Say what you will about Spider-Man 3, the fact remains that Sam
Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy was a
tremendously successful film series and absolutely instrumental in skyrocketing
the popularity of the superhero film genre.
So you can imagine everyone’s surprise when Sony Pictures announced in
2010 that the film series would be completely rebooted, returning viewers to
Peter Parker’s origin story with a new cast and a new director. Needless to say, skepticism was rampant,
especially in the wake of the early leaked set photos of the new costume that were
met with utter internet revulsion; but as time progressed, more and more
factors seemed to guarantee future success for The Amazing Spider-Man.
Fresh off his standout performance in The Social Network and his unorthodox-yet-awesome appearance at
2011’s Comic-Con, potential audiences were thrilled that Andrew Garfield would
be portraying the web-slinger, and when you place him next to the likes of Emma
Stone, some serious on-screen chemistry was guaranteed. With promises of stunning 3D action, the
thoroughly creative and aggressive marketing campaign, and the assurances from
my contacts at Sony that I would not be disappointed, I found myself very
excited for The Amazing Spider-Man.
Overall
Recommendation: High
Though it didn’t fully live up to
my expectations, the fact remains that The
Amazing Spider-Man is a completely faithful adaptation of the beloved
character that showcases strong acting, clever humor, exciting action, and
utterly stunning visuals. As the nerdy
but sarcastic Peter Parker, Andrew Garfield represents the perfect embodiment
of the superhero, and alongside the effortless charm of Emma Stone, the two
showcase tremendous talent that is sure to keep you entertained. Respectful attention to the source material
will be sure to placate comic book fans, but the visual effects remain the
strongest element of the film, with the combination of traditional stunt-work
and CGI making Spider-Man’s movements an absolute must-see in IMAX 3D. Unfortunately this newest superhero film isn’t
perfect, as the music choice is noticeably disappointing and many of the
promised plot elements simply weren’t delivered; and, because the memory of the
original trilogy is so fresh in the minds of the public, some of the inherent
wonder and surprise of franchise is watered-down. Still, in the end, where the Amazing Spider-Man could have been a
complete disaster, the fact remains that this reboot is tremendously strong and
sets the stage for a fresh and exciting new trilogy.
