As I'm currently watching Spiderman 2 and saw The Amazing Spiderman the day it came out last month I feel this is a good topic to discuss, seeing as I'm really really really opinionated on it.
Well for me, I feel they are un-comparable. When the 'The Amazing Spiderman' was first announced I can't say I was too thrilled. I soon spoke about it with my brother and my film studies teacher and they felt the same. It was far too soon for a reboot in my eyes. When you think of the 1977 Spiderman (not that I was around, but I have seen clips) there was a massive difference considering we now have better computer equiptment and computer animation meaning we can make comic books into films even better than before. The time was too short between the third of the trilogy and the new film.
I will always feel Tobey Maguire was the perfect Peter Parker. He is a wonderful actor, and I feel he can be brilliant at the more comic moments, and at the serious moments (he's great at crying on cue!) Peter Parker was a bit of a science geek, bit of a loner in school but overall a nice young man. I feel his portrayal of this was just perfect. Andrew Garfield on the other hand... It's not that I have anything against him, I have only ever seen him in one other thing (Doctor Who) and he was good. I just don't personally think he was ready as an actor to take on such a massive role. Maybe because I'm quite picky with actors I don't know, I'm all for giving less known people a bit oppertunity in any industry especially acting. However in one scene (When uncle Ben was shot) I feel he failed to even keep up with the American Accent he was trying to put on. Oh and don't even get me started on the skateboarding. What the hell was that? And especially that really stupid scene with him testing and trying out his powers, why did a skateboard need to be involved? I later found out that Garfield had suggested that scene himself. I also hated his portrayal as Peter Parker, he seemed far too arrogant and cocky.
I absolutely love the soundtrack of films, how they can make the audience feel emotion without words, they can make a scene in my eyes and I don't feel the soundtrack for the 'The Amazing Spiderman' was memorable in anyway. I love the composer, James Horner and the scores he composed for films such as Titanic and Bicentenial Man are fantastic, he has however left me disappointed. I personally think its a wrong choice for this kind of film anyway. Compared to Danny Elfman who has done many well known films such as Batman, Hellboy, Men In Black, etc.
I've also found myself getting pretty damn angry when people compare how many saw the two and how apparently The Amazing Spiderman has done better. I have only one thing to say about this, think back to 2002. The film was pretty much aimed at old comic book geeks. Think now, after the success of other super-hero films such as The Avengers, Iron Man, etc. There is now a whole new target audience of people who wish to see comic book films because of the action and special effects. It's kind of like they are the 'cool thing' at the moment.
Anyway, I could go on for much much longer. I'd love to have discussions about this!
