'The Amazing Spider-Man' (2012) vs. 'Spider-Man' (2002)

Rating: 7/10 (5 July 2012)

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the best superhero story is an origin story. Comic books can get complicated, with too many villains and alternate universes to keep track of. The stories everyone remembers are the simple ones. Superman was sent to earth just before his home planet of Krypton was destroyed. Bruce Wayne's parents were killed by a mugger, and he used his wealth to transform himself into Batman. Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and became Spider-Man after his uncle was murdered.
'The Amazing Spider-Man' is a fine origin story. Marc Webb does a good job of telling the tale. Andrew Garfield makes a convincing Peter Parker. The problem, though, is that we were told this story just a decade ago. Not enough time has passed for it to be retold.
I went into the movie trying not to compare Sam Raimi's 2002 'Spider- Man' with Webb's reboot. I soon realized the task would be impossible.
Tobey Maguire (2002) as Peter Parker had a more natural and believable progression into the role of Spider-Man than Garfield (2012) had. This wasn't a fault of Garfield or a credit to Maguire, but a failing of the new script.
The succinct words of Cliff Robertson (2002) as Uncle Ben -- 'With great power comes great responsibility' -- had much more of an impact than those of Martin Sheen (2012) -- "If you have the ability to do some good in this world, you have a moral obligation to do so."
J.K. Simmons (2002) as J. Jonah Jameson was a much more memorable supporting character than Denis Leary (2012) as Captain Stacy.
Even the typical scene of New York solidarity was done better in the older film. Someone in a crowd of New Yorkers shouting, "You mess with Spidey, you mess with New York! You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!" (2002) was more touching than a group of crane operators who aligned their machines to provide Spider-Man with a path to swing through the city in the climax (2012).
The only thing that was undeniably better in the new film was the addition of Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy. Stone is an amazing actress who simply lit up every scene she was in.
Garfield did his best; indeed, he makes a great Peter Parker. And Webb did his best; 'The Amazing Spider-Man' is a great origin story.
But we had a slightly better one just ten years ago.