Emotional Depth and Brilliant Entertainment

Rating: 10/10 (7 July 2012)

I saw this today for the first time and I absolutely loved this film. I grew up with the comics and hand on heart, I can honestly say that this is a truly great film (for both geeks and regular cinema goers!) and one that is far more faithful to the Spidey universe than Raimi's version ever was. Sure, Raimi's was more accurate with the origin story, but when it comes to characters, this one has it spot on and is the comic come to life. Webb's new version manages to be both exciting and truly affecting. It has an emotional depth unlike a lot of similar genre films and is really quite an adult take on Spider-Man. It wisely takes the time to establish the characters and by the time the action starts, you're truly invested and care about the story and Peter. I'll be honest with you, the villain could have been better (although Rhys is great as Connors) and like Raimi's goblin design, could have done with a little bit more thought, and yes a giant lizard running around New York does jar with the new 'realism' aspect Webb has introduced, but these are minor quibbles when the overall package really is fantastic. Anyone going to see this just to see CGI fights (yes Michael Bay fans, I'm talking to you!) will likely be disappointed. But if you favour character and acting over spectacle (although it does have some fantastic effects and set pieces) this is for you. To give you and an example of the type of film this is, both the Guardian and Radio 4 gave this 4 out of 5 stars. Thats unheard of for a film like this!! I can't wait for the sequel. Bring it on!