The Amazing Spider-Man

[Gray_Area]

Just saw this in the drive-in the other day. The movie wasn't bad, but it was just totally unnecessary. There really was no major innovation in the plot, it was just a cash grab. I'll stay away from real spoilers, but if you don't want to know anything at all about the film, don't read on.

Well, it wasn't a bad film, I just had a thought going on that in my mind that possibly they wanted to fix a bunch of things that could have been cooler from the first film. The mechanical webbing being one. Stupid thing is they added it but there was no point in doing so. He never ran out of webbing, never even needed to change a web cartridge. They were more innovative with his actual fighting though. He fought more like a spider, and used his web in a couple really clever ways.

They completely failed trying to capture the tragedy behind spider-man. It kinda devolved into a "ooh, spiderman is all cut up and comes home late". I always thought of Spidey as the one superhero you wouldn't want to be, because his life gets crapped on more and more every day. I think they tried to convey that, but it just didn't work.

Oh, and Emma Stone does not pass as a high schooler. At least a high schooler who isn't on meth.

Well, neither of them looked like high schoolers. But they usually are older anyways. Mcguire just looked young as hell.

So I just saw this. I'm going to completely up-end Vigo's statement. Possibly because he didn't grow up with it, let alone in one of the golden ages (the early 80s) of Spider-Man, he didn't see how faithful to the comic book 'environment' it was. To the end. And yet it was updated to current times. There were a few 'um, yeah, they would've figured that out' s, but in all it was a total Spider-Man comic book movie, as well as a great movie. I like it better than Spidey 1 with Mcguire for those reasons. Not much, but enough.

And it was cooler than Batman. Spider-Man was one reason I read Marvel instead of DC.

Three other things:

I was skeptical when I found out about the movie, partly because of the dark look of the 'cover'. I thought maybe they were trying to compete with The Dark Knight (which they were of course, economically speaking). But I was impressed. The overall lighting schemes were way cool. Never cartoonish, yet fantastic. In fact, the city elements I think were the best done of all the comic movies I've seen.

The story was adult - again, going back to the comic books of earlier decades - but it wasn't 'too hip'.

The technical elements of the story were the most interesting of perhaps any comic book movie I've seen.


Also cool was they did the Marvel movie extra scene. That's like in the comic books, but also I think it's a cool Marvel movie feature.

My only caveat - although they addressed every part of it in the story, which was surprising, and made it a more mature kind of story - was the promise. I would've told Gwen's dad 'yeah, I'll leave her alone' - because he's dying, ---fudgesicle--- why not - and then told her everything, and let her make up her own ---smurfin--- mind.

Oh, and the soundtrack was better. Better themes, less sensational while still being very provocative. The only thing that [really] got my attention as a rip-off was when Spidey was flying at Oscorp, and I was all 'okay, the ta-da Wrath of Kahn theme....oh, well not quite....hmmm, maybe that's not a rip-off....' Well, it was. How do I know this? Because Horner did the soundtrack. Wellll, I can cut him slack on that one. There were other things that reminded me of Danny Elfman stuff, and even Samuel Barber, but otherwise it was pretty substantive and seamless.

[ark_ader]

Actually it was good movie reboot idea without that toby dude, that had potential. But ended up crap.

No spoilers....I get it. 

[Howard_Casto]

Toby MADE the first two films... if it wasn't for the superior casting  those movies would have fallen flat. 

The Amazing Spiderman is far worse than being bad, it's unremarkable.  Not a single interesting thing happened throughout the whole film.  5 years from now, it will be forgotten.

Well except for the fact that the lady that did the Goombas in the Super Mario movie decided to recycle the head design for the Lizard and thought nobody would notice.   Guess what?  EVERYBODY did.   I couldn't take any of his scenes seriously with that dumb, cartoony head slapped on. 

[SNAAKE]

5 years? you mean like 5 days

[ChadTower]

Toby MADE the first two films... if it wasn't for the superior casting  those movies would have fallen flat. 

Kirsten Dunst was a pile of steaming poo that you stepped in and failed to notice until you got it on the carpeting in your new car.  Worst female lead choice in a long time.  Not only is she not charismatic, she's also not attractive, and she can't act, which is a pretty big problem when you're playing a model/soap actress/stage performer.

[Howard_Casto]

Toby MADE the first two films... if it wasn't for the superior casting  those movies would have fallen flat. 

Kirsten Dunst was a pile of steaming poo that you stepped in and failed to notice until you got it on the carpeting in your new car.  Worst female lead choice in a long time.  Not only is she not charismatic, she's also not attractive, and she can't act, which is a pretty big problem when you're playing a model/soap actress/stage performer.

Read what you just said and understand why you just undermined your own point..... I'll wait. 

[darkSSide]

I liked Amazing better than the first run just because it stayed truer to the comics. I hope the new Wolverine stays true to his Japanese storylines.

Sent from my Atari 2600

[Howard_Casto]

I liked Amazing better than the first run just because it stayed truer to the comics.

Wait what?  It didn't stay true to the comics at all.  Last time I checked Spiderman didn't get his powers deliberately via some sort of government conspiracy involving his super spy/scientist parents.  If you are referring to the fact that he dated Gwen first yes, they got that ONE thing right but everything else went off the reservation. 

[ChadTower]

I continue to stand by my statement that Kirsten Dunst is a steaming pile of poo.  This assertion will not be swayed by anyone or anything.  The sky is up, water is wet, Kirsten Dunst is steamy poo. 

[darkSSide]

I liked Amazing better than the first run just because it stayed truer to the comics.

Wait what?  It didn't stay true to the comics at all.  Last time I checked Spiderman didn't get his powers deliberately via some sort of government conspiracy involving his super spy/scientist parents.  If you are referring to the fact that he dated Gwen first yes, they got that ONE thing right but everything else went off the reservation.

You realize in the comics his parents were super spies.

Sent from my Atari 2600

[ChadTower]

That wasn't part of the actual biography until the mid to late 80s.  For 20 years his parents were just dead and were rarely ever mentioned at all.

[darkSSide]

That wasn't part of the actual biography until the mid to late 80s.  For 20 years his parents were just dead and were rarely ever mentioned at all.

Yes but it's not like they just added this for this movie. It has been part of his story for over 20 years.

Sent from my Atari 2600

[Gray_Area]

None of those things matter. Who cares what they write into the story as long as how they write it is done well. The whole super hero idea and related universes are total nonsense. Completely. But good stories and good acting can still be done within them. I'm glad I generally hated console systems, so I'm not tainted like Howard - whose age really shows with such ideas and commentary. I was shaking my head at those kids (with their ADD) when I was in high school.

In both Toby Spidey and Amazing my heart leapt when they discovered and explored their powers. I experienced their experience. Same with the teen heartthrob/love scenes. Because they were good actors, and because I can go there. I think it makes a difference that I was super healthy and physically capable and active, as well as pretty damn good at some physical things, and I still am. And I'm a lone soul. So I identify with Peter of the comics and Amazing in his curiosity, smartness, and solitude. The young love I know and understand and feel because I'm not a grown-up.

I never identified with his sometimes syrupy heartness about 'innocents', that they sugar-maxed out in the Toby movies, and fortunately left out in Amazing. Care, yes. Bleeding heart, no. However, even as a teen, I would've stopped the crook in the store - IN the store, as I would've noticed/sensed him before I even got in line. But that's my sense of order.

Anyways, casting was great in Toby Spideys and Amazing. Doc Ock story blew chunks reached Batman and Robin level of stupidity. Spidey 3 had a good cast, and some good stuff in the light/dark bit of the story, but it got pretty cartoony, in the color scheme-ing alone.