A hearts-in-my-eyes review of Amazing Spider-Man

[devildoll]

I will probably forget about fifty things I want to say, but the upshot is: I loved this movie so much.

• I never really warmed to Tobey Maguire as Peter, which I know is some kind of nerd sacrilege, but it's true. (And this is not up for debate and you will not change my mind, if you are already eying the comment link in order to try to sway me!) So "how soon is too soon for a reboot?" was inconsequential to me: I was primed and ready to see someone else as Spidey, and I LOVED this. Andrew Garfield is the bestest, most adorablest Peter Parker EVER. I just wanted to give Peter all the hugs, which is usually how I feel about him in the comics, so it was great to finally feel that way about him in a movie, too. HERE IS MY HEART, ANDREW GARFIELD. TAKE IT.
  
  
• How fantastic was Gwen? She had so many great moments, from when she distracted Flash from beating the crap out of Peter to the concussion questions ("I know your name") to being in charge of the interns to whacking the Lizard with a trophy. I really loved her in the internship scenes, because at first she let him slide but as soon as he caused a problem she drew the line. And then later she helped save the day with SCIENCE.
  
  
• The chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. HOLY CRAP. How sweet were they together? The scene where he sort of asked her out in the hallway? What a couple of cutie pies!
  
  
• The Uncle Ben death was especially gut-wrenching this time around, and I had to cover my face with my sweatshirt sleeves and cry. I thought Martin Sheen did a good job of being a funny old guy while also imparting wisdom and discipline. Aunt May is a thankless role, because usually all you get to do is fret, but Sally Field handled it well, and that scene at the end with the hug and the eggs. TEARS AGAIN.
  
  
• Every time someone in a movie or TV show uses Bing instead of Google it pulls me out of the story. No one uses Bing! I wish they would stop paying people to use it in my entertainment!
  
  
• THE CRANES. I cannot tell you how much I loved that C Thomas Howell shows up as Jack's dad and then reappears later in the story to rally all his union brothers to help Spider-Man. <3 <3 I legit cried during that part, because Peter always has such a hard time and nothing goes right for him and he has to fight the good guys AND the bad guys and that thing with the cranes just warmed my heart right up.
  
  
• Put on your water wings, there's a deluge of Flash/Peter on the way.
  
  
• Hey, so, there was also a bad guy? I thought The Lizard looked pretty cool, and the fight scenes were generally awesome, though there were a few bits where it was like, "Oh, look, CGI." I was sort of lukewarm on Curt Connors himself, though I'm not sure how much of that was on the actor and how much was on the script. But he sure made a cool looking lizard.
  
  
• I loved the way Spidey moved in this one, how it was very Spidey-like but also very much THIS Spider-Man and not Maguire's. There were some really kickass shots in this movie, and a lot of poses and fight moves that looked like they'd be right at home in a comic book but didn't seem silly or over-the-top. Well done, movie!
  
  
• Stan Lee's cameo: A++ would watch again.

Didn't like:

• I was a little uncomfortable with the "no" "yes" "no" "yes" stuff that went on when Peter showed up in Gwen's room. It was just a little too "you're not listening to her!" for my taste, and then he did it twice! Once with the kiss, and once when he wanted her to leave with him. I had the immediate reaction so many of us DVR users have where I wanted to rewind it and watch it again just to really see if I was being too picky or what, but since you cannot rewind movies in the theater, I will have to wait to see it again to decide. But my immediate gut reaction was not a positive one. Which was a shame, because that was otherwise a very nice moment that looked to be leading to a very nice kiss.
  
  
• Most of the end. I was so very excited that Gwen got to be a hero and make the antidote and then...her dad got to deliver it. I was mad about that because I wanted her to have a big hero moment, and also because I knew Captain Stacy had to go up there to die, which I was hoping wouldn't happen (little chance of that, since it's canon) and then on top of that there's the whole "stay away from her for her own good" convo which I just UGH UGH UGH. I hate that trope so much, and hate it even more when it's two dudes agreeing what's best for a woman and UGH UGH UGH I'll take "patriarchal bullshit" for $200, Alex!
  
  I was hoping we'd catch a break here and not have to do the "I have to stay away from you to protect you" crap, but it's Spider-Man, so I guess we have no choice. I think that's his middle name. But I want them together! I want to see ten movies of the Peter and Gwen Adventures. At least they threw us a bone at the end with the line about promises you can't keep, but that's one part of the ingrained superhero narrative I would have liked to have skipped this time. SAD FACE.

Overall, I loved the way this managed to be two movies, a lovely story about Peter Parker (adorablest!) and his life, and also a big, flashy, actiony superhero movie. Two of my favorite things! I cannot wait to see it again. <3 <3

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