The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Rating: • • • •
Age Recommendation: 10+
Before I saw The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), I was skeptical of the actor choice in Andrew Garfield.  At first, my only objection was that his character appeared too cocky for my idea of Spider-Man.  Then, I caught a TV interview with him, and was shocked to discover that New York City's latest superhero was actually being portrayed by a seemingly English actor (further research reveals that he was born in the USA but raised in England).  Would he be able to convincingly pull off the role previously held by Tobey Maguire?  Then, there was the question of re-doing the character's origin story.  Would it be too much the same as Spider-Man (2002)?  Too different?  I was pleased to discover that my misgivings surrounding The Amazing Spider-Man were ill-founded; I found the film to be thoroughly enjoyable.

The story begins with an adorable young Peter Parker on the day his parents deposit him at his Aunt May (Sally Field) and Uncle Ben's (Martin Sheen) house and disappear.  Flash forward to teenage Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), the photographer and science geek who gets bullied for a foolhardy attempt to stop the bullying of a kid lower on the social food chain.  So right away, we gather that our hero-to-be is impulsive and not afraid to get knocked around.  This comes in handy, especially when he is repeatedly thrown through solid walls, with seemingly no harm done.  The particular sequence I am thinking of also involves a goofy cameo by Stan Lee that will have people chuckling at its absurdity whether they recognize the comic book god or not.

No offense to Tobey Maguire, but the new Peter Parker is cuter.  It makes sense, then, that he has hardly any trouble at all getting the cute and popular super-smart Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) to fall for him.  While nothing in the film is very believable, the chemistry between these two is too awkwardly adorable not to root for them.  If only Peter weren't so obstinately troublesome, and hadn't sneaked into the genetically enhanced spider lab--they secured those doors for a reason!--he could have simply dated Gwen and been happy, end of story.  Instead, he had to go become Spider-Man and take out bad-guy informers, upsetting Gwen's police chief daddy (Dennis Leary), who adds an interesting dimension as he juggles the roles of protective father and no-nonsense police chief

Then, there's Uncle Ben.  Martin Sheen is great as the knowing uncle-"dad" whose random encouraging voicemail becomes an obstacle for Peter.  You can't help loving this character as his advice helps Peter to mature.  The aid of citizens also provides a heartwarming moment.


What of the villain, you ask?  As it turns out, part of what makes Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) an interesting villain is that he is only capable of regrowing his arm and turning into a giant, aggressive, rampaging lizard because Peter is nosy and can't seem to let things be.  Like Norman Osborn in Spider-Man, Dr. Connors becomes schizophrenic as his new, evil identity takes control--only, unlike the Hobgoblin or Mr. Hyde, Dr. Connors's alter ego lacks a cool super-villain name.  He's just known as "the lizard," but he's a lizard with one heck of a bad temper and an evil plan.

Despite a handful of dark moments, the film remains pretty upbeat.  The world of Spider-Man is not made to be as corrupt as the seedy Gotham City of Batman Begins (2005).  It always maintains a corny feel, laced with irony, thus making it all the sadder when it is a petty tattooed criminal who brings tragedy to Peter's family (don't be surprised if you tear up).  Peter's search for vengeance mimics Bruce Wayne's vigilante crime-fighting at first, but he soon finds his search for vengeance--and redemption--overshadowed by the threat posed by the giant lizard, and the man with the tattoo forgotten.


One thing I do miss in this version of the Spider-Man mythology is the idea of Peter Parker the photographer for the Daily Mail, which featured prominently into the previous films.  Snarky newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons)'s comic genius will be missed, but as this is a different version of Spider-Man's beginnings, one can't expect everything to be the same this time around.  Peter does use his photography very briefly on two occasions in The Amazing Spider-Man, but it is not the main focus.  The Oscorp and Osborn names pop up, too, but this is no remake; it is a fresh take on the Spider-Man lore.

Summary: Anyone who enjoys superhero movies should enjoy this film.  It has funny moments, sad moments, a hint of romance, and plenty of action.  It easily equals, if not surpasses, the the Tobey Maguire trilogy.  I look forward to more.


The Good: corniness intact, Martin Sheen's and Dennis Leary's performances, fresh take, "Ooh" and "Aah" moments, familiarity without repetition
The Bad: no J. Jonah Jameson character
The Even Worse: none