The Amazing SpiderMan

With NO Power Comes NO Great Responsibility

Well to begin my review with a bad point about this film doesn’t seem promising I bet... But don’t worry its one bad comment on this raving review as I absolutely adored this film.

The only negative was the fact they didn’t utter the most famous SpiderMan phrase... At all throughout the whole film which was shocking. They did put their own spin on a little memorable speech for Peter from his uncle Ben, but nowhere near as great as the original phrase.

But other than that, this film was amazing! (The pun wasn’t intended, but it's sure as hell staying!)

The two and a quarter hour long epic was the perfect amount of fun, action, Spidey cockiness and mysteriousness needed to make a gripping flick like this.

I thoroughly enjoyed it from the word go, and I was sad to see it end (I know, a true geek comment) but it wasn’t the fact that it was an emotional ending, it was the fact we have got to easily wait another year and a half till we see “The Amazing GarfieldMan” swinging around the big apple!

The origin story certainly reminded me very much of Ultimate SpiderMan's beginning by Brian Michael Bendis (BMB, the legendary writer for Marvel). His input in the film was noted, but James Vanderbilt (Story) and Marc Webb (Director) certainly made it there own. They definitely created a masterpiece making Tobey Maguire's SpiderMan look like a weakling (even though Tobey was brilliant, the story wasn’t great for him unfortunately).

I wont reveal too much in this little review as it's still quite soon after the release, I suspect many people have not seen the film yet too!

(I may start a discussion or do another review with spoilers soon).

Stan Lee's cameo was classic, and it was easily my favourite cameo he had done throughout the marvel universe. He always makes me smile, his personality is just flawless and just purely entertaining.

But back to Spidey! His natural cockiness showed, which was very loyal to the comics, and frankly something I really wanted to see. He is most definitely one of the cockiest characters ever, not arrogant, just cheeky, which is highly amusing throughout the film.

Tobey wasn’t nearly as cheeky as the legendry Garfield was.

Garfield easily stole the show for me, he clinched it definitely. Him as Peter and Spidey went hand in hand, he knew where Peter ended and where Spidey began, which is a huge deal as Spidey is completely different from Parker obviously. Parker the shy, quiet but lovely boy no-one would ever suspect, and the high flying SpiderMan with more cheek and confidence than Tony Stark (if that's even possible!!!)

I was worried at first when they confirmed Garfield was the new Spidey, I believed there were many more people who I thought would play a better Parker, but boy was I wrong, he was phenomenal.

His relationship with Gwen was funny, brief, and heart breaking, a roller coaster of emotions. I wanted to see more, but I’m glad again they started with Gwen as his love interest and not Mary Jane straight away, although MJ is my favourite love interest. Don't get me wrong though... I love them both!

I loved how they showed how intelligent Peter really is, by showing him creating his own domestic gadgets, how he deals with handyman projects, and designing his own Spidey tech... i.e. the webshooters.

Finally!!! They put these bad boys in the film!!! Traditional Spidey, traditional webshooters! I was looking forward to this (if you couldn’t tell!), I always believed the webshooters where better than the organic idea invented for Tobey Maguire's SpiderMan, especially since the webshooters are loyal to the comics!

Uncle Ben and Aunt May were brilliant also, May didn’t have the 'look' (the short, tidy, grey hair), I thought she should always have but she definitely had the personality for her role.

Uncle Ben had the look, the wit, the humour, the whole thing. Martin Sheen as good old Uncle Ben was definitely the right move, he portrayed a classic Uncle Ben.

Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy I knew would be great, she had the look and was just overall incredible, the perfect role for her (just like I know Hathaway is going to be incredible for The Dark Knight Rises, which I will definitely review once its released!!!). As much as I love Gwen though I wonder if a certain storyline will appear in the Amazing SpiderMan 2...? And if a young, beautiful, red head next door neighbour will appear to mend an achy breaky heart?

Rhys Ifans played a fantastic and menacing Curt Conners/Lizard, who scurries around New York's subway awaiting a lurking SpiderMan. The CGI on him was also excellent, he looked frightening and sinister, the prefect villain, certainly the best villain for this flick.

The scene with Lizard and Spidey fighting in the school was easily my favourite scene (which featured Stan's tiny cameo). Incredible fight scene, and a funny clip which had me in stitches with SpiderMan after he commented on the Lizards situation: “Someone's in trouble!”

At the end... Don't forget to stay!!! A secret post credit scene is present, granted its not very long and it doesn't reveal much but its still worth waiting for!

Overall, amazing doesn’t sum up how brilliant this film really is, epic would be more appropriate for it. A must see, especially if you’re a die hard fan like myself!

I hope you enjoyed this review!

I will post a review on my favourite comic of the week, once I have got through my dozen to read!

It will most probably be Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #12! (Seems appropriate now too!)

Also an Artist Focus on someone I recently discovered a few months ago after the writer signed my copy of their Graphic Novel. STAY TUNED!!!

Jack Corrigan
ComicCorrigan