The Amazing Spider-Man (The Movies)

[Crystal Slave]

Alright, I just saw this movie in theaters, and it instantly became my favorite. Here's why:

1. The characterization is a million times better than in the first trilogy. Peter is so much more compelling and interesting a guy in The Amazing Spider-Man than he ever was in the other films. And Andrew Garfield makes the "edgy" Spider-Man 3 Peter look just simply... uninteresting. Peter is way more believable in the new film, and much more relatable as a high school student. Also, his romance with Gwen seems a lot more down-to-earth and realistic.

2. The realism in general is on a whole new level. Whether it's the mind-blowing effects, the realistic core of the plot, or just the plain superior acting, The Amazing Spider-Man really pulls it off.

3. The Lizard is the best-executed villain in any SM movie so far. He's brutal, believable, and stays true to the spirit of the comics. The first villain I've seen in any recent superhero movie that you're concerned the hero can't beat-- he's scary!

4. The combat is way more real. The first SM trilogy made the fighting way too polished and hero-esque. The fighting in this film really brings out the learning curve that Peter must face becoming Spider-Man, and his battles with the Lizard don't look scripted at all. You're actually on the edge of your seat during those scenes.

5. It's SO entertaining to watch Peter discover his powers and begin to use them. He's awkward with his strength at first, smashing alarm clocks and breaking doorknobs haha, it's great.

6. There's way more action than the original Spider-Man. Take my word for it. Each combat scene is a true gem and will leave you hungry for more.

7. The dynamics between Peter and the other characters are so gripping. Whether it's Peter and Gwen, which begins as an awkward romance and ends as an emotional, powerful bond between the two, or the simple fact that Aunt May is figuring out his identity the entire time, it's just so much more interesting to watch than in the originals.

I'm sure I have MUCH more to say on this movie, but I'll save it for later!

[turbojet]

3. The Lizard is the best-executed villain in any SM movie so far. He's brutal, believable, and stays true to the spirit of the comics. The first villain I've seen in any recent superhero movie that you're concerned the hero can't beat-- he's scary!

I agree with most of your points except for this one. The Lizard was...not the Lizard. There was no layer of humanity left in from Kurt Connors and it felt wasted in this movie. They were better off choosing a different villain with a different spin.

As for the missing 25 minutes, yeah, Sony is really starting to make me wish that Marvel owned the rights of Spider-man because there was simply no excuse.

[Eternal EX]

Saw the movie last night and I loved it. Like many have already said, it was great seeing how spidey struggled with his powers (breaking clocks doors ect..) and eventually turned into a hero. Andrew is def a better spidey/parker than tobey was. Emma was fucking amazing to me. Not only did she look absolutely stunning with blonde hair, her acting seemed spot on. And the awkwardness of the two at the beginning was something. I may actually try some of those moves just too see what happens. Another thing I liked is how Flash

by the end of the movie was a friend to Peter. Seeing how that changed after Peter stood up to him when flash bullied that kid then later when he got into a fight with him was a very nice touch.

But one of the things that kinda bothered me was the stand off between spidey and the car thief. It was soooo obvious that they edited a part out. I mean they could have at least cleaned it up so it wouldn't look so sloppy.Aside from that and the kinda corny

crane scene at the end. (the one where the father of the kid that spidey saved helps him out by telling his workers to line it up so spidey has a clean shot to oscorp)

Ironically though, the scene where spidey saves the kid....that was very emotional to me.Just seeing the level of gratitude and relief, along with love the father had was just *drops tear*. That may have been my favorite scene in the whole movie. I can't wait for the sequel to this trilogy to come out soon.

[Alice Twilight]

Good movie so many dropped plot points though.

Why did he stop chasing after that guy?

Why did he stop searching for his parents?

That osbourne guy? Yeah you can forget about him

The guy who told Dr. Connors to save Mr. Osbourne? he vanished.

8/10 would see again.

[turbojet]

Good movie so many dropped plot points though.

Why did he stop chasing after that guy?

Lizard demanded his attention more. He still has the sketch of the guy so he is still looking.

Why did he stop searching for his parents?

