"Thirty-eight of New York's finest, versus one guy in a unitard."
So I watched The Amzing Spider-man today, which I was sad about missing at the movies and waiting to long to actually get to it.
Looking around online, I'm surprised to see the Raimi films so maligned - I know everyone thinks 3 is rubbish (me included) but I remember when they first came out 1 and especially 2 were considered some of the best comic book movies ever made. I think I'm alone in actually really liking Maguire as Pete/Spidey and not hating Kirsten Dunst as MJ.
But anyway, wasn't unhappy about the reboot as yay, more Spidey movies. And yet my reaction to ASM is "meh". I like Garfield usually, and think he's an adorable geek, but I don't know, he really didn't seem like Peter Parker to me (full disclosure: I have not read the comics, but grew up on the 90's animated version.) Likewise, I think Emma Stone is the awesomest actress to ever awesome but was left a bit cold by Gwen Stacey and the Peter/Gwen relationship. I loved that she played a major part in the climax without being a damsel in distress, found out about Peter early, and I covet those boots she was wearing but the rest fell flat for me. The early crushing/watching Gwen and having her photo as his wallpaper was creepy, and I'm glad Uncle Ben calling him on that ("I'm his probation officer!" - heh)
And I hate hate HATE the "I'm breaking up with you to protect you" trope. It was barely tolerable in the Raimi films, but at least then Peter and MJ didn't have an established relationship yet. Peter, you don't owe Gwen's dad shit - if you're going to be a martyr at least you owe the girl a proper explanation, especially since she was so patient/understanding with you. You don't just abandon her TO GRIEVE HER FATHER ALONE and then break up with her without even sharing her father's heroic final acts- particularly when she showed kindness and comfort after your Uncle's death. That doesn't make you noble, it makes you an ass. Gwen's too good for you.
What I did like - Martin Sheen and Sally Field as Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Everything else kind of felt like a rehash of the first Raimi film, although I guess they're only so many ways you can do an origin story (I have the same fear about Man of Steel). And do kids use skateboards now? When did they come back in?
Looking around online, I'm surprised to see the Raimi films so maligned - I know everyone thinks 3 is rubbish (me included) but I remember when they first came out 1 and especially 2 were considered some of the best comic book movies ever made. I think I'm alone in actually really liking Maguire as Pete/Spidey and not hating Kirsten Dunst as MJ.
But anyway, wasn't unhappy about the reboot as yay, more Spidey movies. And yet my reaction to ASM is "meh". I like Garfield usually, and think he's an adorable geek, but I don't know, he really didn't seem like Peter Parker to me (full disclosure: I have not read the comics, but grew up on the 90's animated version.) Likewise, I think Emma Stone is the awesomest actress to ever awesome but was left a bit cold by Gwen Stacey and the Peter/Gwen relationship. I loved that she played a major part in the climax without being a damsel in distress, found out about Peter early, and I covet those boots she was wearing but the rest fell flat for me. The early crushing/watching Gwen and having her photo as his wallpaper was creepy, and I'm glad Uncle Ben calling him on that ("I'm his probation officer!" - heh)
And I hate hate HATE the "I'm breaking up with you to protect you" trope. It was barely tolerable in the Raimi films, but at least then Peter and MJ didn't have an established relationship yet. Peter, you don't owe Gwen's dad shit - if you're going to be a martyr at least you owe the girl a proper explanation, especially since she was so patient/understanding with you. You don't just abandon her TO GRIEVE HER FATHER ALONE and then break up with her without even sharing her father's heroic final acts- particularly when she showed kindness and comfort after your Uncle's death. That doesn't make you noble, it makes you an ass. Gwen's too good for you.
What I did like - Martin Sheen and Sally Field as Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Everything else kind of felt like a rehash of the first Raimi film, although I guess they're only so many ways you can do an origin story (I have the same fear about Man of Steel). And do kids use skateboards now? When did they come back in?