Now, let me set the record straight. I love Spider-Man. But I, like many others, think that the Sam Raimi movies are flawed. Sure, they are fun for what they are, but are flawed none the less. But now, Spider-Man is getting a second chance at the big screen with the Amazing Spider-Man, directed by Marc Webb. Despite the terrific cast, and capable director, fans are still in mourning over the series' loss of Raimi and the originals cast. But in the opinion of this fan, Raimi's films were nothing special. Sure, we saw Spider-Man on the big screen, but it seemed to much like a cartoon that was simply translated into live action; something that just does not work. Good comic book films like Nolan's Batman series and X-Men pay terrific tribute to the comics, but set their characters in the real world, with real problems. I never got that vibe from Raimi's Spider-Man series. There were some good moments for sure, most of them came from the first installment, but everything came off as too cheesy and cliched. Ironically, most of my complaints stem from not just Spider-Man 3, but Spider-Man 2. In part 2, the one part that they got right was Peter's life being a mess due to his crime fighting duties as Spider-Man. But as soon as it hit the half way point, it sunk into being a chick flick. Call me crazy! But that's really what I think. Lest not all forget that there was an incredibly corny montage in Spider-Man 2 of Peter being normal. It just didn't seem real to me. It felt forced, and I felt weird. I was hoping for a darker entry in the franchise, but instead it was lighter then the first one. The same goes for Spider-Man 3. What should of been one of the darkest super hero movies in history came off as a Lifetime movie was million dollar effects. But the things that I did love were the villain casts, besides Topher Grace. Dafoe, Molina, and especially Thomas Haden Church all seemed to leap from the comic pages and into the movies. But for me, it just wasn't enough to boost the series to the great potential I believe it had. But enough about my feelings on the series. For those of you who believe that there was more that they could've done with Raimi's series, you are simply wrong. Harry Osborn was killed off, and the talk of Vulture and Vultress just reeked of a horrible sequel in the league of Batman and Robin. Nevermind the face that Peter knocks up MJ then leaves her for Felicia... Ugh. Really, is that what you would all rather have then this?
From what I've seen of Amazing Spider-Man, it looks to be the movie we've been waiting for as fans of the series. The cast looks great, and I definitely get more of a Peter Parker vibe from Andrew Garfield. Even more so now after seeing him actually in the suit delivering wise cracks in the second trailer. Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy is perfect casting, especially since we as fans know what inevitably has to happen, and Rhys Ifans looks the part of Dr. Connors. I look forward to what he's going to bring to the table as Captain Stacy. The rest of the cast, like Martin Sheen and Dennis Leary, also look to fit their roles well. Needless to say, I really think that this is truly going to be one of the best super hero movies we've ever seen. However, we'll know for sure in five or six months. For those reading this, thank you for bearing with me, as I've never written an editorial before.