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Spiderman 2 and Priestly Vocation
By Fr. Dennis | July 2, 2004
The new film Spiderman 2 is not just a great summer film. It’s not just a sequel that’s better than the first installment. It’s also a spiritual film about vocation and priesthood.
“Aw, c’mon, Dennis, you turn everything into something symbolic or spiritual. You’re really stretching on this Spiderman thing, aren’t you?”
I don’t think so. Consider Peter Parker, bitten by a genetically mutated spider and transformed into a hero. He’s a man who has received a gift, a man who is no longer what he was. He has undergone what we might call an “ontological” change, as we say about men who become priests. The very nature of who and what he is is different from what it used to be.
Yet Peter struggles with his vocation. His Uncle Ben once told him that with great power comes great responsibility, and while he is desperately in love with the beautiful and virtuous Mary Jane, he knows he can’t fulfill his desire to embrace her without abandoning his responsibility to the people of New York who are depending on their hero.
* * * SPOILER ALERT * * *
The rest of my review may spoil parts of the movie for you if you are planning on seeing it.
* * * SPOILER ALERT * * *
Throughout Spiderman 2, Peter struggles with his identity, and even takes a “leave of absence” from his “vocation” to sort out his true desires. When the people he loves, especially Mary Jane, are suddenly in grave, mortal peril, he remembers his true self and saves them all, remarking that “Sometimes you have to give up what you really want in order to do what is really right.”
The villain manages to send an entire elevated trainload of people hurtling out of control to their death, and it’s up to our hero to save them. He doesn’t have the strength of Superman to stop out of control trians or airplanes, so he uses the gifts at his disposal. He stands on the front of the out of control train, stretches out his arms in both directions, and fires off web after web after web at passing skyscrapers. He grabs all the webs tightly in both hands. His arms are pulled back against the train, and his entire body is figuritively nailed there against the train, against the people he needs to save. His arms stretched out in a heroic, salvific act, Peter Parker becomes Christ on the cross. In a certain sense, he is “in persona Christi.”
Stopping the train takes everything he has, and when he almost collapses after the train stops, the people in the train pull him inside the train, carrying him reverently until they lay him down. And then, his mask gone in the confusion, they see him for who he really is. The scene is reminscent of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding her Son at the foot of the cross, as in Michaelangelo’s Pieta.
After rescuing Mary Jane, he reveals his identity to her as well, and explains why he cannot commit himself to her. Heartbroken, she goes to her wedding, where she plans to marry another suitor.
If you’ve seen the film, you know that she leaves the guy at the altar, and runs straight to Peter, where they embrace. You might be asking, “Ok, Dennis, I’ve followed you so far, but how is THIS part anything at all like priestly vocaiton? Priests don’t (or aren’t supposed to) have girlfriends. Catholics don’t have a married clergy, and part of the sacrifice of priesthood is to pour out your life in celibate chastity to the whole Church. This movie has nothing to do with that kind of sacrifice, now that MJ and Peter are back together!”
Not so, my friend. Yes, priesthood involves sacrificing marriage and family, but at this point in the movie, Mary Jane no longer represents herself as an individual. She’s wearing a wedding dress. She’s been transformed into the Bride of Christ. The spousal love which Christ has for his Church, the spousal love that enables a priest to remain chaste, all depends on a deeply passionate love of the Bride of Christ, the Church.
At least, that’s how I choose to read that symbol. I mean, the wedding dress just makes things pretty obvious to me.
Did you see the movie? What do you think? Am I full of crap?
Topics: Uncategorized |
July 2nd, 2004 at 4:42 pm
Well Dennis I have not seen the movie yet, but I have talked to you plenty and you are probably full of crap, but I loved your take on the movie and its symbolism. I will need to see it with that in mind, but it does raise the question. Is it possible to turn just about any movie into a religiously themed movie? Chew on that and let me know.
July 3rd, 2004 at 10:21 am
Spiderman 2
Saw Spiderman 2 last night and I really liked it - it truly lives up to all of the hype. And I do for the most part agree with some who claim they see Christ-themes in the film (Parker…
July 4th, 2004 at 2:59 pm
Please visit my Catholic Vocation Site: http://www.andrewsvocation.blogdrive.com Thank you so much and God bless!
August 11th, 2004 at 8:12 am
I saw the movie and as the aunt was telling Peter about how the young boy needed a hero and that we all need heroes I said to the person with me that our priests are our heroes. Yes they are. Do we tell them - I hope so.