The Amazing Spider Man (2012) (PG)

Usually a remake happens after the memory of the first film has faded but when a storyline is prematurely resurrected it’s potentially going to make heads turn for the wrong reasons. Director Marc Webb’s  2012 version of the Spectacular Spiderman appeared from the shadows and caught everybody unawares and the trainers seemed to strangely promote its similarities to the first. Peter Parker played by Andrew Garfield experiences the spider bite that makes him the cheeky super hero and much of his transformation is similar to what has been previously seen. But the main storyline is very different to the original and the marketing material seems to have problematically overlooked this.

In many ways Garfield’s Peter Parker is weak, his emotional attachments seemed fudged and confused at times, which is compounded by the poor script and the annoying habit that the writers have of making him wordless when he really needs to say something.

The Police Captain Stacy and father of Spiderman’s love interest is excellently played by the gruff Denis Leary. His serious approach is very appropriate given the setting and his sincerity in duty is convincing.

The effects are also impressive and the years between this version and the last has definitely benefited this newer film. But having said that the design of the characters is predictable when this second coming could be the chance to add something different. Loyalty to the original comic is potentially the reason why this was sacrificed?

At the core of this remake is a story which draws on many predecessors and benefits. Classics such as Doctor Jackal and Mister Hyde and then more trashy 80’s and 90’s scientist turned freak motion pictures such as Darkman. This new Spiderman sits between these two the Lizard and the Scientist and the Student and the Mutant and delivers an exciting although at times frustrating blockbuster.

64/100

                        

The Watch (15)

When a self righteous, do-gooder, Store Manager called Evan decides to set up a Neighbourhood Watch, after his friend and store security guard is mysteriously murdered, he comes up against something completely unexpected. Ben Stiller plays this lead character in his no thrills, deadpan, way and shortly after this starts becoming painful we are introduced to the three co-stars, in the hope that they can be a foil to Stiller’s predicable and all too samey approach.

Vince Vaughn plays the boisterous Bob who is perhaps the strongest of the crew, pulling a few laughs, but once again filling a role he has become stereotyped for. He has some back story and a daughter called Chelsea, Erin Moriarty, who he obsesses over.  Jonah Hill (Moneyball) plays the strange Franklin and Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd) plays the even stranger Jamarcus. Both are uneasy and it’s difficult to really pin down what they represent or to form any attachment to them.

There is definitely a trend of uncertainty which runs through the film and perhaps the highlights are the set pieces rather than the overall story which is fairly predictable. There is a scene where the Watch are caught drinking alcohol in their car and Stiller is fined by the persistent Sergeant Bressman, played by the amusing Will Forte. When they think they have a dead alien on their hands and begin taking photos of it in rube positions they soon find out that the alien is only unconscious. 

The concept of bringing aliens into this type of comedy arena is a risky one. The film is billed as a comedy not a comedy sci-fi and although it could be argued that the secret in the film is the science fiction element you have a sense that this is a difficult match. It does feel as if the sci-fi is just a gimmick rather than an important part of the storyline. Thankfully though it’s not too long and curious enough to keep you watching.

61/100