DVD
REVIEW: THE AMAZING SPIDER MAN
11/08/12
OVERVIEW:
One of the most beloved and iconic super heroes of all time reemerges in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN™, debuting on Blu-ray™/DVD Combo Pack, Blu-ray
3D™ Combo Pack, DVD, and a Limited Edition Gift Set with collectible Spider-Man and Lizard figurines, all with UltraViolet™, on Friday, November 9th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Presented for
the first time in at-home 3D, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN tells the story of teenage Peter Parker, who grapples with both high school and amazing super-human crises as his alter-ego Spider-Man battles The
Lizard.
SYNOPSIS:
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN™ is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May
(Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. When Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance - leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.
FILM REVIEW: Amazing, Amazing, Amazing. What a reboot! The Amazing Spiderman is absolutely well deserving of all the prestigious praises any top-notch Hollywood blockbuster movie would normally receive. Quite often we ask the question “why a reboot?” and more often than not there isn’t a logical explanation other than simple economics. However, in this case, it is quite obvious as to why a reboot is sometimes necessary. Is it a fresh take on an old set of ideas and circumstances? The answer is certainly an overwhelming “yes!” The decision on not going with an additional installment to the Sam
Raimi, Tobey McGuire “Spider-Man” trilogy installation seems to have paid off with this fresh installment of the franchise.
Director Marc Webb [(500) Days of Summer – 2009] has done a superb job taking the overly redone franchise to the next level. He seems to have an eye for relationships and romance, and spends the first hour creating a believable and, more importantly, a fresh-feeling to the development and evolution of the characters in the film. He starts with a notable focus on the parents of young Peter Parker and follows through with the blossoming romance of Parker and Emma Stone’s character, Gwen Stacy. Webb deserves credit for hitting some familiar story points without succumbing to redundancy. Some notable successes is his ability to weave together all of the elements we know to expect (the spider bite, the discovery of powers, the death of Uncle Ben, the creation of the costume and the crime-fighting persona) in new and exciting ways. I would not expect this to be an easy feat considering this being a character whose origins have been told and retold umpteen times in various media over the past half century.
The amazing lineup of celebs in this flick is headed by relatively new-comer Andrew Garfield (The Social Network - 2010). Admittedly, his ability to assume Tobey McGuire’s legacy in the role, was a major question mark in my mind. However, I must admit that the US-born “Brit” has delivered remarkably on every level. He exudes all the known characteristics of Peter Parker and is very convincing in his transformation from high school wimpy teen to crime-fighting superhero.
“The Amazing Spider-Man” is dark, gritty and overall beautifully done. It takes the viewer on what seems like a virtual roller coaster ride and becomes, at times, refreshingly playful and never corny. They cram together an origin story, a love story, a tortured-adolescence story and a monster movie with a surprising amount of finesse. The movie has depth and purpose, if not total freshness and is entertaining from beginning to end.
If I had to identify a downside to this movie, it could only be the obvious setup pitch made for a part two to this installment. Unfortunately, they made this quite obvious by spending more than half of the movie on character and plot development. In other words, more than half way through the movie I found myself questioning why we were still witnessing Parker learning about his new-found abilities. Nevertheless, I still give “The Amazing Spider-Man” four out of five stars.
Review
By Movie-Man Stan
DVD: The film is
presented in widescreen in a 2.40:1 aspect ration
preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just
flawless. Not only the picture looks great in
this release, also the sound it is good, a 5.1 Dolby Digital
in English and French(PAR) that provides a
good complement to the picture. It also includes
English and Spanish subtitles.
VIDEO:
2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
AUDIO:
English
Spanish and French 5.1
Dolby
Digital Surround
Subtitles - English Spanish
French Optional
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Deleted Scenes
Filmmaker Audio Commentary
The Oscorp Archives – Production Art Gallery
Stunt Rehearsals
Submit Your Movie Review
MORE MOVIE REVIEWS
>>>
