MOVIE REVIEW--The Amazing Spider-Man

Sooo, as I learned a few things from my cousin when I took him to see this--the kid is smart! He'll be a senior in high school next year and is my youngest cousin, but he knows a lot of things! Some completely random but all entertaining!--they are seemingly redoing the Spider Man movies, yet this time they are based on the Amazing Spider Man comics. I forget which comic the first movies were based on though...

But anyway, this was pretty good! I enjoy comic book movies yet I never read comics, like the classic superhero ones. But this was good! Andrew Garfield was an amazing Peter Parker! I liked his role of Peter. Toby kind of played him more the geeky nerd, while Andrew played Peter as more of an awkward guy. He wasn't totally nerdy but he wasn't in with the "in crowd" either. I especially liked when he got back at the bully! Andrew just had that way about him, at times he even reminded me of my cousin, who is tall, kind of dangly as well and has dark brown hair too!

But Andrew was kind of hot! Not saying that about my cuz! That'd be weird! But anyway...somethings were done the same. Peter still allows a robber to get away who essentially kills his Uncle Ben. And then Peter wants revenge, only this time he doesn't get it in the first movie. I think my cousin mentioned that that guy ends up being the Sandman later on. Peter is still bitten by a spider and gains super powers. I especially liked the scenes when he discovers that he is super strong! And he has amazing reflexes.

Another difference is that for now, there is no Mary Jane. His first love is Gwen Stacy played by Emma Stone. She was good! I like Stone in the few movies that I've seen her in! She learns quickly that Peter is Spider Man, the vigilante who is sweeping the city and having bad guys turn themselves in as he searches for the man who murdered his uncle.

Along the way, we learn a bit about what his parents did. It's still kind of mysterious, but it involved Oscorp which is where we find Dr. Curt Connors who worked with Peter's dad and who essentially becomes the Lizard. He played a good creepy villain there too! It wasn't long before I recognized Rhys Ifans--yes I had to look up the name--as James Hook in the SyFy mini series Neverland! Seeing him again play a character missing a limb! Also just discovered he played Luna's dad in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1!

The plot was pretty good. Being a movie that's over 2 hours long, it did drag in a few places, but picked up again pretty quick! I didn't see it in 3D since I wanted to go to the cheap show, but you can tell which moments were meant for the 3D aspect. I especially enjoyed the shots though that let us see through Spider Man's eyes as he flies through the city using his spiderweb--which this time around isn't a power, but something he developed on his own by buying sciencey gear! Which was pretty cool! Peter was resourceful and a genius! And apparently had some extra cash floating around since he didn't have a job but could afford all these gadgets!

Overall it was a good action movie! I think this new set of Spider Man movies will be pretty good! Interested to see when Mary Jane comes in, if she does. My cousin says she comes in later when the romance between Peter and Gwen flops. But who knows if the movies will even go that far! But I did enjoy the movie, the actors were good and not annoying in their roles which is always a plus! Michael Sheen made a nice Uncle Ben and Sally Fields was a good Aunt May too! Would recommend seeing it if you like the comic book movies!

Next up...like in a few weeks once the crowds die down, I plan on seeing the Dark Knight Rises! The final Batman movie in this current franchise!

Overall movie rating 4/5 stars