The Amazing Spider-Man Movie Review

Is the web-heads latest offering Amazing? Or does it swing aimlessly through (the CGI) New York? Read on!



10 years ago when Tobey Maguire donned the Spider-Man suit, critics raved over how the arachnid hero and as his love interest, Mary Jane (Kristen Dunst) were brought to life.

From L-R: Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Kristen Dunst, Emma Stone

I actually watched the original film the other week, and although I loved it when it came out - it hasn't aged well. I didn't find Maguire convincing as Peter Parker, and don't even get me started on how that trilogy ended (we must never speak of the abomination that is Spider-Man 3).

So fast forward to the present, and we have a new Spider-Man/Peter Parker in the from of Andrew Garfield (The Social Network), and love interest Gwen Stacy played by Emma Stone (Easy A). After Sam Raimi's trilogy shattered box office reviews, earning a staggering $114 million in its first weekend alone, the reboot was always going to need to fill big shoes.

Directer Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) brings us The Amazing Spider-Man, a reboot that revisits Peter Parker's origin story, but this time we get to see Peter as a child, and for the first time (in a Spider-Man movie) his parents (played by Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz); who, after a break-in at their house, rush Peter over to his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May's (Sally Field) house for safekeeping.

This is where we see many will feel shortchanged. Sure, the story is there, and it's hard hitting having to see Uncle Ben shot by a thug that Peter could've easily stopped, but we've seen it all before. The only thing being new is the setting/location of how he gets shot.

I personally didn't want the reboot to totally start all over, and I know it may have seemed odd to start the new trilogy with Peter already as Spider-Man, but the whole "becoming Spider-Man" was very samey.

However.

If by some chance you'd never seen Maguires flick, then it's a solid story, with Garfield who's acting has an instinctive wisdom, bringing a great deal of emotion to the science whizz Peter Parker. I much prefer this carnation of Peter Parker/Spider-Man to that of Maguires - he's a lot more loveable when he's being anaganised at school, he's nervous and twitchy in a way a social outcast would be believed to behave, but most importantly, he's both playful and bad ass as Spider-Man, something Maguire never brought to the table. One scene in particular shows this, where Spider-Man makes a web all through the sewers to act as a noise/movement alarm for the Lizard. This scene not only shows us that Parker is indeed very clever, but also that Spider-Man is a fun character (something that was never shown by Maguire), as he sits and plays a game on his phone whilst he waits.

Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill) does a great job as Dr Curt Connors/The Lizard, although, again, the semi-schizophrenia moments feel terribly familiar to Willem Dafoe's Norman Osborn/Green Goblin. But on a whole, The Lizard was a very good choice of villain, and Connors involvement with Peters father brings certain puzzle elements to whether or not the good/bad Dr. was involved in their death.

Where some of the film falls flat, the action sequences are very well done, with Spider-Man performing all of the acrobatic skills you'd expect, and the POV segments, although lacking, are a great addition to the film, allowing you to see first hand what Spider-Man is doing, its just a shame there wasn't more of these moments.












Whilst it's by no mean a contender to The Avengers crown, The Amazing Spider-Man is an enjoyable film, that, although lacking in parts, it did still deliver a much more believable Peter Parker with Andrew Garfield. I just hope the next instalment is more resourceful in where it heads.

Release Date:

US (wide): July 3, 2012

Genre: Super-Hero

Studio: Columbia Pictures

Language: English

The Amazing Spider-Man Gameplay

We actually missed this video from IGN, but it's still worth watching!



Dean Brown talks IGN's Greg Miller through the new Amazing Spider-Man game, and it brings us grerat joy to say; it looks awesome. We were impressed with what we saw already, but there's a few new bits in the video. The Amazing Spider-Man is due to be released on June 29, 2012 and it can't come quicker. Check out the video below, true belivers!

New Australian Amazing Spiderman Trailer

The new Australian trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man; complete with new footage! You know what to do, check out the video after the jump!

Release Date:

US (wide): July 3, 2012

Genre: Super-Hero

Studio: Columbia Pictures

Language: English

Top Upcoming Movie Picks

Seen The Avengers? Been twice? Three times? Well, after the amazing and brilliant Marvel team flick, just what else is there to look forward to? Well, here is our top upcoming movies (in no particular order).



