The Amazing Spider-Man Review

Years after a less than stellar third installment, Spider-Man swings back into action on the silver screen with a new cast, a new suit and a new look at what some are calling too familiar a tale. Spidey still does what a spider can, but is it enough to bring back the audiences that Spider-Man 3 spurned?


It's weird to think that it's been over ten years since the original Spider-Man film was released in theaters. The movie's (and it's sequel) very positive reception was a huge part of the Superhero Movie Boom we're still experiencing to this day, so it's impact on this type of movie is hard to ignore.

Still, Sony has chosen a strange time to bring back the Webbed-Wonder what with The Superhero frenzy having undoubtedly reached it's apex with release of Marvel's the Avengers earlier this year, and audiences in general seemingly growing tired of the genre itself, not to mention the potential confusion that might stem from such a quick turn-around time on the reboot for audiences that are less in the know the release of this film right now provides potential troubles on the road to success for the new Spider-Man film franchise.

The Amazing Spider-Man tells a familiar story to anyone who has seen the original film: Peter Parker, a bullied "nerd" at Mid-town high is bitten by a genetically altered spider, giving him super-strength, extra sensory awareness and a clinginess that even his status as a highschool geek fails to properly prepare a potential suitor for. Uncle dies, starts fighting crime, supervillain, you know how this one goes. There are a few satisfying additions to the general mythos, lifted from various comic book incarnations, particularly the questions involving Pete's parents and the mechanical web-shooters that the original film opted out of including for fear of alienating the less funny-book inclined members of it's audience. Uncle Ben also manages to stave off his inevitable death for a bit longer in this version, adding a bit more emotional weight to the character's tragic end than it carried before, and watching Pete figure out how his powers work is as humorous and wondrous for the viewer as it is terrifying and embarrassing for him. It was also surprising to see Spider-Man's first dozen or so forays into vigilantism are portrayed as acts of vengeance and little else. There is darkness here -- especially when compared to it's original film counter-part -- but it's under-cut by the lightheartedness necessary for the concept to succeed.

Perhaps it's unfair to compare the film so closely to it's 2002 counter-part, but the comparisons are going to be made. Andrew Garfield plays a convincing Spider-Man and post-spider-bite Peter, but doesn't convincingly portray a nerd, or at least, not to someone who has walked a mile in the pocket-protector. Less nit-picky audiences might be able to ignore the fact that the "geek" turned hero starts the film with a rebelliously dreamy fashion sense and a skateboard strapped to his back, but fans of the character are going to be left a little confused. The confusion will fade, however, once Spidey emerges, and with him the prankster-like sense of humor that he is known for. Spidey mocks and taunts his enemies as he webs them to walls, and Garfield manages to convey an appropriate sense of mirth in beating down his foes that MacGuire's frankly wooden behind-the-mask line readings didn't capture.

The movie in general benefits from it's lack of MacGuire's exceptionally punch-able face and the supporting cast manages to do a good job of supporting the new Web-Head. Uncle Ben in particular has a vague kookiness about him as he imparts his wisdom to Peter, conveying the, "With great power comes great responsibility," message that his predecessor made famous while awkwardly dancing around saying the words in that particular order so as to retain some sense of self.

As far as Spider-Man's rogues gallery goes, the Lizard is an appropriately b-list representative that makes a lot of sense for a fledgling Spider-Person to face down, and from a re-boot stand-point I can see why they chose him: Tackling Goblin again would have made the film more tiresome to potential viewers than (based on the reaction to the film's existence I've seen from the people I know) it apparently already conceptually was. That said, the Lizard is not a terribly engaging threat and though Kurt Connors' growing lunacy does something small to assuage that I find myself during his scenes wanting the action to go back to Parker so he could shoot some webs at something, or at the very least, for Connors to go find Parker so we can see the two engage in another bout of acrobatic fisticuffs.

All in all, the film is a fun ride, but as many have said it might have been too soon to do this story again. Though there's really no way to get a new franchise off the ground than to start at the beginning, it's unfortunate that the changing sensibilities of the super-hero genre of films has, in a way, necessitated this re-boot, but for being essentially the same song as the original, it manages to change the tune enough to keep things interesting.

That said, a few thoughts about a potential sequel:

1) Will they have the balls to actually kill off Gwen Stacey as the original comics did? There actual seemed to be a bit of fore-shadowing towards something to that effect, which was surprising to me.

2) Green Goblin is being set up as a villain by the looks of things, and the stinger after the credits lent a small bit of credence to that theory. Goblin (and moreover, Norman Osborn himself) is one of Spider-Man's most notable enemies, so he's going to come into play at some point, but I think it would be smarter to have Osborn himself pulling the strings on the next film's villain and then, in a potential third film have the Goblin enter. Both to use Osborn in a way that makes sense to use Osborn before blowing that metaphorical load (as the original series failed to do) and to not rush right back to the Green Goblin well and risk alienating another sect of their already jaded audience.

VAGUE NUMERICAL SCORE FOR LAZY READERS: An Optimistic 3/5