The Amazing Spiderman - It's pretty, well, amazing!

Rating: 8/10 (4 July 2012)

The Amazing Spiderman is something special in the universe of comic book/superhero movies. They all feature the big, flashy CGI action sequences that make us ooh and aah. Some manage to make you care about the events on the screen, but not all of them manage to make you care about the characters and their motivations. Occasionally there is a compelling villain whose evil ways are logical. Even more rare is the love story that is equal parts sweet and believable. The Amazing Spiderman manages to be all of this, and then some.
Peter Parker has had a rough time in his life. His parents inexplicably abandon him at his aunt and uncles one night when he's a child, and the mystery of their disappearance still haunts him. He's a bit of a social outcast at school, and he is picked on pretty mercilessly as a result. He's also got a crush on Gwen Stacy, but never has the guts to say anything to her about it. But a trip to the Oscorp building while searching for answers to his parent's disappearance is about to change Peter's life forever.
While this is both a remake and a reboot for the franchise, rest assured that the cast and direction breathe new life into this familiar story. Marc Webb's direction is skillful and patient, and never rushes through the quiet moments that really inform who these people are. The result is a cast of characters that are very real and act on real emotions. As much as these movies are about the spectacle, they also have to exist within the boundaries of a human story. This is what gives superhero stories resonance and meaning, and Webb makes his time count.
When Webb isn't actually telling a story within a superhero movie, he's setting up some impressive action sequences. One where Spiderman is rescuing a boy from a car that has fallen off a bridge is particularly breathtaking. The POV moments while swinging through the city are pretty cool, albeit a little unnecessary. Webb also uses the hero's abilities in some new and intriguing ways that I won't spoil.
I was excited from day one to hear that Andrew Garfield was chosen to play Peter/Spiderman, and he never once disappoints here. He's appropriately vulnerable and sarcastic without the mask, and overly confident when shrouded in his anonymity. Emma Stone also does an excellent job as his love interest, Gwen. Their chemistry is palpable, and their moments on screen are very natural. Rhys Ifans as Dr. Connors/The Lizard does a decent enough job as the villain. The character is written well, and he makes a more than adequate first test for Spiderman. It's easy to empathize with his mad scientist ways given his predicament, at least before he goes insane with power that is. Rounding out the cast are Denis Leary as Captain Stacy, who happens to be Gwen's father, and Sally Field and Martin Sheen are charming as always as Aunt May and Uncle Ben.
Given the original series is only about 10 years old, it seemed like an odd idea at first that Columbia Pictures would seek to reboot their franchise. From what I understand it had to do with the studio maintaining the character rights from being bought out, but the story changes depending on what you read. And despite the fair number of hiccups in part 3, Raimi's trilogy is still a great addition to the superhero movie lexicon. The Amazing Spiderman doesn't have as many problems as part 3, but what's there is pretty noticeable because of how good the rest of the movie is. The design of the lizard leaves something to be desired, the promises of the "untold story" of Spiderman being told in the trailers is largely a lie, and the movie itself features some pretty glaring plot holes.
But by the end of the movie I didn't really care. Garfield and Stone's performances are miles above those of Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, and I was completely invested in their romance rather than laughing at it. The action is thrilling and emotionally driven without being contrived, and the visuals are top notch. The Amazing Spiderman is above average summer fare, and sets up some fun territory to be explored in the sequels to come.
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