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The Amazing Spider-Man

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans
Directed by: Marc Webb
Screenplay by: James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent

    If you're wondering why a remake of Spider-Man (2002) had to be done only ten years after the original came out, you're not alone.
    Similarly to the 2002 film, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is trying to find out why his parents disappeared when he was young.  A clue his father left behind leads him to his father's genetic research partner, Dr. Curt  Connors (Rhys Ifans).  And then, Parker gets bitten by a spider Dr. Connors is researching, giving Parker all these new abilities and thus becoming known as Spider-man.  Will Parker use his powers for good or for evil?
    While the storyline is much of the same in terms of its major plot points, many of the smaller details have changed.  Remember Mary Jane Watson?  She is non-existant in the new film.  Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) is Parker's new girlfriend.
    Another major difference is the way in which Spider-Man is portrayed.  This film does not portray him in the most heroic of lights.  Rather he is depicted almost like a villain whom the police (mostly Captain Stacy (Denis Leary)) are trying to bring down.
    Andrew Garfield does a superb job playing Spider-man.  He delivers a performance far superior to that of Tobey Maguire in the 2002 film.
    This was one of my most anticipated films of the year.  I have waited to see it since I first heard about it just over one year ago.  I also thought it would be a contender for highest grossing film during its opening weekend (a title so far this year claimed by The Avengers, but I expect will be broken by The Dark Knight Rises).  This film hasn't done as well at the box office as I thought.
    Overall, this film is better than the original, but not as good as I was expecting.  I was a little disappointed with how it turned out.  It has a better story, better actors, and better special effects, but it's just not quite as good a film as I had hoped it would be.
    I'll give The Amazing Spider-Man a B.

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