Yeah, this is something that I agree with

That osbourne guy? Yeah you can forget about him

The guy who told Dr. Connors to save Mr. Osbourne? he vanished.

I am getting the feeling that he died when he smashed his head into the glass in his limo.

[Alice Twilight]

I don't mind if these things will be in later titles.

But make it obvious that they will be used later.

Like in Spider man 1, Harry osbourne has a deep hatred for Spider man because he 'killed his father' and carries on in his fathers footsteps as the green goblin.

[Winston]

I am getting the feeling that he died when he smashed his head into the glass in his limo.

That's exactly what I was thinking after he wasn't seen for the rest of the movie.

[turbojet]

Which means that Spidey coincidentally killed him.

[Abominal SnowTaz]

The movie is now part of a trilogy.

I sure look forward to Gwen Stacy's inevitable death in the third one.

That's why i'm skeptical about Green Goblin being a primary villain again. Or probably Hobgoblin, he's badass.

[Winston]

Which means that Spidey coincidentally killed him.

Strange how he didn't react to that, unless he didn't know.

[turbojet]

That's why i'm skeptical about Green Goblin being a primary villain again. Or probably Hobgoblin, he's badass.

Hobgoblin is a common thief.

Well, he didn't know. How could he? Plus, the executive probably should have been wearing a seatbelt like Jack. And plus, this kind of foreshadows how Gwen Stacey may die. A lot people don't realize that it is not the fall that kills you, but the sudden drop. Superman would be a bloody mass murder if actual physics were ever applied.

[Carbo]

Ratha was supposed to die in the hands of The Lizard, which was after the bridge scene. This was in the big removed scene where Peter confronted Connors without the mask and is also where a lot of the "untold truth about parents" lines of dialogue came from, along with the implication that Peter's spider bite wasn't an accidental stroke of luck but rather intended for all along due to him already having the gene sequence since childhood.

[turbojet]

Ratha was supposed to die in the hands of The Lizard, which was after the bridge scene. This was in the big removed scene where Peter confronted Connors without the mask and is also where a lot of the "untold truth about parents" lines of dialogue came from, along with the implication that Peter's spider bite wasn't an accidental stroke of luck but rather intended for all along due to him already having the gene sequence since childhood.

I read that part in the link you posted and it is one of the things that annoyed me with this movie. This movie would have been better if they just kept parts that were edited out for some reason in. 20 minutes more may have been much for a reboot, but come on.

[Carbo]

Spider-Man 3 was the very by-product of executive meddling, amplifying what in the original two movies were only miniature issues (i.e it's relatively unfaithful depiction of source material, miscast actors, and corny screenplay) into massive blunders (Gwen Stacy is just an item, the new Venom made absolutely no sense and Peter was fantastically corny). Instead of focusing on Raimi's original vision of wanting Sandman to be the villain, they had Raimi shove Venom in on the off chance that there wouldn't be any more sequels and the film is an entire mess, focusing on too many villains, characters and internal problems only to end not with a bang, but with a whimper. The previous two movies were focused and on the point, but the third one just can't decide what plot point it should focus on.

Depending on what side of the spectrum you reside on, thanks to that movie alone it's easy to look back at it and see how the entire trilogy might have been flawed all along, or instead find them all equally passable movies based on the premise of them just being silly comic book movies, much like Doug Walker already pointed out. As for me, I do get my kicks watching Spider-Man 3 because its frankly fucking hilarious when taken out of context in a so-bad-its-funny kind of way, and I can't take it very seriously unlike the previous two movies. That said, I find it depressing that Raimi had to end his trilogy with all those hastily resolved and unresolved plot threads. Despite having faltering lack in being faithful to its material, it's easy to see how much heart he poured into the movies and he really deserved a lot better considering how Spider-Man 2 was only possible because of the creative freedom Sony gave him.

Overall it's just a really depressing production I can't really respect, and one which I definitely think ASM improves over.

[pppp]

Just got back from it and it was......FANTASTIC!!! You thought i was gonna say amazing right ?

