The Amazing Spiderman (2012) – Why it is Amazing and not so Amazing

Let me start off by showing gratitude towards crane operators of NYC who graciously worked overtime and maneuvered their machinery to pave the way for Spiderman (Andrew Garfield) to reach Oscorp tower faster. Kidding aside, this scene was epic. Limping Spiderman is experiencing difficulty reaching the Oscorp tower with one of his legs shot. A father whose son was previously saved by Spiderman from falling off a burning car already hanging off a bridge is repaying the favor by organizing a group of crane operators in New York City in aide of the masked hero. A chopper on top of sky rise buildings even showed the way by highlighting the area where Spiderman needed to jump off and through. So just when he was about to fall due to a short web spun rope, a metal fastened to a crane saved him as he grabbed onto it. The rest is history.

Spiderman’s form, costume, and fight scenes

But what makes The Amazing Spiderman (2012) version amazing is Spiderman’s form. See that final scene again as he takes a stance floating on the air. It was a very lovely stance with both legs arched towards him as he faces the audience with webs aimed towards the screen. You will also notice his Spandex costume. It’s just aesthetically pleasing. It doesn’t look gay or brawny. It offers just enough power and beauty at the same time.

The fight scenes are also amazing. The execution of Spiderman’s movements depicts his character as a human spider or spider human with justice. The battle scenes between The Lizard or Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) and Spiderman is well executed. Every response either in a defensive or aggressive form is seamless. All parts and pieces in a scene where fights occurred are incorporated well into each fight.

Peter Parker is no Loser

Unlike the Tobey Maguire earlier Spiderman versions of the past years (trilogy started 2002), The Amazing Spiderman (2012) doesn’t introduce a loser type of Peter Parker. Although he is still the same confused and unpopular guy, he at least doesn’t wear unfashionable clothing and wore contact lenses instead of geeky glasses on most parts of the movie. How he ended up wearing glasses was even explained in this film. He wanted to have a connection with his deceased father even by simply wearing his old glasses.

Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy Love Story

The Amazing Spiderman (2012) offers a refreshingly new love story. Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) is Spiderman’s love interest, not Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst in the earlier films). Most of us probably think Mary Jane is Peter’s first and only love but the original comic book series had also introduced Gwen in Peter’s life. 

In this movie, she is his first love back in high school. There was no clear indication as to whether the love story continues or not. Peter was forced by Gwen’s dad Captain George Stacy (Denis Leary) in his dying moments to promise not to have his daughter become involved with his dangerous crusade. He died helping Spiderman defeat The Lizard (one of his nemesis in the comic book series).

At the classroom scene during the film’s concluding parts, we at least see a glimpse of a Peter and Gwen possibly reuniting again. Peter was late in class again and promised his teacher it won’t happen again. The teacher responded saying he shouldn’t be promising something he can’t keep. He said but those are the best kind. This left Gwen with a knowing smile, suggesting there could still be a possibility of a romance between them despite Peter’s promise to Gwen’s dad.

In the comic book series, Gwen was killed by Green Goblin. In the earlier Spiderman movies, you will remember that Green Goblin was the first nemesis (2002 movie). Green Goblin is Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe in the 2002 version) by day, the head of Oscorp. This name was referred to numerous times in The Amazing Spiderman (2012) as one of the main reasons behind the interspecies cross breeding studies performed by Dr. Connor and Dr. Richard Parker (Peter’s dad).

Dr. Curt Connors, Dr. Richard Parker, and Peter

This connection between the two doctors and Peter’s discovery of his dad’s old briefcase with hidden files led Peter to Dr. Connor. He literally made the limb regeneration experiment a success (or so they think) by formulating a solution to the apparent decay rate algorithm problem. Freddie, the lab rat became a monster and so did Dr. Connor after he tested the formula to himself. Although he defied the order to perform human tests prior to this and it led to the shutting down of his lab by Norman Osborn’s representative Dr. Rajit Ratha (Irrfan Khan).

Other Cast Members

Other casts include Martin Sheen as Ben Parker, Peter’s uncle who died disciplining and caring for him. Spiderman didn’t get to find the Caucasian killer with blonde shoulder length hair and small star tattoo on his left arm on this movie yet. His desire to find his uncle’s killer slowly developed the Spiderman persona (mask, costume, skills, and drive for goodwill, law, peace, and order).

More cast members include Sally Field as May Parker, Peter’s aunt and Ben’s wife. Chris Zylka is Flash Thompson (the high school bully). While Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz played Peter's parents, Richard and Mary Parker.

Clues of a Sequel

I always stay until the movie credits roll to find out if clues of a sequel are present. In this film, there sure are. Dr. Connors, locked behind bars was experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations with reference to Peter and that villainous shadow who intends him harm. There is no need to find out who the shadow was, if he is indeed more than a silhouette as there are already numerous clues on the film. I’m guessing it will be Green Goblin will be Spiderman’s nemesis again should there be a sequel to this film.

Similarities and Differences from the earlier Spiderman Films

One of the studies conducted at Oscorp involved genetically bred spiders and one of them bit Peter. You will recall that it was different from the earlier films where Peter was bitten by a spider during a school tour trip. The same spiders were marketed by Oscorp for their very sturdy webs. From the same product, Peter engineered his own web roping mechanism. Again, it’s different from the earlier films where the web simply came out of Spiderman’s palm. Peter Parker is also a young sort of genius high school student here which is not what was depicted of him in the movies of a decade ago. These differences can be both amazing and un-amazing at the same time depending on your loyalty to the original comic book series.

As for me, the scientific explanations are more believable in this version including the scientifically engineered Spiderman web. Peter’s romance with Gwen is also more original and convincing than that of his affair with Mary Jane. I still wonder why Spiderman is not one of the Avengers though. But overall, The Amazing Spiderman (2012) is indeed amazing.