The Amazing Spider-Man
- Director: Marc Webb
- Genre: Adventure
- Details: US/126mins 12A
- Release Date: 04/07/2012
Rebooting a franchise only a few years after the last installment seemed like a strange idea when it was first announced. Apparently, the Tobey Maguire/Sam Raimi series was becoming extremely expensive to fund, so Sony have made the decision to overhaul the web-slinging superhero with a hip new director and hot young cast. While sporadically delivering the thrills, the resulting blockbuster is gratingly familiar, with new helmer Webb (ha) not really being allowed to stretch his muscles all that much. This is firmly guided towards a younger (dare I say, more tween-friendly) audience.
This is the origin tale of Spider-Man by way of Peter Parker (Garfield) all over again. He lost his parents when he was very young and was raised by his endlessly kind aunt (Field) and uncle (Sheen), who instill in him a strong moral compass. After finding a briefcase that belonged to his father, Peter traces it to a brilliant, disabled professor at a Manhattan laboratory (Ifans). While he's there, two things happen: he gets bitten by a radioactive spider AND he flirts with Emma Stone's downright adorable Gwen Stacey. Discovering that he now has remarkable powers, a tragic crime that results in the loss of someone close to him sees Peter use his newfound skills to become a masked vigilante. This causes friction with Gwen's New York City cop aul' lad (played by the underrated Leary), who wants to arrest the newly-monikered 'Spider-Man'.
While it delivers several mandatory action sequences, the strongest points of The Amazing Spider-Man actually lie in its more intimate moments - be they between Garfield and Sheen, or Garfield and Stone. The former is a touching story that becomes the catalyst for the whole plot, and the latter a crowd-pleasing romance with obvious chemistry between both leads. That romance is a huge part of what Sony is selling the film on; the action alone won't do that anymore. Nevertheless, while Webb does a more than solid job with the action sequences, it simply doesn’t have that 'wow' factor and you can see Stone itching to give Gwen something more - something the mostly functional script doesn’t really allow for.
If I sound negative aboout The Amazing Spider-Man, it's because expectations for films of this ilk have now reached a certain point. Garfield is a very strong lead, both as Parker and Spidey, playing the character with a darkness that Maguire never really nailed. There's something refreshingly ambiguous about his Peter Parker; you're never quite sure of him, and therefore, you get why he'd be such a social outcast. During the film's quiter moments with Stone - especially towards the end - proceedings are cranked up a gear, showcasing Webb's strengths as a fine director of actors and romance (his first film (500) Days of Summer is superb). Ifans is grand but doesn't have a lot to do other than being incapable of clapping, while Leary provides some welcomed moments of humour.
Frustratingly similar to an all-too-recent series but not without its plus points, The Amazing Spider-Man is mostly a showcase for Garfield and Stone's abundant chemistry and lays the groundwork for a somewhat inevitable sequel nicely. Just don't expect to be blown away.
Review by Mike Sheridan | 09:00 | Wednesday 4th July 2012 | Movie Review
Comments
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Linda
See the preview last night ,thought the 3D was very good in it and the story line was good would recommened to see this
Posted 16:23 | Tue 19th Jun 2012 -
Diarmaid Mac Aonghusa
Hope there's a 2D version..... When is this 3D nonsense going to end?
Posted 12:23 | Fri 29th Jun 2012 -
ShakespearesBrother16
Exactly what I expected it to be like.. Think I'm going to skip this one.
Posted 20:10 | Fri 29th Jun 2012 -
FilmBuff76
Yes, there is a 2D version of The Amazing Spider-Man - inevitably on a smaller screen though. I really can't stand 3D anymore and always opt for 2D.
Posted 19:13 | Mon 2nd Jul 2012 -
FilmBuff76
Yes, there is a 2D version of The Amazing Spider-Man - inevitably on a smaller screen though. I really can't stand 3D anymore and always opt for 2D.
Posted 19:13 | Mon 2nd Jul 2012 -
mikecoughlan
I thought it was a improved and more mature version,but still the same story. I suppose the studio wanted to get their investment back and went with the tired and trusted. Having said all that I enjoyed it as it was well done and moved along at a nice pace. I laughed when the credits rolled and I saw the name of the director, Marc Webb.
