Should it really be impossible to compare this new
Spider-Man “reboot” to the original trilogy that ended just five years ago? It
kind of is. This new version, from the director of inventive director of “(500)
Days of Summer” Marc Webb, tries to spin webs around its original inspiration
and it pretty much succeeds. What we have here is a much more deep and fleshed
out origin story of geeky Peter Parker’s transformation into web-slinging
superhero Spider-Man. Sam Raimi’s take in the original 2002 film was fun and
fresh and dazzling, as was his follow and the much maligned closing chapter
(which I found as entertaining as it was flawed). Even if “The Amazing
Spider-Man” has a slight whiff of “does this need to exist?” it succeeds
admirably with a stellar story, great performances, and exhilarating action
sequences.
“The Amazing Spider-Man” was born after plans for a fourth
Spider-Man film fell through. The studio decided to back to the basics and even
if this is a story we saw being told ten years ago, it’s different enough to
warrant a second go round. It follows the “Batman Begins” formula by starting
over from scratch with a new cast and director after a critically slammed previous entry. Call it “Spider-Man Starts,” if you will.
Here everything that should be old and familiar feels fresh
and invigorated. Peter Parker is now played by The Social Network’s Andrew
Garfield (can someone please cast this guy in a “Psycho” reboot already?) who
actually fits the role much better than Tobey Maguire. He feels more like an
outcast from the get go even if the actor himself is himself a rather good
looking dude. He’s lived with his Aunt May (Sally Field ) and Uncle Ben (Martin
Sheen) ever since his parents abandoned him when he was a kid. In a prologue
sequence we see that Mr. Parker is in some sort of trouble, which begins the
film’s overall mystery story arc.
Meanwhile, as the high school Peter begins digging deeper
into his parents’ past he ends up in the high rise corporate tower of the
Oscorp company where his father’s former college works Dr. Curt Conners (Rhys
Ifans). It also just so happens to be where his beautiful crush Gwen Stacy
(Emma Stone) interns. Parker is led to a
room filled with “genetically altered super spiders,” to borrow a term from the
original film, where he’s promptly bitten and begins gaining spider-like
abilities. Comic fans will rejoice knowing that once he begins to hone his new
superpowers, Peter constructs his own man-made web slingers which help him leap
from building to building. Peter’s development of power is handled way much
more in-depth here as opposed to the traditional montage format. Peter’s newly
developed powers are wonderfully balanced with his growing romance with Gwen.
Stone and Garfield have such a palpable chemistry and Webb uses his indie
rom-com cred to maximum effect. I also enjoyed much more screen time for Uncle Ben and Aunt May at Peter's home. Sheen and Field are simply excellent here.
But what do people really want in a Spider-Man flick? How
about some amazing high-flying web-slinging action? This movie certainly
delivers in that department with a few really cool uses of 3D technology.
Seeing Spider-Man soar through the sky (aided by a wonderful James Horner
score) will never get old, even if this is the fourth time. Spider-Man’s action
scenes involving Curt Connors, after he incidentally turns himself in a giant
CGI lizard after experimenting on himself, are pretty awesome. But the movie
isn’t all just cool computer graphics. Plenty of practically effects are
utilized and the characters are extremely well drawn. Screenwriter James
Vanderbilt, who brought such great character depth to David Fincher’s Zodiac,
is in top form here, as are Alvin Sargent who worked on the original films and
Steve Kloves who wrote most of the Harry Potter films.
It’s hard to imagine a better “Spider-Man” film that this.
Everything here just simply works. The fact that there have already been three
Spider-Man films in the past decade doesn’t even really matter. If you loved
the original films you’re bound to love this and if you hated the original
films you’re bound to love this anyway. “The Amazing Spider-Man,” not
surprisingly, just simply amazes. GRADE: B+
3 comments:
links of london
air yeezy
air jordan shoes
links of london sale
longchamp bags
adidas ultra boost
http://www.kobeshoes.uk
michael kors outlet
michael kors outlet
kobe shoes
20170721
kobe bryant shoes
adidas nmd
falcons jersey
kobe 9
golden goose
mlb jerseys
air jordan 11
air max
light up shoes
nike polo
bruberry sale
san antonio spurs jerseys
cheap snapbacks
ed hardy clothing
christian louboutin shoes
clippers jersey for sale
cheap ray ban sunglasses
michael kors handbags
san antonio spurs
uggs outlet
Post a Comment