A Balanced Film

Rating: 8/10 (19 September 2014)

Whereas the era of Toby Maguire's Spiderman was marked by a Peter Parker wound up tighter than a coiled spring and on the verge of tears on several occasions, Garfield's Spiderman is more at ease with himself, and certainly more street-wise. He is tougher in some respects, but also more likable as a character, which shines through quite a lot for me in this film.
The almost-forced love story between Parker and Mary-Jane in the first three Spiderman films is replaced by a more natural, gentle portrayal, and the on-screen chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma is better than that between Maquire and Kirsten Dunst.
The primary villain of the piece, Electro, is well-performed by Jamie Foxx but the character is a little clichéd and to be honest, doesn't get enough screen time either. I rather liked the new spin on Harry Osborn, who, like Parker, is less of an emotional wreck and, despite some acts of petulance, is more likable than James Franco's interpretation. His transition into the Goblin is motivated more out of desperation than anything else, so he garners more sympathy than before.
The action sequences are well staged and manage to convey a strong sense of excitement and tension. All in all, I would rate this film quite highly!