We finally have a proper portrayal of what the Spider-Man character is supposed to be. And anyone who didn't enjoy this movie is either just not a fan of the source material, or is unjustly comparing it to the previous movies.
From the moment the film starts it feels like a fresh take on a story that felt brutally dated. Andrew Garfield feels and looks like a believable high school student, which is surprising considering he's almost thirty. As soon as he cracks that grin for the first time on screen a fan can instantly tell he's the smart ass that that Peter Parker needs to be.
One of the gripes people have with these movies is the constant need to have origin stories. We all know how Spider-Man got his powers, and if by some miracle you don't, you can ask the person next to you. It's probably the mix of a great cast and good storytelling, tied in with some whit and humor, but this origin story was more than bearable. Martin Sheen takes full advantage of his time on screen, becoming a lovable character in his role of Uncle Ben. It's been difficult in different versions Spider-Man's origin for the viewer to feel remorse for this character's death due to how little time he's around. For a death that is supposed to cause such an impact I don't think I've ever seen it handled better, and I really do attribute it to Martin's ability to connect with an audience.
Then you've got Sally Field as Aunt May in another memorable performance. She's probably the best example of something I praise in this movie, we get just enough of each character. There's no "oh, this bitch again" moment. Also, I'm glad to see a portrayal of Aunt May where she's not 200 years old, she's his aunt, not his damn great grandmother.
With every comic book movie the big question is what villain they'll go with, and in this case I think they made the right choice by using The Lizard to reintroduce Spidey. In the last trilogy we were constantly teased by the presence of Dr. Curt Connors, one of Peter Parker's college professors. But here, he's an Oscorp scientist looking to cure a number of diseases, and most of all, find a way to regrow his lost left arm. While it's true that it's one of the franchises safest villains, he is written in a way that gives him a certain edge. Rhys Ifans does the best with what he's given, and delivers adequately.
Finally, Gwen. Yes, Emma Stone plays Gwen Stacy. This is the way this story is told. This is what on screen chemistry looks like. Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield are spot on in every scene. If I didn't know any better I'd say they were filming these two flirt in real life.
Yes, I much prefer Gwen to Mary Jane.
Yes, I left an important character out. My favorite asshole (leo-leo leo-leo leo-leo) Dennis Leary pops up as Captain Stacy, Gwen's father and he's nothing short of hilarious. One liners galore. His banter with Peter Parker can be as uncomfortable as it can be utterly hysterical. A great addition to an already great cast.
The story itself is pretty straightforward, but it's the little things that make it special. The little mentions and nods that comic book fans can smile at, because we know. But it's the way that director Marc Webb handled the characters that made me love this movie.
A fine example would be how the character of Flash Thompson is used. Flash is a staple of this origin story. He's the bully. The tormentor. But where other versions have made him cruel and unlikable, here he's actually human, and while he's still a bully and a dick to most, he shows his human side when Peter is dealing with the loss of Uncle Ben. He is a teenager, and teenagers are cruel, but they're not evil. A fact that seems ignored by most teen stories these days, that fact really stuck out to me.
People are griping about how we're back to having web shooters instead of it being part of Peter's powers. I couldn't disagree more, Peter needs to have some invention implemented into his abilities. He's a scientist, it's important to have that character trait implemented into his alter ego, and web shooters are the way to go; that is, as long as they don't overplay the whole "I'm out of webbing" angle like the cartoons did in just about every episode.
I was originally skeptical about this movie, but over the last couple of months my anticipation rose, mostly because of the cast. Being a fan of Andrew Garfield since his appearance on Doctor Who, loving Dennis Leary since No Cure For Cancer, and simply just being in love with Emma Stone; I can say we finally have the Spidey movie we've always wanted. I look forward to the sequel(s), the spin-off(s), and the eventual joining of it all. If Marvel knows what they're doing, they'll find a way to bring it all together, if you know what I mean.
8/10
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