This is the movie i've been waiting for since i was a little spidey fanbrat. This is the Batman Begins equivalent of the Spider-Man franchise. The hour or so we spend with Peter and his family before he becomes Spidey helps give a lot of dramatic weight for when stuff hits the fan. I teared up at Ben's death despite being more than familiar with this story because it was so well told And by the way: No big plotholes that i could notice. Just because of that i'm grateful.Thank you writers for actually thinking about what you wrote. The characters were all great thanks to the smart writing and the fantastic acting. Andrew Garfield truly IS Spider-Man. Tobey Maguire just looked like a dweeb, Garfield actually looks like a nerd (And a very witty one too). Emma Stone was convincing as Gwen and best of all SHE'S NOT JUST A DUMBASS IN DISTRESS. She was pivotal in stopping the Lizard and this time the couple actually HAD chemistry, BY GOD CHEMISTRY.

The visuals were awesome. Not Avengers awesome but Marc Webb did the best with what he had and the result is a brilliantly shot movie with amazing action.Loved the first person view shots by the way. The score was pretty good but i don't think it's something i'd listen on my Ipod. But who knows maybe i just have to wait for it to grow on me.

And best of all: This movie is actually FAITHFUL to the comics. Every character acted just like they should and most changes had a reason instead of being changes for the sake of changes.

It's the best Spider-Man movie ever made and one of the best comic book movies ever made. All of you saying the Raimi movies are better, i'm sorry i can't understand you. This movie completely makes Raimi's stupid trilogy obsolete.

It's a ton of fun,it's hilarious, it's smart, it's true to the source material and it has a huge heart

Edited July 6, 2012 by pppp

[Nintendoga]

But I loved how the three villains intertwined together for the finale. It was brilliantly executed.

Edited July 6, 2012 by Nintendoga

[pppp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G8LTe9m07Q

This is basically word-for-word my opinion on the movie, as spoken by James Rolfe

Yeah but you know what let me show you Confused Matthew's review of that movie as he responds to it:

http://confusedmatthew.com/Spider-Man-3.php

To me this is spot-on.

[lounge]

I actually think I prefer Spidey 3 to the new one. I recently watched 3 a few days ago, it was on tv, and it's the only one of the raimi trilogy that I can sit thru and enjoy. I love the cinematography, the clubs look great, and it just feels more upbeat and what Spidey should feel like. Watching it again I would've prefered if they just ditched Sandman and focused on Eddie Brock/Venom and Harry.

Another problem I had with ASM was that nothing in the movie kept me on the edge of my seat. I wasn't excited for anything. And there really were pacing issues towards the middle of the film. Everything went by so fast. I just can't see it as the Batman Begins of the franchise. Batman Begins blew the other films out of the water. ASM is better than Raimi's 2002 film, but there were some things I preferred from the 2002 film.

I really hope they get a new director for the sequel.

[turbojet]

And best of all: This movie is actually FAITHFUL to the comics. Every character acted just like they should and most changes had a reason instead of being changes for the sake of changes.

Yeah, not really faithful to the comics. Uncle Ben's death and Peter's re-interpretation of nerdiness are completely new because 1.) There are not that many wrestling venues as there were in the 60s and if there are some, they are obsolete or the WWE, 2.) Uncle Ben was more of a victim of Peter Parker's selfishness and was completely unaware whether Peter Parker was lying to him in both the Ultimate and 616 universe(Raimi got that part right, but then again, the effect was completely drowned out). This one has Peter striking out as a teenager would by running away and Ben chasing him, 3.) being a nerd today is completely acceptable, being an outcast who sits in the back of class is more in line of the nerdy persona, and 4.) Amazing Spider-man did not catch the murderer of Uncle Ben immediately afterwards, but instead leaves it as a lingering investigation that Peter is committed to finding as if it were a constant reminder.

The movie is pretty much a mixture of 616(Gwen Stacey being the first love interest, Uncle Ben never says "With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility" contrary to what Raimi did because the actor playing Uncle Ben could not stop smiling and be serious, webshooters, Flash having redeeming qualities, Lizard was more in line with this interpretation in terms of look), Ultimate(the last speech that Uncle Ben gave Peter about responsibility was word for word what he said to Peter Parker before he dies, Peter is still in high school, Peter did not start working for the Bugle immediately, and the overall tone matches it), and creates a little room for originality when it comes to Peter's parents(Sony cannot use Shield from the 616 nor can they use the Hulk eating his parents from the Ultimate Universe. If they decide to hold the game's universe seriously, they cannot use the symbiote either). Peter, to my knowledge, never really investigated his parent's origin in 616, but did some investigation with Eddie Brock in Ultimate.

