The Amazing Spiderman: Oh what a web they weave

I have been on a superhero kick. Don’t ask me why but I’m addicted (and heavily anticipating the Batman film coming out later this summer). This was not a movie I had planned on seeing though…seeing as this series was just done a few years ago and I had been disappointed with the acting and inconsistencies in the story. But the Amazing Spiderman restored my faith in the red and blue spandex suit. 

The acting was far superior to the originals. I’m sorry but no girl in her right mind can come out of this film without a huge crush on Andrew Garfield. He straddled the line between superhero and geek so naturally and effortlessly. He stole my heart as he was attempting to woo Emma Stone. And he did a great job of providing comic relief. I liked that nothing come easy to him, we see him struggle with his new abilities, and with the whole idea of doing good for others with no return. He just made me want to believe in him. Emma Stone was a much more interesting love interest than Kristen Dunst’s Mary-Jane, who always seemed whiny, vulnerable and slightly annoying to me. I preferred Stone’s character overall, she was smart, took action in any situation and was, in my opinion, a great supplement to Spiderman. Where Dunst seemed to be constantly in trouble and unable to take care of herself, Stone was a strong female role in a male dominated hero story. Rock on girl. 

What really held the story together though was the rich back story that we finally received for Spiderman. Peter doesn’t just get bitten randomly. We learn why he was around those spiders in the first place, how they were created, and about the negatives and positives of inter-species genetics. It was interesting because, though the bad guy was a disgusting lizard hybrid that, I will admit, might haunt my dreams for a week or two, his character balanced Spiderman’s. Both characters were affected by genetically modified species, one reaction was positive and one was negative, making the lizard a much better nemesis than the green goblin. I loved learning about Peter’s parents and why their lives were in danger. It helped to build the story and support motivations for the characters, putting the audience in the loop, thus giving us a better reason to cheer our hero on. 

Noteworthy: The cameo by Stan Lee, creator of Spiderman, was hysterical and much needed comic relief in the middle of a very intense fighting scene. He is also the most adorable old man ever.