Well, with just over a month and a half until release The Amazing Spider-Man is really starting to amp up it's marketing campaign. Yesterday we were given 1 minute and halves worth of new footage. In this article, I will go over the things I loved about this new trailer.
The Colour And Tone :
One of the many things that impressed me with this clip was the use of colour. It is very stylish making it very unique and interesting. It is a beauty to look at and really separates itself from the Raimi films visual style. It has a very comic book feeling to it, ticking the right boxes for myself personally. That is why I am a big fan of films such as Sin City and 300. The visuals to both those films are very unique, making them very different from most films. I like to see a creative input because in my opinion, it shows the filmmaker truly cares about the project. The tone of the picture is great in my opinion. The first thing I thought of when I saw this preview was, Spider-Man : TAS from the 90's. It looks like Webb and co have done their research and it looks like it is beginning to pay off. It's a living breathing version of TAS and for me that is a good thing.
Tension :
This was one of the best parts of the trailer. The tension and suspense of the scene really pulled me in. It is very hard not to when you are witnessing a hero trying to save the life of a young child as flames begin to crawl their way up the car. What really sells this sequence for me is Andrew Garfield's acting. I can see why they chose to loose the mask for a moment because it gives Andrew the chance to put his acting abilities in full swing, helping the audience to really clamber behind the tension of the situation. if he had just worn the mask, I don't think the scene would have been as nearly impactive.
The Heart Of A Hero :
What really made this sequence for me was the themes that unraveled before our eyes. I was kind of worried that this film would be quite hollow in that respect but it appears there will be a sense of meaning behind it. When Spidey tells the kid to put the mask on, so it will give him strength, a huge smile crept across my face. This is what a superhero is about people. The point of being a superhero is not just to save people but to make them feel a sense of safety and empowerment. It was a very touching moment and helped to add to the tension of the sequence. This I feel was also directed to Peter as well. It appears he fully accepts his responsibilities and would do anything to ensure that he meets them. He is willing to risk his identity to make a child feel better and for me that shows the true heart of a hero. People may complain that he is too willing to take his mask off but in this situation, it made complete sense for me.
The Red Epic:
This bit of tech is turning out to be a revolution in filmmaking. The sheer amount of detail and colour it generates is unmatched in my opinion. This is why I think some people viewed the footage and found something "off" about it. The imagery is so clear. it is something most of us have not experienced before visually, so I feel it will take a little while to get used to it. it is a big leap from the traditional style of cinema and something that we will become more accustomed to as time progresses. I think that is the gripe with The Hobbit at the moment. Spider-Man has not been filmed in 48 fps like The Hobbit but it is pretty clear to see that these cameras give films a very glossy and detailed look. Almost too detailed some would argue.
All in all, I was most impressed with the new footage that was shown, even if it was only a minute. I am personally happy for them to not show me anymore because I want to surprised. It would have been very easy for Sony to just release four minutes of unseen footage to the public but I think they chose the right option.
So far, I am loving the themes that seem to be apparent in this film and it is making the wait unbearable. At this point, the quality of the film could go either way but hopefully it is along the lines of great. July 4th is almost here ladies and gentlemen and I for one am as excited as ever.
Anyway what did you think of the new clip ? Did you like it or do you feel it could have been done better ?