A lot has been said about rebooting a movie franchise that is only 10 years old. But if any comic book fan were to watch the Sam Raimi Spiderman movies, I think they'd be the first to say that this is a series that needs some new blood. The first Spiderman movie starring Tobey Maguire was wonderful. Amazing performance by William DeFoe as the Green Goblin and James Franco as Harry Osborne really carried the film despite sub par performances by Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Maguire, and a not too talented supporting cast. The writing was very cheesy and just never really struck the notes it wanted. But man was it fun to see William DeFoe grin it up and chew the scenery. And a lot can be said for the American "hoo-rah" moments following the 9/11 tragedy. Overall a good film... but nothing noteworthy.
Then there was Spider-Man 2 and 3... the levels of betrayal can't even begin to be calculated. Spider-Man 2 really was a victim of trying to incorporate too much of the comics into one movie. There were elements of the Neogenic Nightmare plus the love dodecahedron between Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, Jay Jameson, and Harry Osborne. Then there was the main plot involving Doctor Octopus which had a lot of dramatic weight starring Alfred Molina who was superbly cast as Otto Octavius. Spider-Man losing his powers and dealing with his guilt over losing Uncle Ben. There was just too much going on and none of it ever got the time it deserved and often resolved in a very unsatisfying way. For example Spider-Man getting his powers back because he wanted them. And that's it. Very disappointing movie.
The first two Spider-Man movies made a lot of money and for some reason had Marvel fans still wanting more. But the reason they wanted more can be summed up in one word: VENOM!!! And that's what we got in Spider-Man 3... kind of... A brief explanation: Venom is to Spider-Man what the Joker is to Batman, Lex Luthor is to Superman, or peanut butter is to chocolate. Two amazing characters with very distinct and diametrically opposed personalities locked in mortal combat with each other. They help to define each other in ways that weaken the other without their presence. Spider-Man is quick, nimble, a smart mouth, and brilliant. Venom is vicious, cruel, muscular, and the very definition of sadism. And in this movie Venom is played by that scrawny dude from That 70's show. (Topher Grace)
If that wasn't enough when Peter was possessed by the Venom Symbiote he became a laughing stock. Tobey Maguire looked rediculous. In the comics it turned Peter Parker into a punk. A guy who was far more likely to punch someone in the mouth or even torture a bad guy. There was a lot of Jekyll and Hyde type drama and in Spider-Man 3 that kind of drama was virtually a comedic subplot with Peter Parker strutting down the street looking emo. Then there was the other sub-plot involving the Sandman... and again the Peter/Mary Jane love subplot... and also a Harry Osborne/Green Goblin subplot... It lacked any kind of focus, there was too much going on, Venom was a HUGE disappointment, and nothing about the movie was at all faithful to the comics. It was a betrayal to an incredibly loyal and finicky fanbase.
So, with the success of the Avengers and various other Marvel Comics movies, a reboot was definately in order.
Not to say the movie didn't have to oversome some obsticles. The first that I've already said, the older Spider-Man franchise isn't that old. So, the story is going to share a lot of the same plot points. The death of Uncle Ben, Peter balancing the demands of being Spider-Man with being a high school teenager, his rivalry with Flash Thompson, etc. It does give the movie a very "sameness" feel to it. That is something they tried to overcome with a new villian, a new love interest, emphasis on Peter's parents, and a gigantic upgrade in acting talent. Acting legends Sally Field and Martin Sheen are brought in to play Uncle Ben and Aunt May, Andrew Garfield plays Spider-Man much more as a wise cracking kid, DENIS LEARY had a great role as Captian Stacy, and then there's Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy.
Despite a really bad role, Emma Stone really took what she was given and made it into something watchable. I've become a big fan of hers after seeing movies like Zombieland and Easy A. If you haven't seen them yet, they are some of the kinds of comedy they just don't make when people go see garbage like Ted or American Reunion. Then I saw The Help and I'm sold. I'll watch any movie if Emma Stone is in it.
But then there's the story. It is a much more gritty version than the Sam Raimi movies. It takes it a lot more seriously but does have some great comedic moments. The problem is that there are a lot of plot holes it tries to hand wave away as either set-up for the next movie or just never addressed. It's a tight story but man there were times I was just scratching my head. Too many things "just happen". Much of the story really doesn't get over that "sameness" hurdle. It never sets itself apart from not just every other action movie or comic book movie, it doesn't even break the formula from recent MARVEL movies. Every fight scene is largely predictable, the dramatic scenes are more hammy than legitimate drama, the love story often feels forced, and they leave many things unresolved coupled with an ending credits teaser to generate interest in the sequel.
Bottom Line: It's a good movie, but it's nothing special.
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