The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner.

Director:

Marc Webb

Writers:

James Vanderbilt (screenplay), Alvin Sargent (screenplay),

Stars:

Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans

24 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andrew Garfield	...	Spider-Man / Peter Parker
Emma Stone	...	Gwen Stacy
Rhys Ifans	...	The Lizard / Dr. Curt Connors
Denis Leary	...	Captain Stacy
Martin Sheen	...	Uncle Ben
Sally Field	...	Aunt May
Irrfan Khan	...	Rajit Ratha
Campbell Scott	...	Richard Parker
Embeth Davidtz	...	Mary Parker
Chris Zylka	...	Flash Thompson
Max Charles	...	Peter Parker (Age 4)
C. Thomas Howell	...	Jack's Father
Jake Keiffer	...	Jack (as Jake Ryan Keiffer)
Kari Coleman	...	Helen Stacy
Michael Barra	...	Store Clerk

Storyline

Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy, and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance - leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr Curt Connors, his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

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Plot Keywords:

lizard | spider man | teenager | hero | high school | 

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Taglines:

The untold story begins.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Facebook game

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 July 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Spider-Man 4

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios Hollywood - 1000 Universal Studios Blvd, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$230,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$62,004,688 (USA) (6 July 2012)

Gross:

$262,030,663 (USA) (12 October 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Marvel Enterprises, Laura Ziskin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Datasat SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Scenes showing Dr. Connors (Rhys Ifans) interacting with his son Billy (played by Miles Elliot) were shot but not included in the final theatrical cut. One of them is included in the deleted scenes/supplemental material on the DVD release.

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Goofs

When Peter first talks to Gwen in the school corridor, he pulls both earphones out of his ears but then his right ear clearly has an ear bud and wire dangling from it throughout the rest of the conversation.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Peter Parker: Five, four, three, two, one... Ready or not, here I come.

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Crazy Credits

SPOILER: Not long into the credits, a scene appears of Dr. Conners in his asylum cell, talking to a mysterious man.

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Connections

Version of Three Giant Men (1973)

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Soundtracks

"No Way Down"
Written by James Mercer
Performed by The Shins
Courtesy of Columbia Records

User Reviews

'Secrets have a cost. They're not free. Not now, not ever.'

Why we needed another Spiderman series after the recent (2002/2007) Tobey McGuire run is probably the same reason we keep getting remakes of foreign films (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, etc): they make money. And it looks like the public will never tire of Marvel Comic Book stories, so might as well settle in and give them a try. It is an evening's entertainment approaching 3 hours of visual shenanigans that are pretty entertaining.

There are some differences between this Spiderman and the last - aside from cast: the stories are different although they both claim to show the origin of this magic transformation of a lonely confused young man trying to figure out who he is until he discovers some super secrets and the power to change into a humanoid spider-gifted hero. It all starts out well enough - Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is shy and unable to relate to about everyone except his aunt and uncle (Sally Field and Martin Sheen do a fine job here). He fails at a run-in with the high school bully Flash (a hunky and promising Chris Zylka), is noticed by the perky Gwen (Emma Stone) who is involved in Peter's introduction to scientist Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) who is an old friend of Peter's strangely disappeared father (Campbell Scott) and mother (Embeth Davidtz). Peter is smart, discovers a formula in his father's briefcase, and ultimately is able to transform himself into Spiderman - his nemesis being The Lizard who is actually Dr. Connors taking a potent experimental solution. After a lot of flying around on buildings and throwing spider web tendrils at everything including The Lizard, Peter is hunted as a threat until Gwen's policeman father (Denis Leary) eventually bonds with the insecure Peter in a life saving situation. Then we are given footage of what is up for the sequel...

The human (read 'credible') parts work the best - Garfield and Stone make a fine pair and Sheen and Field give fine cameos. Once the transformation takes place the film becomes a lesson in special effects and that is fun enough to watch. It just goes on far too long...and there is more to come. Makes you wonder when the next cycle of Spiderman will come along.

Grady Harp