Trailer: The Amazing Spider-Man

Hot off the whatever-machines-that-aren't-presses-that-people-use-to-make-hundred-million-dollar-effects-extravaganzas: a new action-packed trailer has arrived for the reboot of the Spider-Man franchise directed my Marc Webb ((500) Days of Summer) and starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans:



One thing that's immediately (and subjectively) apparent is that the reboot's not going to be as bright and colourful as the Sam Raimi’s Spider-Mans. Instead, we're dealing with a much more subdued palette with a heavy use of shadow, which gives the film—in the trailer at least—a much grittier look. This combined with the apparent plot point that Spidey is wanted as a vigilante by the cops makes it seem like Sony's taken a few pages from the grit-and-dark-with-some-dark-grit-mixed-in Dark Knight franchise's playbook.

As for the performances, the jury’s still out (and will be for months) on Andrew Garfield as the new Spider-Man, but the new trailer won't do much for people with nerves still a-frazzle after the somewhat unconventional casting. His (Brit-as-American) voice is a bit distracting and maybe doesn’t  match the lower-middle-class New Yorker character. When Spider-Man was in full costume and speaking, I couldn’t help but think “why is he sounding like Eduardo Saverin from The Social Network?” Perhaps I’m just too used to Tobey Maguire in the role. One positive thing they look to be bringing back for this film is Spidey’s heavy use of sarcasm when fighting criminals, which was missing somewhat in Raimi’s films. 

Slightly underwhelming Spider-Man aside, you have to be excited for Rhys Ifans’ performance as Curt Conners. We only see brief flashes of his alter-ego The Lizard, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's the best thing in the finished film. Sadly, the trailer does not show much of Emma Stone as Gwen Stacey or Denis Leary as her father (and Police Captain) George Stacey. However, the brief scenes with both were also quite good. As for Martin Sheen and Sally Field as Uncle Ben and Aunt May? They are more heard than seen in this trailer.

Overall, despite of the fact I still have to get used to the fact that this film is a reboot with a new cast, the trailer did its job. There is enough to like and more than enough to get me excited to see The Amazing Spider-Man when it opens in July.

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