KEY VOICE CAST MEMBERS: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Irrfan Khan, Denis Leary, Sally Field, Martin Sheen, Campbell Scott and Chris Zylka
WRITER(S): James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves (screenplay): James Vanderbilt (story); Stan Lee and Steve Diko (characters)
DIRECTOR: Marc Webb
WEB SITE: http://www.theamazingspiderman.com/
THE PLOT: A complete reboot of the first of the Marvel franchise films that led to the development of the iconic comic book company's own film studio, The Amazing Spider-Man finds Andrew Garfield in the role of Peter Parker. A smart but angst-filled teenager who's an outcast at high school, Peter has been searching for answers in his life ever since the day his mother (Embeth Davidtz) and father (Campbell Scott) left him with his uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and his aunt May (Sally Field). Because that's the last time he ever saw them alive ...
Now a young man with a penchant for photography, Peter is very into science ... Which is why he is so intrigued when he discovers an old briefcase that was his father's in his aunt's and uncle's basement. You see, on the day his parents took him and fled their home, there had been an apparent break-in, but this briefcase had been saved – containing inside it some top secret documents related to his father's work at Oscorp. (And as any long-standing Spider-Man fan knows, there's a LOT of secretive things going on at Oscorp.)
Destined to learn more, Peter manages to find his way to Oscorp's offices – which is where he hopes to meet Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), a brilliant scientist who is a foremost expert on reptiles. Having lost part of his right arm in an unspecified accident, Dr. Connors is very interested in the idea of re-generation ... But despite all his tries, he's never been able to get his various attempts to duplicate reptilian limb regeneration quite right dating back to the days when he was working with – wait for it – Peter's father. But given the constant pressuring by Oscorp official Rajit Ratha (Irrfan Khan), Dr. Connors keeps pursuing his work – even if it may have some serious consequences.
Something else, however, catches Peter's eye at Oscorp – or should that be someone else, perhaps? For Oscorp also just so happens to be where Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), a fellow classmate, works as an intern. And then, as fate would have it, Peter stumbles upon something he was never meant to see which leads to him being bitten by a very different kind of arachnid ... I think you know where this is going ...
So, what happens when a teenage boy who is coming of age and discovering love while at the same time filled with questions about his father gets set on a collision course with a scientist who is conducting potentially dangerous experiments that could turn him into a raging monster?
It could be nothing ... It could be something ... It could even be something amazing ...
Now a young man with a penchant for photography, Peter is very into science ... Which is why he is so intrigued when he discovers an old briefcase that was his father's in his aunt's and uncle's basement. You see, on the day his parents took him and fled their home, there had been an apparent break-in, but this briefcase had been saved – containing inside it some top secret documents related to his father's work at Oscorp. (And as any long-standing Spider-Man fan knows, there's a LOT of secretive things going on at Oscorp.)
Destined to learn more, Peter manages to find his way to Oscorp's offices – which is where he hopes to meet Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), a brilliant scientist who is a foremost expert on reptiles. Having lost part of his right arm in an unspecified accident, Dr. Connors is very interested in the idea of re-generation ... But despite all his tries, he's never been able to get his various attempts to duplicate reptilian limb regeneration quite right dating back to the days when he was working with – wait for it – Peter's father. But given the constant pressuring by Oscorp official Rajit Ratha (Irrfan Khan), Dr. Connors keeps pursuing his work – even if it may have some serious consequences.
Something else, however, catches Peter's eye at Oscorp – or should that be someone else, perhaps? For Oscorp also just so happens to be where Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), a fellow classmate, works as an intern. And then, as fate would have it, Peter stumbles upon something he was never meant to see which leads to him being bitten by a very different kind of arachnid ... I think you know where this is going ...
So, what happens when a teenage boy who is coming of age and discovering love while at the same time filled with questions about his father gets set on a collision course with a scientist who is conducting potentially dangerous experiments that could turn him into a raging monster?
It could be nothing ... It could be something ... It could even be something amazing ...
