The lights in the theater dimmed one by one.
The film opened with the iconic Marvel comic book flipping animation.
Then, the story began.
On the massive screen, a close-up shot of a pair of lake-blue eyes appeared.
Martin's eyes had a unique charm—deep and mysterious, yet clear, like a pristine pool of unfathomable depth.
Just this one shot of his eyes made the hearts of many girls in the audience race.
The camera then pulled back, revealing Martin's bare upper body—slender and completely devoid of muscle.
On the screen, Peter Parker got out of bed and went about his morning routine.
As he donned his school uniform, put on his glasses, and slung his backpack over his shoulder, the image of a bookish nerd emerged.
"Whoa, this is so different from Martin's usual image!" Leonardo DiCaprio exclaimed in surprise to Tobey Maguire beside him. "He actually looks more like you!"
These two good friends were also attending the Spider-Man premiere, sitting in the second row.
Leonardo was mainly accompanying his friend; otherwise, given his status, he could easily sit in the front row.
Tobey Maguire stared blankly at Martin's obedient, nerdy look on screen. For some reason, he felt a strange emptiness in his heart, as if something was missing from his destiny...
What followed was a series of scenes showing Martin being bullied.
Gasps of surprise echoed through the audience.
After all, the fans attending this premiere were die-hard Martin supporters, having seen him in The Lord of the Rings and The Matrix.
They still associated Martin with Legolas and Neo—handsome, agile, and strong-willed characters.
Now, seeing him portrayed as a weakling subjected to school bullying was quite an adjustment.
Hearing the murmurs of surprise, producer Ian Bryce felt a bit worried, fearing that this sudden shift in Martin's image might not sit well with the audience.
But he had underestimated Martin's acting prowess.
Soon, the audience was fully immersed in the story.
When Peter Parker was bullied, they felt angry.
When he, despite his own weakness, stood up to help others, they cheered.
When he hesitated to confess his feelings to the girl he liked, they laughed warmly.
They waited eagerly, anticipating... the moment of transformation.
The "oppression" in the early part of the film didn't make the audience lose interest; rather, it heightened their anticipation for the eventual "uplift."
There was no doubt that Martin's performance played a major role in this.
His Peter Parker was bullied but never truly weak. The occasional flashes of defiance against the tormentors immediately struck a chord with the audience.
In his portrayal, Peter Parker was a frail-looking yet internally strong individual who never stopped resisting, even though he always ended up on the receiving end of a beating.
This kind of character easily resonated with the audience—because in real life, most people were either victims of bullying or bystanders too afraid to resist.
And once this "empathy" was established, the film needed to channel the pent-up emotions of the first half. This made Peter Parker's transformation into Spider-Man all the more significant.
During a school field trip to Norman Osborn's laboratory, Peter Parker was bitten by a genetically modified spider.
Casually, he swatted it away, thinking nothing of it.
But the next morning, everything changed.
His nearsightedness was gone, his strength had increased, his reflexes had sharpened, and he could shoot webbing from his wrists...
When Peter Parker entered the bathroom to wash up, he noticed something different about his physique. Curious, he removed his shirt...
The theater erupted in gasps and heavy breathing.
The gasps came from the men, while the heavy breathing came from the women.
On the massive screen, Martin's chiseled muscles were on full display, sculpted like a Greek statue.
He flexed in front of the mirror, his well-defined muscles casting sharp shadows.
Tobey Maguire shook his head, snapping out of his daydream where he had envisioned himself as Spider-Man.
He simply didn't have that kind of physique!
Beside him, Leonardo DiCaprio muttered under his breath that Martin should've played Tarzan instead.
Then, pinching his own stomach, he began wondering... Should he start hitting the gym too?
What followed was a thrilling sequence of Peter Parker standing up to the school bully, earning cheers from the audience, who clearly enjoyed this moment of justice.
In the cafeteria, Peter had another highlight moment.
Using his newfound reflexes, he caught Mary Jane—played by Scarlett Johansson—as she stumbled, all while managing to keep her lunch tray perfectly balanced.
This scene wasn't done with CGI; Martin had performed it in a single take, leaving everyone on set stunned.
But then, Peter Parker strayed onto the wrong path—using his powers to win underground fights for money.
When a corrupt fight promoter cheated him out of his winnings, Peter let a robber escape out of spite.
Yet, that very robber later shot and killed his beloved Uncle Ben.
This moment marked a crucial turning point in the story.
As Uncle Ben lay dying in Peter's arms, he uttered the now-legendary words:
"With great power comes great responsibility."
Only then was Spider-Man truly born.
Peter Parker began his vigilante journey, and as the audience watched him swing freely between skyscrapers, fighting crime across the city, cheers erupted once again in the theater.
Then, the film's greatest villain appeared—the Green Goblin.
This character had two key identities: he was not only Spider-Man's friend's father but also his mentor in scientific research.
These ties made the battle between them even more intense, as they danced on the edge of discovering each other's true identities, keeping the audience on edge.
Of course, in the end, justice triumphed over evil.
Peter Parker defeated the Green Goblin, saved Mary Jane, and won her heart.
As the credits rolled, thunderous applause filled the theater.
Clearly, the audience had loved it.
Before Iron Man and The Avengers, Spider-Man was the most successful Marvel adaptation.
And even after those films, Spider-Man remained one of Marvel's most successful adaptations.
Afterward, the cast and crew took the stage to thank the audience and answer questions from reporters.
One reporter asked Martin how he had so convincingly portrayed a bullied, downtrodden character.
Martin chuckled and said:
"I have a friend—his name is Mark. He was my inspiration for Peter Parker before the transformation, though I made a few adjustments."
In a luxurious villa, a man watching the live interview suddenly jumped up.
It was Mark Zuckerberg.
"Oh my god, Martin mentioned me! I was the inspiration for Spider-Man?! This is unbelievable!"
On the sofa beside him, his father, Edward Zuckerberg, turned to him with a serious expression.
"Mark, were you really bullied in school?"
Mark shrugged nonchalantly. "That was a long time ago. Ever since I became friends with Martin, no one dared to bully me anymore."
Edward Zuckerberg nodded approvingly. "Good. Keep working hard and stay close with Martin."
Mark found his father's words strange and asked in confusion, "Of course! We'll always be good friends."
[GodOfReader: This is the last Chapter today.]