WARNING! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!! THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS!!! You are advised to watch the film before reading this review.
Rising out of the shadows of a trilogy of films of one of the most loved comic heroes, each film gradually worse than the previous one, the film that was once highly hated by fans while in production, The Amazing Spiderman. Did it deserve all that hate? I can only tell my opinion of the film.
Plot: The first part of the movie, before Peter Parker turns into Spiderman, the film seems a lot like 2002s original. Only it seemed more like Ultimate Spiderman (and the relaunch, Ultimate Comics Spiderman). Which is great for me, considering that's my favorite Spiderman series (I was disappointed when the animated series of the same name was only loosely based on it). Ultimate Comics are no stranger to Comic Book movies. In Ultimate Marvel, the Skrulls (an alien race in Marvel) were changed to the Chitauri, because I believe, it sounds more realistic. In The Avengers, in which the Skrulls are the villains, they are called the Chitauri (thats just one of the many similarities). It seemed a bit too much like the original. Peter gets bullied, Ben gets murdered, Peter goes after killer. He gets the idea of a costume from a wrestling match, even if he wasn't wrestling and the match was deserted. Only, it added something new to the mix, the parents. I like the origin in this a lot better than the 2002 film. It makes more sense. Not only does Ben say, "With great power comes great responsibility," (in different words) but he got the saying from Peters parents, who died in a car crash, then we get to see Ben actually practice what he preaches by trying to stop a mugger who shoots him, Peter gets a discription of the mugger, as Spiderman starts hunting down criminals who meet that discription (which he never finds the mugger), as Peter is invited by his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy to dinner, her dad, the police captain points out to Peter (the captain doesn't know he's Spiderman) that Spiderman is a vigilante only doing this for a personal vendetta, Peter realizes this, and remembers what Ben said, leading to him becoming a crime fighting superhero, Spiderman. The origin is in a complete circle. If one element was missing, he probably would have never have become Spiderman. This is what makes the origin better than the original. Then we go into the lizards origin at Oscorp. This goes straight into Ultimate Comics. Not only is this the place wear the spider, which was made radioactive by Oz, that bit Parker and gave him powers (part of that circle) but the lizard is almost exactly like Ultimate Green Goblin (which I will get into in the characters section). The only reason he wasn't the villain was because of the original (I'm assuming). And Norman Osborn was mentioned. In Ultimate Comics Norman injects himself with a formula that turns into a Goblin creature. All of the villains in this universe are somehow related to Oscorp and its cross-species program. I will be surprised if one of the goblins (Demigoblin, Protogoblin, or Green Goblin) do not appear a due to the program and if Norman Osborn doesn't appear. Most of the villains established in the universe (Lizard, Rhino, Verman, Scorpion, ETC) are cross-species. Dr. Ratha at Oscorp tries to shut Dr. Curt Conners (a one armed scientist working on a formula to grow his arm back) cross-species down, and to get his arm back, Conners injects himself with the formula, that turns him into an insane, giant Lizard (not that he's so giant its insane, I mean he literally goes insane). Dr. Ratha is stuck in traffic on the Brooklyn when the Lizard, trying to kill Ratha, who is stuck in a car, knocks the car of the bridge, as he did with several other random cars, which Spiderman saves by webbing them to the bridge before they can hit the water. But the only person Spiderman even bothers to get out of a car is a kid. The car just so happens to catch on fire as Spiderman is getting the kid out of the car, while all the others are fine. I could go with this if the kid was the only person trapped, but #1 we know he's not the only one trapped because of Ratha and #2, if no one was trapped, then why Webb the car to the bridge? But then again, he could be trying to make sure nobody else were in the other cars, but #1, he didn't check any other cars and #2, why save the kid and not Ratha. Then it is revealed the Lizards plan to unleash a biological attack on New York turning citizens into Lizards. He succeeds in turning several citizens (mostly officers) into Lizards, as everybody is evacuating the city. He is spreading the attack though a machine at the top of Oscorp Tower. Spiderman had to make it to the tower before its too late. On the way to the tower he is injured and shot in the leg by New York's finest. Captain Stacy, Peters girlfriend, Gwen Stacys, father. After he is handcuffed, he is unmasked by