The Amazing Spiderman
Directed by: Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Martin Sheen, Sally Field, & Chris Zylka
Release date: July 3rd, 2012
Let me start this off by saying that yes, I AM A SPIDER-MAN FAN, and I really enjoyed the previous takes on the Spider-Man universe. Well, okay maybe not Spider-Man 3, because that was just ridiculous. I mean really, the symbiotic black suit makes you an emo brat and not a super no-holds-barred wrecking machine of webbing? I guarantee the bitter taste of the third film is one of the many reasons why they decided to do a reboot so early. For those who don’t remember, the 3rd film was made in 2007.
Well, with a reboot so close, where were they going to go with it? What can they do to really stand out? Well they seemed to realize that perhaps sticking as close to the source material COULD work. What do I mean by that? What made the recent Avengers-based films work was that they never forget that they are comic movies, and The Amazing Spider-Man did exactly that. It had fun!
Look ma, no snout!
The things that weren’t done in the previous “Web Head” flicks that added to the story was Peter’s web shooters. I was beyond happy to see that he actually had to take time and make his wristbands that provide the chemicals that become his webbed mode of transportation. In doing so, that also brought up an aspect of Peter that they lightly touched on in the other films but it should’ve played a bigger role- HE’S REALLY SMART!! No, not just he’s good at math, or geography, but that he’s a teenage engineer! He had to MAKE the solution AND the mechanism that can shoot a web strong and fast enough for him to swing through the city and catch thieves just like flies. Fan boys bothered me with their anger towards the Lizard and his lack of a gator-like snout. Mind you, this was coming for Spidey “fans”. If they are such “fans” they would’ve know that the first design of the Lizard had no snout! Check out The Amazing Spider-Man #6 when you get the chance. And yes he does have the lab coat on a few times, so calm down fan boys.
What grabbed me by the webbing was the action. How do you REALLY show off Spider-Man? Make him so agile it hurts! Watching him wall crawl, crack jokes and shoot webs all at the same time, while fighting the Lizard who is also scaling walls trying to kill him! They were nice enough to give us a good amount of fights whether it was between cops who consider Peter a vigilante, crooks, or the Lizard himself.
Even though you have to sit through the first half an hour of build up to get to it. All of that is expected, especially in a Spider-Man origin story. They did add the mystery of Peter’s mother and father as a cute little bonus.
Funny thing about this movie that may confuse the viewer: they go on and on about Norman Osborn, but you never see him. I believe that’s because they don’t have an actor to play that role yet, and he is going to be the big villain in the third film. Oh yes folks, it’s going to a trilogy! I bet you that’s going to lead to a big death scene at the end of the three films. Here’s to Mysterio being the villain in the second installment. Somehow I would make his technology help Osborn create the gliders and pumpkin bombs, just like Dr. Connor’s experiments “help” Osborn. You’ll see what I mean.
Does this lab coat make me look fat?
Acting wise, Andrew Garfield did his thing as Peter/Spider-Man, going through teen angst whenever he got in trouble with Uncle Ben without being annoying. I’m talking to you Tobey. Emma Stone was not only nice to look at, but also can make you believe that she is Gwen Stacy. Rhys Ifan played the desperate and shamed Dr. Curt Connors. I giggled a little seeing Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben (thank Charlie for that), and I wasn’t completely sold on Sally Field being little old Aunt May, but that clearly changed once they were on screen for over ten minutes. Denis Leary did alright as Gwen’s dad, Captain George Stacy. Actually he was just being Denis Leary as a cop and an overprotective father. Works for me.
I have to give Andrew and Emma for having excellent on screen chemistry without saying lines that you would normally expect to hear in a 50’s noir film. Unsettling at times. You watch them have their awkward moments when adults are present. They were doing what teens do when they first start dating, spend every waking moment they can together. Awww, puppy love!
My only real gripes with The Amazing Spider-Man is that they seemed to want expose Peter Parker as Spider-Man by making him do a sideways super dunk, then throwing a football so hard that it bends the goalpost while still sitting in bleachers. Oops, you can’t forget Peter sticking to the ceiling of a subway train with a crowd around the train. All of these scenarios take place in front of crowds. Then the after credits ending happened. I know they were trying to be mysterious but it left people saying “What was that about?” Since you’re there you might as well sit and wait for it, but it does NOTHING for the story.
Overall a good film, exciting action, and funny. Thank you for the new look. I really love the new take on the red and blue suit! For what it is what it could be, I give it four out of five stars.
