The Amazing Spider-Man Movie Review

Since 2007, the wall-crawling Spider-Man has remained in cinematic limbo. After multiple disagreements and a mixed reaction to the last film the popular hero has swung his way back to the big screen, this time with a very different focus.

The Amazing Spider-Man marks a new beginning for the web-slinger, with the reboot following the way of the comics rather than the realistic tone covered in the Raimi films. After being bitten by a radioactive spider, high school student Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) finds his life transformed as he becomes Spider-Man. In his new life, Peter faces pressures from his aunt and uncle (Sally Field and Martin Sheen), his love interest Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone) and her father Police Captain George (Denis Leary) and not to mention Doctor Curt Connors/The Lizard (Rhys Ifans) who threatens New York with his lethal mutation gas. The plot as a whole is much faster paced than previous films, never slowing down to keep the action scenes flowing consistently; this is evident through the use of brief flashbacks that put across the backstory without wearing out their welcome. With that said some of the more emotional moments that were so strong in the original trilogy seem to be brushed over rather quickly here, with the film assuming that all audiences are well aware of the superhero’s backstory. But where some areas are neglected, other areas receive greater attention; ‘’The Amazing Spider-man’’ provides a detailed account of Peter’s parents and their greater role in the field of genetic research where the previous films did not. With this in mind, the film also delves into scientific themes with the introduction of the fictional OsCorp Company, a place where both ingenious experiments flourish and deadly super villains are inadvertently created. Interestingly, the fictional Daily Bugle newspaper that served a major source of comic relief in the Raimi, plays a very small role here and it was the right choice, ensuring that the drama is never overshadowed by the comedic elements.

The characters of The Amazing Spider-Man fall in line with the original comics and while they are subject to the often clichéd dialogue associated with teenage romance, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone both pull their weight to make the relationship between Spider-Man and Gwen Stacey a memorable and well developed one. Garfield also brings a much more light-hearted mood to the proceedings with a few wisecracks here and there as the titular hero. In ‘’The Amazing Spider-Man’’, Gwen sets herself apart from Kirsten Dunst’s Mary-Jane by being much more than just a love interest who needs to be rescued; instead she eventually takes a full part in Peter’s two lives and in doing so, makes a much bigger impression in her film debut. The villain also has a fairly substantial backstory, with Doctor Connors interacting with Peter on many occasions and often being torn between his caution for experimentation and his burning desire to regain his lost arm. Despite the mostly solid effort from the cast, there are some characters here and there who are really underused, most notably Martin Sheen as Peter’s Uncle Ben; a shame, considering the actor’s reputation and the significant role the character had in previous films.

As the first Hollywood production to be filmed with RED Epic Cameras, The Amazing Spider-Man is mostly successful in capturing the thrill of high flying web-slinging action. This, along with some point of view shots sprinkled at certain points really immerses the audience into Spidey’s adrenaline fuelled perspective. Although the action scenes are sometimes quite brief by superhero standards, there are still many intense moments to enjoy. The battle between Spiderman and the Lizard in a claustrophobic sewer is a particular highlight. The Lizard himself is a fairly good design, looking quite reptile like, although the face could have looked more rectangular than humanoid. The music (composed by James Horner) is suitably over-the-top during the action sequences, but it also finds time to calm down in the more emotional moments. The Amazing Spiderman’s presentation is to a good standard, meeting the expectations set by previous films and providing thrills that no other superhero can muster.

The Amazing Spider-Man isn’t quite as brilliant as the Sam Raimi trilogy but it nonetheless does a good job of setting itself apart from those films, delivering the hero into new territory in the process.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars