The Amazing Spider-Man - B

Rated PG-13, 136 minutes

New "Spider-Man" isn't amazing but still entertaining

Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield

Where there is power, there is great responsibility...to produce an original story. "The Amazing Spider-Man" is the latest version of Spider-Man following the immensely popular Sam Raimi versions of the early 2000's (that seems so long ago but is it really?). "The Amazing Spider-Man" isn't as amazing as the title suggests; it lacks the originality of the original version but is entertaining to stand on its own and is a serviceable re-start of a new Spider-Man series of films. The film covers familiar ground, telling the story of Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field). Peter is finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and many secrets. One such secret is a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, and he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance - leading him directly to the company Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man battles with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a true super-hero and man in the process. "The Amazing Spider-Man" is an enjoyable, if somewhat bland, retelling of the Spider-Man comic book legend. There are enough decent elements to form a new series, but the weak story lacks the fluidity of the original film, with so much emphasis placed on the special effects and action set pieces (which are OK here but not stunning). There is little of the discovery of new strengths and powers with Spidey going right into full action, which is what made the 2002 film so much fun (the best new touch: the artificial web devices that Peter creates). But the most burning question may have to do with how Garfield holds up as the red-masked crusader, and that is he is wholly believable; this version has a leaner, less bulky Spider-Man, but that seems to work in his favor as he climbs walls. Stone is a lovely Stacy but given little to do; British character actor Ifans is a terrific villain though the weakest aspect of the story is a huge disconnect between Peter and villain Conners; why does Conners seem to hate Peter so much and yet really doesn't even know him? The film's action-packed, over-the-top climax is the best part of the film, while the ending certainly leaves it open for installments. "The Amazing Spider-Man" isn't perfect but it's modestly entertaining enough to make it worth a look, even if it has room to grow.