Peter Parker Swings Back Onto the Big Screen in The Amazing Spider-Man

I’m usually pretty up on big summer blockbuster, but my friend caught me by surprise yesterday when she called to ask if I wanted to see the midnight release of The Amazing Spider-Man. I’d heard a couple whispers of its existence, but I didn’t even realize it was coming out this summer. Still, I’m never one to pass up a major cultural experience, even if I am a bit bemused at the idea of a brand-new Spider-Man film series just a decade after Sam Raimi’s mega-popular trilogy began.

If I’d been actively anticipating this movie, I might have rewatched the 2002 film in preparation, but as it is, my capacity to make comparisons is a bit limited. Still, there are certain key differences between that movie and this, which was written by James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent and Harry Potter scribe Steve Kloves and directed by the appropriately-named Marc Webb. Perhaps the most significant is that Peter Parker’s transformation from regular teen into web-slinging vigilante feels less like chance and more like fate. The Amazing Spider-Man is very much a journey of self-discovery, and that means delving into the past as well as introspective examination.

Andrew Garfield makes an excellent Peter, rather awkward and bumbling but already making a name for himself with his camera. Interestingly, his photography plays only a minor role in the film once he dons the Spidey suit, though it does serve as a catalyst for a major incident late in the movie. Still, there is no explosive J. Jonah Jameson to report to with exclusive shots. Financial concerns don’t seem to trouble Peter much; he’s far too focused on revenge enacted to ease his own fury with himself for the tragic consequences of a particularly angsty moment. He is dark, but he also comes across as a really decent and rather geeky young man.

In this movie, there is no friendship with Harry Osborn and no pining after Mary Jane. Instead, he begins to forge a relationship with sweet, intellectual Gwen, demurely played by Emma Stone. Moreover, he turns to his father’s old friend and colleague, Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), for mentorship, and he becomes one of two men who serve as both helper and antagonist to Peter throughout his journey. Ifans delivers an intense performance as this man who is torn between a genuine desire to do good for the world and the destructive frenzy that comes with the acquisition of too much power.

As before, May and Ben, the aunt and uncle who raise Peter after the abrupt departure of his parents, provide much of the story’s heart, and their gentle influence in raising him is apparent throughout the film. Sally Field is excellent as the very maternal May, but it’s Martin Sheen who makes the bigger impression as the sometimes jovial, often wise Ben. He comes across as a bit hipper than the 2002 Ben but just as powerful a paternal figure. Less instantly likable but still engaging is Denis Leary as Gwen’s dad, the police captain who happens to be intent on capturing Spider-Man and bringing him to justice.

A marquis mix-up caused me to watch this movie a little differently than I otherwise might have. When we arrived, a great big letter R sat next to the movie title, so I waited with increasing puzzlement for the movie to take a turn that would merit such an unexpectedly heavy rating. I assumed that it would be due to violence, especially after the first 20 minutes or so passed without any profanity that I noticed, but while the movie is full of intense action sequences, there is very little gore, and the 11-year-old sitting next to me was only startled a couple of times. The reptilian foe Peter must ultimately face is really the only aspect of the movie likely to cause much alarm, though there are moments of sadness preceding the creature’s debut.

In part because of that misleading marquis – which had been corrected by the time we left the theater – I found the movie refreshingly innocent with plenty of laugh-aloud light-hearted moments like Peter’s clumsy attempts to get a handle on his newfound abilities and a brief scene featuring Marvel legend Stan Lee. Yes, it’s still probably best suited to older kids, but aside from some creepy business with hybrid technology, it’s mostly the story of a good guy trying to find his place in the world with some help from mentors, friends and two very devoted relatives. Did Spidey really need a reboot so soon? No, probably not. But I look forward to seeing where Garfield and crew will take this saga next.