"The Amazing Spider-Man" Review

"The Amazing Spider-Man"

Directed by Marc Webb

Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen, Sally Field

 

RATING

8/10

Anybody remember Sam Raimi's cheesefest? Not to discredit him or anything, Raimi is a brilliant director, but his adaptation of Spidey took some strange turns and wasn't exactly true to the comic source material. I would dare say it was corny, despite it still being rather fun to watch. But it was about time someone came along, took this comic book hero and created a serious adaptation. "The Amazing Spider-Man" was that film, and a fine one at that.

 

For anyone familiar with Raimi's first Spidey film, you more or less know the story by now: Peter Parker, a shy nerd with a goofy grin, gets bitten by a radio-active spider and gains supernatural abilities. However, "The Amazing Spider-Man" moves away from what you know of the franchise and sticks to the original comics, which means instead of Mary-Jane Watson, we get Gwen Stacy and mechanical web shooters. When Doctor Connors, a scientist working for Oscorp (headed by the enigmatic Norman Osborn) discovers a genetic formula for limb restoration, he finally believes he can grow back his missing arm. However, something backfires which transforms him into a gigantic lizard. Hence we have our antagonist, The Lizard, which Spider-Man has to confront.

 

Quickly touching on the technical aspects of the film, Marc Webb (who directed "500 Days of Summer") brings a sharp visual style to the film that is exquisite to look at, especially scenes that take place at night. The actors do a phenomenal job too. Andrew Garfield simply embodies the intelligent, awkward Peter Parker more perfectly than Tobey MacGuire could ever, and Emma Stone delivers a fine and very likeable performance as Gwen Stacy (we can forget Bryce Dallas Howard ever existed). The supporting cast is also something to take note of, as Martin Sheen and Sally Field bring the fire as Peter's uncle Ben and aunt May, Rhys Ifans also delivering a charming but twisted portrait of Connors.

 

The films tagline reads "The Untold Story", but there really isn't much that hasn't been told before. The same basic plot points are still evident to take Peter on his journey to becoming Spider-Man, and its done particularly well. In fact, far better than the previous trilogy as it takes its time to set up the downfall and rise. Some may find this a bit tedious, but personally I found it very compelling and extremely crucial to include any origins story in a well-made superhero film. However, most people will find this polarizing as its a much darker and more mature take on the character that's a tough pill to swallow, and it's a tone that stretches itself across the entire running length. So this isn't a superhero film anybody can simply enjoy for pleasures sake; at its core it's a pivotal look at Peter Parker, the character with flaws and emotional turmoil, who hides behind a facade of awkwardness.

 

There's a lot more great things to be found when one puts the plot behind them. The action scenes are superb as they abide more to the laws of physics instead of a CGI eye-fest. There's plenty of practical work done to make Spider-Man's web-slinging and arachnid movements more realistic, which is stunning to witness. Once again, Garfield knocking the role of both Peter and Spidey out of the park... er. (lame joke). Another aspect I loved is that they included Spider-Man's witty smart-ass remarks not seen in Raimi's films. In the heat of the moment, you have Spidey cracking some cheesy one-liners just as you'd expect from the comic books, and that celebrates the authenticity of the characters' true nature (fuck you, MacGuire). The action sequences are what you'd come to expect from a Spider-Man film: a lotta web-slinging fun. Perhaps one of the strongest points of the film is the chemistry between Parker and Stacy, as it's done rather well and seems very natural (awkward dialogue and all)... No surprises there for a director like Marc Webb.

 

"The Amazing Spider-Man" is a solid start to a trilogy that is opting for audiences to invest in a more mature and darker take on the superhero. This may make or break casual filmgoers expecting the same campy fun as the previous installments, but it's still very much a thrilling ride that invests you emotionally thanks to a charismatic and convincing cast and tightrope direction. For an origins story, it's well executed and compelling, so turn on your brain and let the Webb take you for a swing (last joke, I swear).