Why This Version is Better

Rating: 8/10 (17 August 2012)

*spoiler*
I was shocked too that they were making a new spidey so soon, but since I wasn't a huge fan of the cheese-fest that was Raimi's installments (and the nail in the coffin that was Spidey 3) I was interested in seeing how it'd play out. And boy was I impressed on all counts. Here are some of the major differences that I found made the movie/story/characters so much better.
1. Gwen Stacy was not a damsel in distress. Mary J was in peril in all three installments, but Gwen even when we thought she'd be in danger in the Oscorp building she wasn't, the Lizard just walked away. Of course he would! The villain's goal is to perform his experiment (change humans into lizards or run his clean powered energy source), why would he want a female audience member?
2. Peter Parker in this installment was the right amount of awkward without being a socially challenged wunderkind like Maguire's. In this movie, he was able to intervene with a bully, has frank conversations with his Aunt/Uncle, and actually expedited a swift-moving relationship with the girl. Tobey's performance showed a college student who couldn't string together two sentences with a girl, had no honest conversations with his adopted family, and seemed pretty clueless about anything social going on around him (take a shot anytime you see him with a quizzical expression in his face). This version of Parker, sure had the awkwardness of teendom (although more endearing, the awkward non-talking scene where he and Gwen make a date is adorkable) but he still had relatableness and believability with his interaction with humans. Tobey just seemed like an alien that couldn't hold his own in *any* interaction (he really thought Mary Jane, a girl he's known his whole life all of a sudden would have an appreciation for poetry!?). I am absorbed into this Peter's behavior as a teen, and the old Peter's behavior as a college student is just pitiful.
3. Gwen Stacy had some bite. The only female in Raimi's Spidey-verse that showed any fight was the very old Aunt May when she hit Dr. Ock with her umbrella. Gwen does something as similarily innocous with a trophy, but at least she's doing something - Mary Jane just sat there in shock and let Spider-Man get his ass handed to him.
4. There was no useless voice over. Sure that's taken from the comics, but that device is not that necessary for films. Especially in Raimi's movies where the narration tells you things you already know. This version isn't treating the audience like morons.
5. Gwen Stacy actually had some deductive skills (as well as generally very intelligent). Even after having her ah-ha moment with the kiss (really the kiss is what gave it away? not his constant absenteeism during Spider-Man appearances?) she seemed unbeknownst in Spider-Man 2. Whereas with only a flick of webbing that Gwen didn't even see happen she immediately found out his secret identity. But yet getting thrown aside moments before getting hit by a flying car, Mary Jane doesn't figure out he's Spider-Man (oh because her eye's were closed - of course!). Furthermore, Gwen later deduced the promise her dying dad said to Peter. She also figured out how to create the cure, sealed off the building, and was employed as a high school student at a top tiered biotech firm (which is unheard of).
6. We see signs of Peter's intelligence when he designs the web shooters and his door-locking device. Also his understanding of the equation and how he flawlessly put it into the program; also how he was able to break into the spider room. We see no signs of intelligence with Raimi's Spider-Man. He doesn't even know his class schedule or how to tell time (even my dumbest students know when they're running late). He can't remember to take the lens cap off a camera. The list goes on. We never really see moments of brilliance.
7. Spider-Man actually got hurt in this movie. His chest was tore to shreds, he got beat up by a bully, he had his leg shot, the dude was constantly beat up throughout the movie. I never saw even the hint of blood on Tobey. His hair wouldn't even be tussled. If the hero can't get hurt, why should I care about his safety?
8. The romance had a beginning, middle, and end. In the trilogy, it dragged out ad nauseum and even when they were "together" they weren't really that happy.
9. Hardly no cheesy one-liners. Every word out of Tobey's mouth was some lame pun, but that was almost non-existent in this version.
10. He never catches the killer. I love that. Leaves not so much a cliff hanger, but that in life you don't always get what you want. Also, it was more of a set piece for him to discover revenge isn't the way to go, but rather to be a protector of the city. Much more effective.