The Amazing Spiderman (1 and 2)

[Day 4 of Blaugust 2015!]

The Amazing Spiderman

Behold the most well spoken reptilian ever.

Andrew Garfield makes a pretty decent Peter Parker, and I actually find that this rebooted Origin story works better than Tobey Maguire's version as Parker is really more involved with the development of cross-species powers. His photography hobby also is a good building block to what we know will be Peter's future profession, though you don't get to see that here as he stays a student for the duration of the story. I also quite that this Spiderman needs tech for his webbing, and that it has flaws.

But he still behaves like a spider!

Really my two main problems are the main villain, who when transformed still retains his "proper English" (you'd think he'd gain a Batman voice) and Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone) who just looks too old to be a student. I should mention that the recording Peter plays at the end is also cheap, and that there's one phoned-in death scene, but those can be over looked as it is a pretty enjoyable movie to watch. I give the Amazing Spiderman three and a half web shots out of five and wouldn't mind watching it again.

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The Amazing Spiderman 2

It's not complicated. They're just stupid.

Undecided if he should keep a promise he made in the last movie, Peter and Gwen's on and off again relationship becomes a big part of the story here and it's one I find stupid. Why? Because "it's complicated" only because the two fence sitting idiots make it so. Fortunately the FX is still awesome as are the action sequences, as well as elaborating more on what Peter's parents were up to in more depth. As odd as it might seem, Jaime Foxx's quirky character is the highlight for me, as his development is pretty good and he's nowhere near as irritating as Gweeter (Gwen + Peter).

Don't worry, Spiderman will keep us safe!

Harry Osborne also makes an appearance here, and unfortunately for him his development is far more... sudden? This leads me to favour James Franco's version, though to be fair he had a lot more time and more spidey movies than this iteration. He also puts big gaping holes in the plot at the end, as any sane individual would work out. Simply put spiderman is just not as amazing in this movie as the last one, and while it's still entertaining I give it only two and a half electric eels out of five.