell for the rest of the day. When he wakes up the next day however, he feels vastly better, and soon discovers that the bite has somehow given him super powers.

It should be a time of joy and wonder for the young man, but he soon experiences tragedy in his life, as well as the arrival of a mighty foe on the horizon. Is Peter Parker up to the task of being the superhero his city needs him to be?

There’s a distinct possibility that without Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man - and the huge success that came from it – there may well not be an MCU. With a general sense of superhero fatigue setting in, that may well have been a double-edged sword.

Still, there’s no denying the sense of spectacle and wonder from this origin tale. Raimi’s film is still an energetic ride that is more than just an origin story; it’s a film, more than anything, about young love, as Peter yearns for the attention of Mary Jane. It’s this love story that’s at the heart of the film, with Raimi successfully spinning the rest of the yarn around it.

It may well be 22 years old now, but it still holds up as an impressive superhero flick. Raimi keeps the pace flowing at almost breakneck speed throughout, with very few dips. And despite its age, the special effects hold up well, especially with Spidey taking to the city, flying between the skyscrapers, still leaving you in awe.

But just like the film focuses on Peter’s and MJ’s blossoming relationship, it’s the on-screen relationship of Maguire and Dunst that still rings true to this day, culminating in their now iconic first kiss.

It may well be a 22 year old film, but Spider-Man serves as a reminder of why we fell in love with superhero flicks in the first place, which Marvel have since seemingly lost sight of, having forgotten Spidey’s own mantra that of with great power comes great responsibility.

It’s great to see Spidey’s first foray onto the big screen again, still managing to impress on such a huge scale whilst still having a big heart, with it still proving to be truly amazing.