Edited July 6, 2012 by turbojet

[turbojet]

I fucking hated Spider-man 2 and 3. Everything just got too pitiful too quickly.I could go on about the flaws of these two movies for ages, but I will just stick to one. The interpretation of Mary Jane Watson. First, let's explore the character of Mary Jane.

1.) The coolest popular girl ever(second to Pelly)

The thing that I hated about Raimi's films is that she was not "the typical beautiful girl that every guy wanted and was so reserved for football players" shit you see in romantic comedies. Weisman's Spectacular Spider-man had it correct. She was beyond the "In" crowd. She didn't just hang with the jocks and cheerleaders(she was an actor and therefore a natural thespian), she willingly inserted herself in the click of nerds like Peter and Gwen. She may have dated Flash Thompson, but she was not to be heralded as a trophy. She partied(for underlying dark reasons), and she did not let any social click define who the fuck Mary Jane was apart of. She never was part of the crowd(the lingo and slang she used was completely distinguishable from the rest of the characters) and did her best to set herself apart from people. She wasn't how Kristen Dunst portrayed. Mary Jane was not Mary Plain.

2.) She was never jealous of Peter's success as Spider-man whenever he received it.

This one pissed me the fuck off. Goddammit, I nearly left the movie theater when this scene happened in Spider-man 3. Your boyfriend is loved because he is a fucking hero and you are jealous because of the press isn't focused on you? Bitch. No. She steadfastly(One More Day never happened in my eyes) devoted to Peter's success as Spider-man. Although she wished that he would stop being Spider-man so damn much, she would have never held it against him for it.

3.) Mary Jane was fun. Not a token romance device.

What was so special about Raimi's Mary Jane personality wise? Nothing much, right. That isn't right. Raimi's Spider-man was a token damsel in distress. Mary Jane is the fiery red head who parties as well as sass her captors. Mary Jane was as her name implies. She had the charm to lift you to the clouds. Spider-man and Mary Jane have been married for over 25 years(One More Day never happened and this is just a horrible time in the comics). That would have never worked if Mary Jane was just a beautiful girl Peter Parker was boiking. The writers did something media hasn't ever done correctly. They made marriage fun. There was no need for cheating. There was no need for petty arguments. Just a couple being a couple with an extra dose of "Holy shit, it's Spider-man." In order for them to do that, MJ had to have a completely distinct personality that the audience could identify her as.

And finally....

4.) Mary Jane's love for Peter was beyond him being Spider-man

Most mainstream fans don't know this, but she always knew that Peter Parker was Spider-man. Of course, she fucking known, she literally lives next door. The moment uncle Ben was killed, she saw him on his roof crying. She watched him as he snuck in and out the house as Spider-man. This was before she formally met Peter Parker. Before she known, she admired Spider-man because he thought he was a true free spirit. He seemed to be having the time of his life and didn't have a care in the world. Something she envied. See, Mary Jane had a rough life. Her dad was a struggling writer who regularly abused her and her sister because his literary works were not up to par and thought they were holding him back. The family moved from city to city on a whim so MJ never could establish a solid base of friends or a core unit of support other than her mom, who was too busying acquiescing her Jack-ass dad. Daddy bailed and she moved in with her Aunt Anna Watson who was next door to that batty old lady May and her husband, Ben. She only wanted to party so damn much because she wanted to escape the hell that was her life. She put on this mask, just like Spider-man, of a party girl and played the role well.

Did you get any of that outside the typical bullshit in the Raimi films about her character? No subliminal bullshit was shown outside daddy being a dick. It was a shitty representation of her and the entire relationship. I honestly could not take it seriously. Look, it wasn't about whether Dunst was beautiful enough to play MJ or whether if she could fill in the bra. It was about the writing for her character that turned me off and that had something to do with Raimi.

Mary Jane was probably my number one reason why I hated the Raimi films.

[pppp]

Amazing Spider-man did not catch the murderer of Uncle Ben immediately afterwards, but instead leaves it as a lingering investigation that Peter is committed to finding as if it were a constant reminder.

I personally saw it as him letting go and stop using his powers for revenge. That's what i got from the scene where he's looking at his mask.

As for the rest you said, yeah but it feels like you're kinda nitpicking. When i say it was faithful what i mean is that it was faithful to the essence of the franchise. I don't need every plot point and every line from the Ultimate Comics in there.

Also nerds aren't bullied anymore? I graduated from high school 4 years ago so maybe things have changed but i sure was. And being a nerd outcasted me.

[Carbo]

I assume most people don't really care or don't want to care at this point but instead of doing a new movie review today Bob decided to follow up his early Tuesday ripping by doing a more level-headed follow up video detailing some of his main issues with the movie as a whole.

I don't really agree with these issues being the problem but it's interesting to see other sides of the argument being presented I guess.

I think I'm going to watch the movie again later in the afternoon. I really need to see for myself again where I stand on this.

[turbojet]

You really want to like this, don't you Carbo?

And honestly, Sony underestimated the talented cast(or Andrew Garfield's dedication to the role) and Marc Webb's ability. They should have gave him a bigger budget and more free reign.

[Mangoaxe5]

I decided to see it.

I liked it but it's too much like the first Spider-Man movie in places.

Garfield did a good job as Spider-Man but his Peter isn't as likeable as Toby's.

Emma Stone was great as Gwen. She's a much better leading actress then Kirsten Dunst.

Martin Sheen was a great Uncle Ben.

Sally Field on the other hand was the wrong actress to play Aunt May.

The Lizard wasn't really that good of a villain.

This movie's better then Spider-Man 3, but it's not as good as the first two.

Edited July 8, 2012 by Vampfox

[pppp]

-Not a fan of how Gwen dressed for the first half of the film. I know she wore those skirts to make her seem plucky and independent, but they ended up just looking tacky as hell, especially when she wore one to Oscorp.

-As has been said before, the high school scenes were incredibly cheesy and outdated. I felt like I was watching a late 90's Disney Channel Original Movie. High school life isn't like that anymore, and it hasn't been for a long-ass time.

How long exactly? because 4 years ago i was in high school and i was bullied for being a nerd.

Also you're complaining about cheesy scenes and yet you like Raimi's trilogy? Contradiction FTW.

-Why is it that in one scene Peter's breaking everything in his house by accident, and then two scenes later he's got everything more or less under control?

Because he's starting to get used to his strength and therefore learning to control it? It's typical superhero stuff.

-How come Peter Parker doesn't have the same nerd-funny attitude that he has when he wears the suit? In the Raimi trilogy, Peter Parker always seemed like the kind of nerdy guy who you want to talk smack about other people, and it seemed like, even as he wore the suit, he was saying the lines. In ASM, it seemed like Peter Parker and Spider-Man were too different people. In fact, his lines got significantly more mainstream and ho-hum when he took off the mask.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxa7Y1TLjas

-Spider-Man's suit looks fucking awful. The black webbing pattern is barely visible, giving the suit an uncanny resemblance to the 60's cartoon mixed with a basketball. The blue is too vibrant, too.

It doesn't look that bad. It actually looks like something possible for a middle class teenager to make.

-He spends too much time with the mask off, which means Peter Parker intrudes in Spider Man's scenes, which wouldn't be a problem if they were one in the same like with the Raimi trilogy.

Who are you? Douchey Mcnitpick?

-

I know that getting shot in the leg makes you crippled and basically immobile on foot, but why did it make Spider-Man so utterly inept about everything? He couldn't even aim his damn web! Instead, he misses and falls like a rock, all because of a leg injury. C'mon, Spider-Man! What does aiming in midair have to do with a broken leg, especially when you have superhuman reflexes?

Maybe because he was losing blood, which of course would cause him to get weak physically and mentally. Do you know anything about how the human body works? Next you'll be telling me the surgery scene in Prometheus was medically acurate.

Seriously? Those are the flaws? You didn't even talk about the story.

Edited July 8, 2012 by pppp