All in all, I think we can mostly agree that Spider-Man 1 and 2 were good, with moments of greatness (I'm looking at you train sequence). But I think everyone can also agree that both were lacking some vital ingredients for a TRUE Spidey flick. As for SM3, well, dancing? Really? But that was then and now we have Webb, Garfield and Stone leading us into a new Spider-Man trilogy. So what does it take to make a GREAT Spider-Man film and can this new team finally deliver what we've been waiting for?
Let's delve right into it and take a look shall we:
1) Bon Mots: What do I mean by this? Simple. Spider-Man is the original wise-cracking Super-Hero; he gets through putting his life on the line every day and going up against villains far more powerful than himself by making light of the situation. He gets an edge on his enemies by throwing them off guard with his mocking quips. Peter-Parker is a charming, funny guy,(how do you think he hooked up with MJ, Gwen, Betty and Liz in the first place?) Spider-Man is an exaggeration of this persona. In the Raimi films, well Peter was a sop and a drag - he seemed depressed, and Spider-Man wasn't too much better, the odd 'woo-hoo- here and there.
Webb needs to raise the game here and Garfield seems like he could deliver. But to me and many others, this is part of what makes Spidey..well, Spidey!
2) A HOOOOOOTTTT Mary Jane Watson
Yeah..like that. Now does that look like Kirsten Dunst to you? No, me either. So let's just remember how smoking MJ is supposed to be and work from that basis
Yeah it's unrealistic that an evfryday guy like Pete could score a Super-Model, except..HE'S FREAKING SPIDER-MAN and also It. Is. A. Comic. Peter Parker is the ultimate vessell fro our nerd fantasies..he always was. He is a geek who can stand up to any bully, he's a nerd who all the girls want. He's a loser who can lift 10 tonnes above his head and crush steel pipes with his bare hands. He can sling a web and spider-sense your ass before you even get a shot in. MJ is pure wish fulfillment; a beautiful, sexy, funny, sparky, kind, generous and understanding Super-Model who is F.U.N. Now again..any of that sound like Dunst's portrayal? Nope. Thought not. We need someone who lights Garfields life on fire and is ven more exciting than his life as Spider-Man. So cast wise Mr Webb. Those are some hard (and very high-heeled) shoes to fill.
3) Less crying. C'mon, noone liek a whiner and Pete isn't that guy.
4) Better supporting cast.
And Black Cat. So look, before you chew me out here. JJJ was great, fantastic and perfect in the last films. Robbie Robertson was not. Flash was, well that wasn't Flash. Gwen was drip, MJ was a nagging bore, Aunt May was like some kind of wise caricature of herself, and Pete had no friends - aprt from Harry and that weird Polish girl. What was THAT about? To me, Pete needs a life that tears him away from what he feels are his duties as Spider-Man. He also needs a love interest for that part of his life. Someone who loves not Peter-Parker, but only the side of him that crawls walls, spins webs and catches thieves just like flies..enter Felicia Hardy and the Black Cat. Our counter-point to Gwen/MJ.
Spider-Man was always a soap-opera and this is a more interesting dynamic/element of that.
That's end of Part 1. Part 2 will post tomorrow. Please do share your thoughts and discuss. Agree? Disagree? All feedback welcome as this is my first post to CBM. Be interesting to pool all our ideas together to see what the consensus is on what exactly would make a perfect Spider-Man film.
Till next time.
Manhattan out.