THE TAKE: While there's no doubt it's third in anticipation behind this summer's other two superhero movie releases (and if you don't know the other two films I'm talking about, you are so out of touch you likely still own a VCR), The Amazing Spider-Man is likely the one with the most to lose.
You see, while Marvel's other big summer tentpole film has been slowly building to its debut for years since the release of 2008's Iron Man, The Amazing Spider-Man is coming out just 5 years since the ill-dated Spider-Man 3. And the lack of desired success of that film is still fresh in many people's minds. Likewise, given the quality and success of the first two Spider-Man films, many moviegoers already have a very defined idea of not only what Peter Parker is, but also who he should be. Thus, The Amazing Spider-Man finds itself not only in a position where it has to attract an audience, but also get that same audience to accept a new concept of not only Peter Parker, but his origins, the people in his life and how he ultimately becomes the world's most famous web slinger.
Thus, the question remains - is The Amazing Spider-Man a strong enough film to achieve all of the above. Having seen the film, I will answer that question with a tentative "yes" ... But much like this version of Peter Parker himself, I have no idea just how many people in the world will be ready to accept that reality.
Now, let's go over a few things you'll likely need to know ahead of time before going into The Amazing Spider-Man:
[1] This is not your father's ... Actually given the age of most of the people going to this film, this is not your Peter Parker. Is he still extremely smart, but unlike the previous P-Squared (I need a nickname for him at this point - I can't keep typing 'Peter Parker' all the time - oh dangit! Moving on ...), he is cocky and a tad arrogant as his daddy issues have tended to make him a little less trusting of authority.
[2] Whereas there are things about this incarnation of Spider-Man that are far different than the previous movies, there are things that are truer to the comic book that longstanding fans may be happy to see (i.e. his Web slinging ability, the Gwen Stacy story cannon) ... Or absolutely hate (i.e. the new backstory with his father, the complete absence of J. Jonah Jameson, the Gwen Stacy story cannon and how he survives some of his encounters).
[3] Like many of Marvel's recent film endeavors, this film has a big presence in it that is actually never seen in the film. This is a BIG figure in the Spider-Man cannon and one that will likely make their debut in the next Spider-Man film (if there is one). Interestingly enough, the best thing director Marc Webb may have done is not have this persona in the film but used every opportunity possible to build up anticipation for the sequel ...
As far as the film itself goes, The Amazing Spider-Man is an entertaining film that does an effective job of taking what you may (or may not - I don't know what movies you people are watching!) seen, tweaking it and making this version its own unique incarnation. Garfield does a very good job at taking the Peter Parker character and making it his own while. This is a Spider-Man that may still be learning what all he can do, but unlike the previous incarnation, he is confident he can do it, knows me must do it and is willing to put himself at great disk to do so.
Stone, Sheen and Field (that sounds like a law firm, doesn't it?) are also adept in their roles, each adding a necessary element to Peter's growth into his Spider-Man persona. Sheen's uncle Ben is more down to earth and not as grandfatherly as Cliff Robertson's version whereas Field's Aunt May is much less the wise matriarch Rosemary Harris was than she is a worried soul concerned for Peter's well being.
A bit more violent than past Spider-Man films, Amazing could almost be subtitled "The Arachnid Begins" for its (albeit nowhere near as dark) Batman Begins-like overall tone. This film doesn't really focus a lot of humor and when Spider-Man is cracking wise, it's usually to break down/intimidate someone as opposed to doing it for your amusement. Now, as far as the battles with The Lizard go, they aren't bad, but they do almost have a bit of an anti-climatic feel to them as Ifans' character is played as more of a sympathetic figure than some of Spidey's past villains. That's not to say you won't enjoy them, but think of them as being on more of an "Iron Man vs. Whiplash" level than say what you saw in The Avengers and you'll be all right.
Is the world ready for another batch of Spider-Man movies, now with a darker tone, a moodier lead, a possibly interconnected web (no pun intended) villains and back story? That's a question I can't answer. I CAN, however, answer the question of whether or not the darker tone, moodier, possibly interconnected web of villain Spider-Man can result in an entertaining movie despite many of us already knowing the story? Yes, yes it can and does. Whether or not people are ready for it, however, remains to be seen ...
