It’s been a mere five years since Tobey Maguire last donned the red and blue spandex to do some big screen web-slinging as Spider-man which begs the question – why bother with a reboot? If you’ve caught the film since it’s release last Tuesday then you already know the answer. If not, here are a few key points to take into consideration when debating whether or not to drop the dough to see it.
1. Better writing. While superhero movies are a staple of summertime, the problem with most of them is that they rely too heavily on their novelty. No matter how sloppy a film is, if you stick an attractive man in tights it’s almost guaranteed that two groups will come out to see them in action: comic book nerds and female fans of aforementioned attractive man. What’s great about The Amazing Spider-Man is that it’s not just a great superhero movie – it’s a great movie. The new take on Peter Parker’s back-story is more compelling than its original counterpart (and word on the street is that more closely mirrors the comics it was spawned from) and even those parts that repeat feel fresh and new.
2. Better graphics. While the film’s 3-D component is getting most of the attention, it’s not the only technological triumph. Considering how difficult and dangerous it would be to coordinate any real-time web swinging, there is a heavy reliance on CGI to bring Spidey to life but it’s pretty seamless this time around. Most of the time it’s difficult to tell that it’s animated at all. And, to third-dimension skeptics: this is not your average 3-D. The tacky, headache-inducing red and blue specs and jarring, blurred pop-outs are gone – the new RealD technology is all about creating depth and for the most part it just makes everything look richer and clearer.
Totally worth the few extra bucks to see Andrew Garfield’s butt in three dimensions.
3. Better girl. Not to knock Mary Jane or Kirsten Dunst, but Gwen Stacey offered more than a vapid love interest to serve as Peter’s weakness. She’s intelligent, charming, a little bit dorky and she proves herself as a strong, kick-ass female in the heat of the final battle with this installment’s big baddie. And if that’s not enough to sell you, she’s played by Emma Stone. What’s not to love?
4. Better Spidey. There’s no denying that Tobey Maguire pulled off a pretty great Peter Parker – which has been one of the main points of contention with the reboot – but Andrew Garfield definitely brings something new to the role. There’s a subtlety to his portrayal that takes Peter from cheesy but loveable loser to snarky, believable teen with a tragic past. He’s still a total nerd, but now he comes complete with witty one-liners and endearing awkwardness. Not to mention how cute he is.
I dare you not to swoon at least once during the two-hour runtime.
If you haven’t seen the trailer, check it out here: