Well, It's finally here. The long announced Spidey- reboot has hit theaters here in the Philippines. This film has caused controversy among fans when it was first announced as viewers were torn between the Raimi fanboys and supporters of the new Spider-Man. Regardless of the naysayers the movie has moved forward and has given birth to a new incarnation of the Webbed-Wonder under the helm of director Marc Webb. How does this re-telling of the franchise hold up? Let's find out shall we?
POSSIBLE SPOILERS!
I have literally just come home from the theater as I'm writing this and... what can I say? As a first impression, I thought it was, for lack of a better term, Amazing! Now, don't get me wrong, there are a few things I didn't like but they are only minor things, at least, in my opinion.
The film definitely has a more mature, grown-up feel to it, as opposed to the sometimes campy and cheesy nature of the previous movies (although I enjoyed those very much, especially 2). The opening scenes focus on Peter's parents as his father, a brilliant scientist, finds that his office has been compromised leading them to erase any valuable information and to gather up important notes. Peter's parents then take him to Aunt May and Uncle Ben's house where they tell him that they're going to be leaving for a little while and that he has to stay there to be safe. We then transition to the present day where we see a 16-17 year old Peter Parker, a shy, socially awkward, nerd like he should be. I really liked these opening scenes as it gives us more insight into the some of the motivations Peter has prior to his transformation. We see certain aspects of Peter still intact like being a high school photographer and having a genius level intellect, even having a security system of sorts in his room. His interactions with Gwen Stacy (played by the lovely Emma Stone) is where his nerdy charm really shines. Andrew Garfield pulls of a great teenage Peter Parker, getting all tongue-tied while talking to the girl of his dreams. Emma Stone also pulls off her character well, playing Gwen Stacy as a nice girl next door instead of the blonde bombshell, cheerleader type from the comics. Flash Thompson is also in this movie, once again playing the bully, but after Peter royally owns him on the basketball court, he actually acts like more of a friend to Peter towards the end of the film.
I really liked the dynamic between Peter and Uncle Ben, Aunt May I didn't care too much for. It's obvious that Peter looks up to Ben as a father figure. The way he dies isn't too different from most depictions, however, it is unique. Peter and Ben have a bit of an argument, Peter runs away and Ben goes looking for him. Peter stops by a grocery and doesn't have enough money to pay for a bottle of milk, at the same time, a thief robs the store and Peter lets him get away saying that it's 'not his policy' to stop the perp. Uncle Ben runs into the thief, gets shot and dies. The story element that Uncle Ben dies because of Peter's selfishness is still there and I like that they kept it that way. It's such an essential event that motivates Peter further into his transformation as Spider-Man. The way Peter receives his powers was also slightly changed in the movie. Instead of a high school field trip to a science lab, Peter sneaks into Oscorp with a group of students who had won an internship. Peter walks into a spinning chamber full of experimental spiders. As he gets deeper, the chamber comes to a halt and several spiders fall on him. He brushes most of them off but one manages to bite him on the back of the neck, instead of on the hand like in other incarnations. I very much enjoyed the scenes when he was still struggling with his powers. His hands kept getting stuck, he accidentally smashes his alarm clock, he over-squeezes his toothpaste, destroys the faucet and completely pulls out the bathroom doorknob, his spider-sense at first also causes him to involuntarily jerk his body and spaz out. Once he does get used to his new abilities, we see a training montage where Peter swings about on chains hanging from a construction site and using his powers in conjunction with some skateboarding tricks.
The action and fight scenes were a joy to watch. Sadly, there is no wrestling match this time around. Instead, Peter falls into a wrestling gym and that's where he gets the inspiration to put on a mask and then later, a full costume. I loved the web-swinging in this film. It seemed more realistic and we're even treated to some nice first person point of view shots. The fight scenes with the Lizard were terrific. Spidey really got to show of his acrobatic prowess and his strategic mind. In one scene, Spider-Man heads down to the sewer and creates a web to help him locate the Lizard using the vibrations in the strands. In another scene, Peter gets unmasked by the police and he has to move quickly to fend them off, all while keeping his head down so they won't get a good look at his face. It truly showed just how fast Spider-Man can move and I loved it. The final battle was also fantastic, again showing off that Spider-agility and determination. It was just really epic.
The Lizard as the main villain was surprisingly good. I'll admit, I was on the fence about it at first but after seeing the film, I must say, the Lizard made a great villain. I like how they did a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type thing as the Lizard is played off as a different persona from Dr. Connors. After turning into the Lizard, Doc Connors starts hearing voices in his head and also goes a bit mad. Though not really a villain, I liked Captain Dennis Leary's performance as George Stacy in the film. He is the father of Gwen Stacy and the captain of the New York Police Department and is really devoted to his job. He views Spider-Man as a vigilante and therefore, a criminal. He takes great effort in trying to capture him, but as soon as he finds out that it's Peter under the mask, his views suddenly change. Captain Stacy would then sacrifice his own life to help Peter during the final battle with the Lizard. His dying words being along the lines of "This city needs you... protect them... You're going to make enemies but I want you to promise me.. Leave Gwen out of it."
Possibly, the only minor gripes I have with the film is that things felt a little bit slow sometimes during the first half but it really picks up once Peter gets his powers. Also, I feel that Uncle Ben wasn't given enough screen time. I think it would've been better if they had allowed us to get closer with Uncle Ben and really get to know him so when his inevitable death arrived, it would really leave an impact. The mystery surrounding Peter's parents also wasn't given much insight. There are still a lot of questions about them left unanswered but I suppose this is where the untold story begins and I imagine they'll explore that more in future installments.
Minor nitpicks aside, there were a lot of little bits I liked in the movie. When Peter first said "I'm Spider-Man" was a total geek out moment for me. The fact that Spider-Man's wise-cracking and joking nature are still intact here just really pleased me. There is definitely some influence taken from the Ultimate line of comics and there is even a reference to a suit that Richard Parker 'wore well', possibly a reference to the Venom suit also from the Ultimate universe. I also loved how they put more emphasis on Peter's nerdiness and how smart he actually is. I totally geeked out at the end when they brought back the final swing. It really took my breath away.
(for those who don't know, here is an example of a final swing)
The ending speech with Uncle Ben was also wonderful, showing you what Spider-Man is all about. In conclusion, I enjoyed this film immensely. It still managed to surprise me and ultimately, it was fun to get to swing with Spidey once again. I cannot wait for the sequels, really looking forward for more. Marc Webb did an amazing job (pun intended). Finally, I can say that I enjoyed this more than the first Spidey film. In my opinion, the tone is just right. It's not too corny, not too serious but just right. It hit it's mark and I would gladly watch it more than once.
I give 'The Amazing Spider-Man' a 4.5/5
P.S: After credits scene featuring a man shrouded in shadows talking to Dr. Connors in his cell (most likely Norman Osborn)
...Also Spider-Man cusses a little.
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