You found the film's weakness! It's people complaining about a reboot!...

Rating: 9/10 (1 July 2012)

There's just no pleasing some people. This movie is everything the Raimi films were not...and that's a *good* thing. This is a Spider-Man film for those who, like me, never got the big deal over the original films (which I thought were sub-par at best). No more cheesy/tongue in cheek/eye-roll worthy moments - hurrah! Gone are the irritating narration, the costumes that look like they could've been bought at a toy shop, and the villains foolishly killing themselves.
I'd only previously seen Andrew Garfield in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and Doctor Who, so this was the first time I got to really see what he is capable of as an actor. His last name may conjure images of an orange cartoon cat, but his acting speaks for itself. I was very impressed with his ability to capture every emotion/aspect of Peter Parker and create a fully fleshed out character. He manages to be both geeky and heroic whilst also deeply flawed but NEVER descending into groan-worthy angst. Easily likable, quippy (but not in a douchey way), brilliant, cocky, guilt-ridden just to name a few aspects, he nails it all. The over-confidence is there, but not so much so that you want to see him receive a beat down. Garfield is equally matched by Emma Stone (taking over from Bryce Dallas Howard in the role of Gwen Stacy). No, that's not a blonde Mary Jane, it's Peter's 'first love'. I never had a problem with Bryce's Gwen, she seemed perfectly nice, but this one is a fully realised character and not added just as an afterthought. Gwen is smart, endearing, more than capable, NOT simply a damsel in distress, and is the perfect match for Peter. Stone brings an instant likability to her (sadly nonexistent in Kirsten Dunst's MJ character from the three previous films). This is a love interest where one can actually understand what Peter sees in her, and you *want* her to survive. Not merely a love interest, she's intelligent, useful, resourceful, never unnecessarily bitchy but not a doormat either. With these two actors, their portrayals of their characters and their sizzling chemistry, we're already leaps and bounds ahead of the first 3 movies.
Where previous villains failed, this time we get one who's not a cartoon. Rhys Ifans is actually really good as Dr. Curt Connors. We spend a good deal of time with him before he becomes The Lizard. There's no blaming his actions on robotic arms, no laughable Halloween masks, no cringe-worthy lines/moments like the previous bad guys had. This is a villain who has real human issues going on, you can understand his actions, and the relationship he develops with Peter adds to this/is given the right amount of time to develop. Best of all? He doesn't stupidly off himself, he lives! And even speaks up for Peter, trying to protect him from the 'Man in the Shadows' (Michael Massee, making a memorable impression & promising bad things to come). Also set up is the mysterious back-story of Peter's missing parents. This adds a layer of intrigue, on top of what Peter already deals with when his uncle dies. Martin Sheen and Sally Field play an Uncle Ben and Aunt May who are far less irritating than the older versions. Ben doesn't simply exist to deliver his 'responsibility' line and die. The necessary time is given to these characters to see to it they're well-rounded and carry weight when the death occurs. Thankfully, there's no wrestler crap involved (though Peter does get the idea for his mask from a poster) and it's not just some dude who picks the name Spider-Man. There's no final words between Peter and Ben this time around, but his death has maximum impact. Their fight prior to it was not a stupid one. Everything is just so much more 'real' in this film. It might be a heightened reality, but it feels much more believable than the prior films.
Even smaller characters like Gwen's father, Capt. Stacy, or Flash Thompson are developed beyond cardboard cutouts. Denis Leary is not the stupid cop who you end up hating for his grudge against Spider-Man. He becomes a needed ally/significant part of foiling Connors. Likewise, Flash starts off a simple bully but winds up a friend to Peter. Also a relief is that when Spider-Man rescues civilians? They're the non-annoying variety. They don't lamely attack/stand up to the villain. I actually buy them helping Spider-Man out here. And the times we see him without a mask, it is purposeful (especially impressed with how he managed to take on a bunch of guys, keeping his unmasked face hidden the whole time). It's also a relief we don't have to put up with any angst crap between Peter and Gwen, on account of his secret, as he reveals it to her himself in THIS film. Given her final smile, she doesn't hold a grudge like MJ.
With all the characters given respect, it goes without saying that the film also handles the spectacle with equal measure. No more badly CGI'd swinging between buildings. Here, you'll believe a man really can do those death-defying swings. The action is brutal, as are the consequences Peter suffers. There's a true sense of danger. But it's not all gloom, he's the wise-cracking web-slinger so many people had originally wanted. The humour is not of the juvenile kind that plagued the other films. It's well-placed here, smart and actually funny. Appropriate director Marc Webb ensures there's not a dull moment in the film, even during its 'slower' parts. It keeps you transfixed. I'm happy to report there's no singing, dancing or groan-worthy moments of any kind that I could see. There'll be those who hate this movie simply because it's a new version, but for the rest of us...this is the proper beginning for Spider-Man. This is a film that manages to live up to its title. I'm definitely looking forward to a sequel.