The Amazing Spider-Man

The Amazing Spider-Man is a reboot starring Andrew Garfield, that shows us a unique origin story of the heroic web slinger! After being bitten, Peter Parker gains incredible spider-like abilities which he must hone in order to defeat a dangerous reptilian threat. Let’s consider the pros and cons of The Amazing Spider-Man…

Pros: Firstly, this is another fantastic origin story for our friendly neighborhood hero! Andrew Garfield is not only a natural Spider-Man, but also a quirky Peter Parker. Along with Garfield is an amazing cast including Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben and Denis Leary as Captain Stacy. Secondly, Marc Webb does an excellent job showing Peter’s transition into the masked vigilante, as well as differentiating it from the previous trilogy. I like the idea of Spider-Man using his own wits to craft a web-slinging device. I also like that Webb chose a different love interest and villain for Spider-Man this go-around.

Cons: I’m not as familiar with the comics, but this is a wildly different Peter Parker than we see in the Raimi trilogy. It’s not necessarily a negative, as I already mentioned Garfield is a great Spider-Man. However, Garfield’s Peter Parker is much more capable from the start, as opposed to being bullied in school. He’s quirky don’t get me wrong, but maybe too cool to play nerdy and awkward. It’s worth noting because it feels like the powers are less impactful to his personal life. I understand this is a different take on the Web Head and I hate to compare it to the original, but if they didn’t want me to compare the two, they shouldn’t have killed Uncle Ben again! Spoiler alert.

I give the Amazing Spider-Man an A-. I’m a sucker for superhero origin stories and this reboot does not disappoint! Garfield is a great Peter Parker and the action will have you on the edge of your seat. Happy Watching!

“I’m swinging here!”