Kicked off our July 4th with a late night showing of THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN, which in a word, IS amazing! I went into this one wondering if it would wow me like my all time favorite comic book flick SPIDERMAN 2, or leave me shaking my head like the horrible SPIDERMAN 3. This Spidey reboot Rocks!
Andrew Garfield is excellent as Peter Parker, with a likability that Tobey never had in the role. He is funny, emotional and a damn good actor. He's matched by Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy in an excellent performance. Their chemistry is palpable (no wonder they became an off screen couple).
This is a terrific cast firing on every moment, with Denis Leary providing hilarious lines and great action as Gwen's dad and the police chief of NYC, Sally Field and Martin Sheen as flawless Uncle Ben and Aunt Mae & Rhys Ifans as Dr Conners/The Lizard in a Spidey villain performance right up there with Alfred Molina as Doc Ock in Spiderman 2. My biggest doubt going into the movie was the choice of Marc Webb (aptly named, no doubt) as director. After "500 Days of Summer", they chose him to direct this $215 million tentpole? Well I was wrong. Webb brings so much realism and emotion to the first hour's set up that you really connect with the characters and you become much more invested in them as the action ramps up. And it really is all about the action right? The action scenes are first rate, with the Lizard/Spidey's encounter on the bridge and the conclusion atop the Oscorp tower hitting all the right exhilerating notes. The web slinging "Spiderman soaring through Manhattan" scenes are SO superior to those even 5 years ago that it makes you realize how far digital effects have come even in that amount of time. I could make some minor complaints about a running time that goes maybe 15 minutes too long, or a forced Stan Lee cameo that takes you out of a great action sequence, but it would be silly to complain about minor points in what is for me, a great summer comic book movie. A really pleasant surprise, The Amazing Spiderman spins a solid A.
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