Stacy and Spiderman explains to the Captain that his daughter, Gwen is in danger at Oscorp with the cure to save the city but is in danger and that he has to stop the Lizard. The Captain was surrounded with Officers, how is he the only person who saw who Spiderman is? After, convincing Stacy, he barely makes it to Oscorp due to his injuries. This is wear the 3D and special effects are at there peak. The 3D and him swinging around the city are just amazing. Its unlike anything we have seen in previous Spiderman movies. If you can, see it in IMAX 3D, if you can't, see it in regular 3D. It's worth it. With the help of the Stacys the cure is unleashed through the machine at Oscorp, the Lizard is turned back to normal, and the Captain is killed. Before dying, the Captain shares some dialogue with Peter I really enjoyed about how Peter will make many enemies as Spiderman, then makes Peter promise he will stay away from Gwen for her safety, then dies. After promising to the Captain, he goes to Gwen and tells her about the promise, but then tells her that the best kind of promise is the promise you can't keep. They seem happy that they are breaking a promise to Gwens newly dead father. Gwen doesn't even seem to grieve over him in the funeral scene. What a couple of a**. It seems almost obvious that she is going to get killed in future installments. I have a prediction, actually. I believe that Norman Osborn will become the archnemesis of the series (like in the Ultimate Spiderman cartoon), turn into a Goblin, and kill Gwen like in the comics.
Characters: The characters are very strong in the movie. The acting and directing make this the Spiderman movie with the best characterizations. I love how the movie doesn't just rip off the originals. As a matter of fact, this may be the only reason why the villain is the Lizard and not the Ultimate Green Goblin. The Ultimate Green Goblin was Norman Osborn, owner of Oscorp Industries, who injects himself with the Oz formula, the same formula injected into the radioactive spider. Oz, combined with his own formula turned him into the Green Goblin. It have made more sense to use him, with Oscorp and all, but I'm glad they didn't. They succeed in using the Lizard instead and having it make sense. And after the transformation into the Lizard, its hard to tell that he was made completely from CGI. The CGI is impeccable. And I'm glad the actor voices the Lizard because I was picturing the Lizards voice as a Parallax type voice from Green Lantern. The love story is very believable, also. From their acting, you actually feel that Peter, an awkward, social outcast and Gwen, a very sympathetic person, could fall in love. I also like how they did like the comics, and gave Flash Thompson a personality instead of playing him off as just a jerk. They seem to be going the comics rout and have them start off bullying Parker but then have them become friends.
Suit: The suit was first released in a screenshot (that didn't make it into the movie) of him in the suit with a bruised face, no mask, wearing a backpack. When it was just released, I thought it was cool, while everyone else was bad mouthing it. I think this suit is better than the classic Tobey Miguire suit. To quote Dr. Hannibal Lecter, "Love the suit."
After Credits Scene: Curt Conners (with scales still on his kneck, dispite him being in human form do to being "cured") is in a high security asylum and is taken to his cell. While in the cell, a mysterious figure comes out of the shadows. He ask if Conners told Peter about his father describing him as "the boy." After denying this, Conners demands Peter be left alone. I have some theories on who he is. I found a close up on this mysterious figure and will upload it on the same fansite as this review (dcmarvelrelatedfilms). He is an older looking man with blonde hair with a beard. And he does refer to Parker as "boy" so he may be as old as he appears. This figure could be Kraven The Hunter, which would make sense in a universe of villains that are cross human and animal DNA. Another possibility is Dr. Nelson Van Adder or one of the goblins. Alistair Smythe is another possibility. And if I am not mistaken, he was in the video game with a shaven beard. Jackal. Jackal is not only possibly this man, but also a future villain. Same with Dr. Vincent Stegron.
Overall: I am going to have to rate this film 92.8% out of a possible 100. Best Marvel movie yet (sorry Avengers). It's not the best superhero film, or the best movie of the year (so far thats Prometheus) but it's the best Marvel movie, and beats all 3 of the past films. Will it be better than The Dark Knight Rises? I HIGHLY doubt that. Those who enjoyed The Amazing Spiderman may also enjoy Superman: The Movie, Batman (1989), Spiderman (2002), Spiderman 2, Spiderman 3, Marvels The Avengers (AKA Avengers Assemble), Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance, and Men In Black 3. And no hostile comments, please. I wouldn't judge you for your opinions.