Posted 12:18 | Sun 8th Jul 2012 -
Tyler Durden
I'm not usually a big fan of (non-animated) 3D movies, but it really adds to Amazing Spider-Man, especially the POV shots of him swinging thru the canyons of Manhattan. Excellent work from Webb, Stone (and Leary), with Garfield superb as Parker\Spidey. Once you can get your head around the fact he's fighting a giant mutant lizard around the streets of NYC, it's a terrific movie.
Posted 14:56 | Tue 10th Jul 2012 -
Macdog
- And what's that over there Dr. Connors? - Well Peter it's a giant plot ... I'm sorry ... dispersal device the point of which will become apparent much later on. - Phew! Glad I decided to mention it. Say what you will about the Sam Raimi films but at least the script had a bit of effort put into it.
Posted 22:35 | Wed 11th Jul 2012 -
tetsujin1979
The reboot is an improvement on the last entr in the franchise, but still not able to reach the heights of the first sequel. Garfield is a able replacement for Maguire, with the added benefit of resembling the "Ultimate" version of Peter Parker, while Stone plays the fan favourite Gwen Stacy. See it in standard 2D, the 3D adds nothing and I was able to watch it without glasses without any issues
Posted 11:13 | Thu 12th Jul 2012 -
Flicks
I really enjoyed the last Spiderman outing with Tobey Maguire in the spandex suit so, as you can imagine, I was a little cynical when I heard of a reboot. Watching the trailers did little to alleviate my sceptisicm as Andrew Garfield's Spidey came across as an obnoxious little smartarse. Against my better judgement, I decided to give this one a go and was pleasantly surprised at the outcome. This is a darker, more edgy version of Spiderman. Garfield lends Peter Parker an emotional complexity that Tobey Maguire's one dimensional character writers didn't afford him the opportunity of exploring. A shy, stuttering nerd, Peter Parker is riddled with teenage angst: a skateboarding loner who loves taking photos; an orphan who just longs to be loved. This franchise wears its heart firmly on its sleeve as it tries to muscle in on the post-Twilight teen market. If all the ooohs, ahhhs and giggles from the teenage girls in the row behind are anything to go by, they have hit the nail on the head with this one... Spiderman: all the boys want to be him, all the girls want to be with him.
Posted 14:49 | Thu 12th Jul 2012 -
Mickydrippin
Andrew Garfield owns this. He nails it; giving us a moody darker Peter Parker and mouthy super hero. Movie marches along nicely. Light years ahead of the dog’s dinner Sam Raimi served up to us in 2002, with the very painful and perpetually bewildered looking Toby Maguire. The Amazing Spider-Man not without its flaws, one suggestion for the next day out for Marc Webb is get Garfield to work on a shoulder press for a few months.
Posted 19:21 | Sun 15th Jul 2012 -
claaireandersonn
Andrew Garfield is an amazing spiderman,he completely owns the Tody McGuire films, best version of spiderman ive seen. Andrew Garfield deserves his best actor award,that movie should get awards. Emma Stone is amazing at her part aswell,and so is the screenplay,the graphics are amazing,even when the doctor is changing from lizard to human its amazing. Great movie, 5 stars definitely.
Posted 21:41 | Tue 17th Jul 2012 -
DoubleLetter
Think I'm the only one who preferred the original.
Posted 09:57 | Fri 20th Jul 2012 -
Fozz
Deffo preferred this over the last reboot. Overall just a more entertaining and enjoyable affair. Roll on the next one.
Posted 13:01 | Fri 20th Jul 2012 -
Spidey2
I enjoyed this compared with the overlong boring 'The Dark Knight Rises' for its faults at least this was fun,Andrew Garfield & Emma Stone were very likeable.I still don't agree it needed to be remade as an origin story & the Lizard isn't a strong villain,although it was fun so 3.5stars from me...
Posted 12:12 | Tue 24th Jul 2012
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