Snow White and the Huntsman
In the epic action-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart (Twilight) plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Oscar® winner Charlize Theron) who is out to destroy her.


In Cinemas May 30, 2012. Starring Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth



Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter
President Lincoln's mother is killed by a supernatural creature, which fuels his passion to crush vampires and their slave-owning helpers.

Abraham Lincoln is reinvented as a vampire-killing president in this Timur Bekmambetov-directed action picture starring Benjamin Walker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rufus Sewell, and Dominic Cooper. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies author Seth Grahame-Smith adapts his own book for 20th Century Fox. Tim Burton produces alongside Bekmambetov and Jim Lemley.


Exit Humanity
Told through the written and illustrated journal of Edward Young as he battles his way through an unexplainable outbreak of the walking dead a decade after the American Civil War. After returning home from a hunting trip to find a horrific re-animation of his wife Julia, and that their son Adam has disappeared, Edward starts to record his experiences with the walking dead as well as the unexplainable outbreak that has torn his family apart, and threatens all of mankind.


Prometheus
Ridley Scott, director of "Alien" and "Blade Runner," returns to the genre he helped define. With PROMETHEUS, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.


Breaking Dawn Part 2
The final chapter of the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn Part 2 hits theaters on November 16th, 2012. Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner.


The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance -- leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.





The Dark Knight Rises
The epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar(R) winner Christian Bale ("The Fighter") again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar(R) winner Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en Rose"), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Returning to the main cast, Oscar(R) winner Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules") plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar(R) winner Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

The Amazing Spider-Man Super Preview

4-minutes of the Amazing Web-Head and The Lizard in action!



Check out Sony's new four-minute "Super Preview" from The Amazing Spider-Man that first aired during the season premiere of America's Got Talent:



The Amazing Spider-Man hits theaters this July.

The Amazing Spider-Man Official Trailer #3

The brand new trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man debuted online today at Apple. (You can check it out below after the jump.)

Comic Book Review: The Amazing Spider-Man #666

With issue #666, the arrival on Spider-Island is finally here (well, sort of). The citizens of New York – including Peter's girlfriend Carlie – suddenly begin to spawn superhuman powers.


While writer Dan Slott brings a fair amount of intrigue regarding Jackal's plan and how Peter Parker himself plays into it all, ultimately, although the 'how and why' is still up in the air.
And even still, these parts don't actually come to light till towards the end of the issue, with Slott allowing Parker to be, well, Parker.

Company: Marvel

Genre: Superhero Comic

Release: July 2011

It's all very classic Spider-Man, with all the quirks and banter you've known over the years, and Slott even goes as far as making Peter late for a date due to his Spidey duties.
It's a story very wrapped up in classic Spider-Man, whilst putting a marker on Peter trying to be the best he can be.


He's everywhere, making sure he doesn't miss a single crime, he's been spreading himself out over the city that needs him. And it almost appears as though he doesn't realise what's unraveling before his eyes.


One of my favourite moments of the issue though, is when Spidey joins the Avengers for a game of poker. Red Hulk, Thing, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Wolverine, Ms. Marvel and Spider-Woman sit around in a fantastical surreal, yet at the same time, strangely human moment, before  explaining to Spider-Man why he's never been invited to a game before.
Slott does a great job with Spideys' interaction with other characters, especially the scenes he shares with the Thing.


Stefano Caselli has surpassed himself with brilliant art skills, yet some panels fall short of the high details Caselli is able to do, but still, even with text heavy pages, or action sequences, it's hard to knock his work.
It may only (FINALLY) be starting, but Spider Island is shaping up to be something truly special, and I for one am ready.

3.5
How Do We Score?

Amazing Spider-Man Official Teaser Trailer

After what seems forever ago since it was first announced, here is the official teaser trailer for Amazing Spider-Man.

Starring Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and Rhys Ifans as Curt Connors, Amazing Spider-Man takes a more mature approach to everyone's favourite web-head, than that of Sam Rami's previous efforts.

We're very much hoping that Amazing Spider-Man follows the same path as previous comic reboots, Batman: Begins/Dark Knight and X-Men: First Class.



Source: Sony Pictures/YouTube