Spiderman, like we have [already] seen it before!

Finally, after 5 long years, years filled with subpar films such as The Dark Knight or The Avengers, years filled with the dullest films to come along in years like Super 8, Star Trek, or even Captain America, we finally have a Spiderman film. Those dark days of waiting to see our friendly neighborhood webslinger finally get the big screen treatment is over. 2012 will be long remembered for bringing us exactly what we were all calling for: The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises. And shoved right in between these two, amongst the rest of the summer releases, is Spiderman.

The Amazing Spiderman is not a bad film, it's just not a great film and it is certainly not a film we needed. You see, the main problem was the exact thing that I was mostly worried about and (if you were unlucky to hear me talk about it in person) I've been vocalizing for months. It is yet another retelling of Spiderman. Yes, kiddos, we get to see how Spiderman became Spiderman. Again.

Alright, so it's not the exact same story, nor is it the exact same timeline. Instead we are treated to a Peter Parker with parent  Daddy issues, who likes to skateboard, and likes to take pictures, and (this is completely left to the audience to determine) apparently has a crush on Gwen Stacie.  Then, one day, out of the blue, and completely unexpectedly, he gets bitten by a spider that somehow gives him superpowers! Boom! Now, let's make a 2 hour movie retelling those last few sentences.

How does that head fit under that mask?

To his credit Andrew Garfield makes the role his own. You pretty much forget about Maguire immediately, but that was the point, to forget the last films. This is a new beginning, and so we get a different Peter. He has been raised by his (awesomely cast, but underused) Aunt Mae (Sally Field) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) after his parents dropped him off to go and run off and do…something. Honestly, that is where the first major fail of the movie lies, in the ridiculous parent's subplot that keeps trying to rear its ugly head. In fact, the film has to constantly remind you about that because you just don't care about his parent. Not one bit. Did you know that Peter's parents did something and then something happened and then…who cares?  Of all the things that were so-so about this film, that parents BS is pretty much a glowing example.

The only real reason to see the movie

Emma Stone is wonderful as Gwen. She looks the part perfectly, and you really do care about her as a character. However, we aren't really given a huge connection between her and Peter other than a few moments of dialogue and the fact that Peter has been taking pictures of her and has one on his computer. Unlike in the original films which showed Peter fawning over Mary Jane from the beginning, we don't get that sort of connection until after things are already in motion. Still, their relationship feels real and you do care about them as a couple, so good on that.  In the end, you are pulling for these two to stay together, against all odds. If the film does one thing correctly, it's getting this one relationship to come across the really wonderful thing that it is.

Then there is the Lizard as the bad guy. Rhys Ifans is given stuff to do, but nothing that we haven't seen before, you know the desperate scientist who forced to make a difficult, but ultimately, bad decision. Actually, the whole Lizard subplot is rushed. Here is my take on the Curt Connors/Lizard/ Peter Parker relationship:

    Curt: Peter, I knew your father.

                Peter: Yay, let me give you this formula to help your expriements

                Curt: They are going to shut me down, so I will take this formula! ROAR! I AM A MONSTER

                Peter: Oh no! It's my fault! I need to stop him

                Curt: I can use this power to save all of mankind--ROAR I'M A LIZARD!

                Peter: I am going to stop you!

    Curt: ROAR!I AM GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY ELSE A LIZARD! WHICH MAKES      VERY LITTLE SENSE, BUT OK, BECAUSE IT WORKS FOR THE PLOT, EVEN THOUGH ONCE THINGS GET IN MOTION IT WILL BE ADDRESSED QUICKLY, THEN RESOLVED!

   Peter: I've saved the city! Imma hero!

  Curt: I am in jail, and this end scene that takes place after the credits roll makes no impact and therefore is pointless.

Your a lizard, Connors!

Honestly, I know that there are loads more to this relationship, but really the Curt Connors/Lizard plot was pretty indifferent. I never felt any real connection to Curt, nor to his plight. Not to mention replace The Lizard with Doc Ock and you have almost the same villain plot from Spiderman 2. Not 100%, but it's there. But when the Lizard comes out, we are treated to some great CGI that doesn't at all looking like it is totally not realistic. If I were to put a real lizard on screen next to the CGI one, I wouldn't be able to tell which was which.

Listen, I know it sounds like I hated this film, but I really didn't. It was actually good. Since Spiderman 2 is my favorite of the Spiderman films the order of the films goes like this, 2, Amazing, 1, 3. There are some really good things here. For one, it is pretty to look at. For another Emma and Andrew do have some great chemistry. We are also given a great pairing in Sally and Martin as Mae and Ben, even if they are really, really, really underused. I will even give it credit for not putting in THAT MOMENT that I have also been railing about for a while. You know, THAT MOMENT when suddenly, and without warning his cartridge of webbing runs out and he begins to fall. Yeah, THAT MOMENT never happens, and I couldn't be happier.  Still, Rhys' Connors is underdeveloped, which hurts his character in the end. Peter loves taking off his mask and letting everybody see his face, which borders on farcical by the end, and Denis Leary is hardly used at all for more than just being Denis Leary in a vest. These added to the stupid parent subplot don't help to elevate it to the heights it needed to be to really make me forget the last films.

Now, loads of people are going to disagree, and that's fine. It is a fun summer movie, and if these movies keep going like this, well, the series might wind up being pretty good.

Do I recommend it? Sure, why not. I didn't walk out feeling ripped off or of not being entertained, so that is saying something. Still, it doesn't help that it retells the origin with a slight coat of paint to redress it.

If you are having Avengers withdraws and you are pacing, waiting for the Dark Knight, this is nice filler.

A quick note about the score: James Horner gives us a lot to go on, and it sounds pretty good, but we don't have a connecting theme, and therefore it feels like it needs something else. James does some of his normal tricks but it's been forever since I last heard something of his that I actually enjoyed, I honestly didn't seem to be bothered by it.