The Amazing Spider-Man

Rated: PG-13

Running time 2 hours 16 minutes

Starring: Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone

This is another super hero movie reboot and like Christopher Nolan’s Batman, this movie is good. I am a fan of the other Spidey movies starring Tobey Maguire and was a little skeptical of seeing this new Spider-Man movie. I know there are others out there with similar thoughts and let me put your collective minds at ease, this movie is, well, amazing. This movie follows the origin storyline a little better than the previous movies, although it takes liberties with which villain is Spidey’s first.

Andrew Garfield does a good job of playing Peter Parker. Gwen Stacy is played by Emma Stone and does a good job, but the way she played the character I think almost anyone could have played this part. Peter’s uncle Ben is played by Martin Sheen and his aunt May is played by Sally Field. And rounding out the cast is Denis Leary as Gwen’s father, Captain Stacy and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard.

Garfield’s Peter Parker is a little scruffy and full of teen angst as a science geek picked on in high school. He also has some anger issues after being abandoned by his parents when he was a little tyke. To me this version of Parker seems more in line with what I think he would be like. The moment when he discovers his powers is both momentous and comical. And, if something like that could really happen, it was fairly believable.

The special effects are way better than previous versions. Whether it is “green screen”, cgi effects or whatever you want to call it, it is good. The action is easy to follow (which is a welcome thing in an action movie these days) and fun to watch. The story is good and at a shade over two hours, feels to be about the right length. At no point during the movie did I want the pace to pick up.  I think “The Lizard” makeup was incredible and some of the best I’ve seen in recent years.

I watched this movie in I-Max 3D format and it was good but I’m not sure it’s worth the extra money for 3D. There were a few effects that were kind of cool, but overall the movie would have been just as good in non-3D.

Bottom line is this movie is good. Unless you’re really into 3D, save your money and watch it in regular format. So, crawl into to your favorite movie theater and watch your friendly neighborhood web slinger in this newest adventure, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.