Spider-Man swings back into action

Rating: 8/10 (12 July 2012)

After years of struggling to get a Spider-Man movie made, Sam Raimi not only stepped up to the plate, he knocked the series out of the park. There were issues with all of his movies on some level, especially with his third outing, but nonetheless they worked. Usually the re-boots or remakes take quite some time to happen, but this time around it took less than ten years to make it happen. With Amazing Spider-Man, they forget the previous films happened and start from scratch. Fans were up in arms trying to figure out why this was happening all over again, but the trailers look to have stepped it up. Will this new incarnation be something more or just a failed attempt at cashing in and continue the demise of the once promising franchise that started with part 3? The Amazing Spider-Man follows Peter Parker, as he finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young and this path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner. All while trying to come to terms with his new found powers and emotional struggle with his feelings for Gwen Stacy. Not only doe Amazing Spider-Man work, it ended up being the best of the Spider-Man films so far. Was it necessary to go back to the beginning and tell this story again? No, but manages to make it work with so much more depth than the previous film. This film manages to bring the character story front and center as it should be instead of just about Spider-Man swinging around and fighting. The relationship here between Garfield and Stone comes off way more believable than anything in the previous films. Garfield is the perfect Spider-Man jumping right off the page of the comic and bringing both Spider-Man and more importantly Peter Parker to life. Rhys Ifans doctor Connors works well enough, but isn't given a whole lot to do until the second half of the film and most of that is as the Lizard. The rest of the cast do a great job bringing everything together. The story really steps it up here bringing all the emotion needed to make it work. It takes its time to build up to every moment rather than just rushing to get to the action. Anyone that has ever read the comic knows that it was always about the character arcs more than the action and here they nail it. Have no fear; there is plenty of action that is some of the best of a Spider-Man film so far. The decision to use less CG really changes the dynamic of this film and makes it seem more realistic. The lizard comes off really well and is a great villain, but comes off a bit one dimensional and underdeveloped, but still manages to work. If there is any complaint about this character it's his mouth when he's talking, it comes off a bit awkward that seems due to the CG. The 3D works OK, but really only adds depth to the film and a few moments here and there, but overall is really not necessary.
While the original Spider-Man still holds up in comparison to this new film, it comes off a bit campy. In comparison this is Nolan's Batman Begins compared to Burton's Batman; both are good, but just not in the same league. Like it or not Spider-Man has been re-booted, but it works great and creates a whole new world to build on. This Spider-Man really lives up to its name as amazing.
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