You see, while Marvel's other big summer tentpole film has been slowly building to its debut for years since the release of 2008's Iron Man, The Amazing Spider-Man is coming out just 5 years since the ill-dated Spider-Man 3. And the lack of desired success of that film is still fresh in many people's minds. Likewise, given the quality and success of the first two Spider-Man films, many moviegoers already have a very defined idea of not only what Peter Parker is, but also who he should be. Thus, The Amazing Spider-Man finds itself not only in a position where it has to attract an audience, but also get that same audience to accept a new concept of not only Peter Parker, but his origins, the people in his life and how he ultimately becomes the world's most famous web slinger.
Thus, the question remains - is The Amazing Spider-Man a strong enough film to achieve all of the above. Having seen the film, I will answer that question with a tentative "yes" ... But much like this version of Peter Parker himself, I have no idea just how many people in the world will be ready to accept that reality.
Now, let's go over a few things you'll likely need to know ahead of time before going into The Amazing Spider-Man:
[1] This is not your
[2] Whereas there are things about this incarnation of Spider-Man that are far different than the previous movies, there are things that are truer to the comic book that longstanding fans may be happy to see (i.e. his Web slinging ability, the Gwen Stacy story cannon) ... Or absolutely hate (i.e. the new backstory with his father, the complete absence of J. Jonah Jameson, the Gwen Stacy story cannon and how he survives some of his encounters).
[3] Like many of Marvel's recent film endeavors, this film has a big presence in it that is actually never seen in the film. This is a BIG figure in the Spider-Man cannon and one that will likely make their debut in the next Spider-Man film (if there is one). Interestingly enough, the best thing director Marc Webb may have done is not have this persona in the film but used every opportunity possible to build up anticipation for the sequel ...
As far as the film itself goes, The Amazing Spider-Man is an entertaining film that does an effective job of taking what you may (or may not - I don't know what movies you people are watching!) seen, tweaking it and making this version its own unique incarnation. Garfield does a very good job at taking the Peter Parker character and making it his own while. This is a Spider-Man that may still be learning what all he can do, but unlike the previous incarnation, he is confident he can do it, knows me must do it and is willing to put himself at great disk to do so.
Stone, Sheen and Field (that sounds like a law firm, doesn't it?) are also adept in their roles, each adding a necessary element to Peter's growth into his Spider-Man persona. Sheen's uncle Ben is more down to earth and not as grandfatherly as Cliff Robertson's version whereas Field's Aunt May is much less the wise matriarch Rosemary Harris was than she is a worried soul concerned for Peter's well being.
A bit more violent than past Spider-Man films, Amazing could almost be subtitled "The Arachnid Begins" for its (albeit nowhere near as dark) Batman Begins-like overall tone. This film doesn't really focus a lot of humor and when Spider-Man is cracking wise, it's usually to break down/intimidate someone as opposed to doing it for your amusement. Now, as far as the battles with The Lizard go, they aren't bad, but they do almost have a bit of an anti-climatic feel to them as Ifans' character is played as more of a sympathetic figure than some of Spidey's past villains. That's not to say you won't enjoy them, but think of them as being on more of an "Iron Man vs. Whiplash" level than say what you saw in The Avengers and you'll be all right.
Is the world ready for another batch of Spider-Man movies, now with a darker tone, a moodier lead, a possibly interconnected web (no pun intended) villains and back story? That's a question I can't answer. I CAN, however, answer the question of whether or not the darker tone, moodier, possibly interconnected web of villain Spider-Man can result in an entertaining movie despite many of us already knowing the story? Yes, yes it can and does. Whether or not people are ready for it, however, remains to be seen ...
PARTING SHOT: While it's not perfect, The Amazing Spider-Man is an entertaining reboot of the franchise that takes Stan Lee's most famous superhero into some very interesting – and potentially polarizing – directions.
RATING (OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
