The New Hero: Spiderman Revamped

There’s a new guy on the block, but he’s not really so new after all. It’s Spiderman, but as you’ve never seen him before. There’s no Tobey McGuire, no redheaded Mary Jane, and not quite as much of the nerdiness. We’re missing some of the villains and some of the plot, but I’ve been told the new The Amazing Spiderman doesn’t suffer much for it. Is it true?

If you’ve seen the trailer for the new film, the first thing that you’re going to notice is the lack of Tobey McGuire. Oh yeah, he’s no longer Spiderman. Is that good or bad? Well, it depends on Andrew Garfield’s performance. He’s the new superhero, and I think we’re all wondering what his acting skills are going to be like. This isn’t his first rodeo; he’s been in The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus and The Social Network, but he’s never played this kind of leading character. We can only hope Garfield delivers.

You’ll also notice that Emma Stone is in this film. Nope, no more sweet, redheaded, break-out actress Mary Jane for ole’ Peter. Emma’s the new love interest. Will the audience take to that? I don’t know. I love Emma, but she will be a complete turnaround as far as romantic partners go. After all, she’s the girl from Superbad and The Help.

The new trailer looks far more modern than any of the previous Spiderman movies. It’s more stylized, darker, and more streamlined. The posters for the movie have far more detail than any we’ve seen before. Just look at the suit! You can see the fibers on Spiderman’s suit! He’s a bit more muscled, a little less nerdy than the previous Peter Parker, and I think that embodies New York a bit more than anything we’ve seen before.

This movie is about Parker finding his parents and his past. He wants to know why and how they disappeared; he wants to know everything. That’s going to cost him, though. He has a run-in with the police, his father’s former partner, and a monster. Will he finally find his heritage and learn how he gained his powers?

I’m really nervous for this movie. I love action and superhero movies, but removing all the famous characters and plot points is a pretty ballsy move to make. Can the new hero on the block pull it off?