SPIDEY 4 becomes AMAZING becomes Marvel's SPIDER-MAN

[Dacey]

I saw this movie on Tuesday.

I'll have much more to type about it later on (all kinda spoilery, so fair warning), but let's just say for now that I had a lot of problems with this one. I don't think I've ever seen a superhero movie that was more confused about what tone it was going for.

Also, in a movie with at least three villains, how is it that Paul Giamatti with an over-the-top Russian accent was the least silly of the bunch?

(BTW, at this point, I think we can rename this topic "The Amazing Spider-Man Franchise." Been a long time since we heard about Spidey 4's (unfortunate) cancellation)

[Ben]

Rename done, but since this started with Spidey 4 I've reflected that too.

Interested to hear your take...! If I didn't mention the tone before I had meant to, since it was all over the place! (Though I think Giamatti being the least silly was because he's hardly around to make much of an impact!)

[Dacey]

Honestly, I liked him in the part. But I'm a sucker for cartoonish Russian bad guys.

But that's a good place to start. EVERY trailer for this film---heck, even the film's first poster--has highlighted the inclusion of the Rhino, so the way he was "featured" in the film was just flat-out false advertising. Imagine if every preview for The Incredibles had promised a big action sequence involving The Underminer. That's literally the kind of thing they pulled off there.

Seriously, I don't know if I've EVER seen an "introduction" of a super villain more sloppily done. This happens FIVE MINUTES after "that event." Yup, makes perfect sense tone-wise to get back to the silly stuff at that point, right? Surely someone--ANYONE--during the film's production said, "You know what, we can't go from a scene that shockingly violent to one that involves the man from Sideways in a CGI rhinoceros costume."

Also, WHY DID OSCORP EVEN HAVE THAT SUIT LAYING AROUND?!! You're meaning to tell me that at some board meeting, some hotshot pitched the idea of a battle suit that was shaped like a Rhino? Oh, and they also had an Electro suit (because of course they did) and a Green Goblin suit that would fit Harry Osborne (again, because of course they did) stored away as well. That makes PERFECT sense.

The movie started off promisingly enough. Seemed to (thankfully) be throwing away the so-called "grounded" tone of the "original" in favor of the Spidey fun that was sorely missing from that installment. But after his first encounter with Electro, I think that literally an hour must go by before the next action scene, when the movie decided it was time for the "climax" with no build-up to it at all.

Speaking of no build-up, regarding "that event," from a narrative standpoint, there was no reason whatsoever for that to happen!!!! Yeah, everyone knows it happened in the comics, but in that case it was to resolve the love triangle that had been going on for good, and, of course, was also done to sell comic books. They could've just sent Gwen to Harvard and ended the relationship that way. Instead, the movie is constantly second-guessing itself, having Peter and Gwen "together" and then "not together" over and over again. I just kept waiting for those scenes to be over, and that should NOT have been my reaction given what does ultimately happen in this movie (which, again, like the Green Goblin himself, comes out of nowhere and is then gone almost immediately).

There were just so many scenes that could've been cut from this. The whole "Oh, Peter, your father...was a bad man!" thing was an obvious fakeout that anyone who had even seen the film's teaser trailer would know to be a lie. Also, if Aunt May and Ben had REALLY believed that, then why was Ben lecturing Peter about how he needed to be a better man "like his father" in the "first" film? This is followed by a scene of Peter acting like AN IDIOT in public, making multiple references to being Spider-Man within ear range of the receptionist (who seemed to be able to hear at least some of that conversation).

Now, apparently, there were a lot of scenes that were cut that should've been in the film that would've solved some of these problems. Whether or not that's true, I have no idea, but these scenes WOULD belong in the film if this is true....

http://screenrant.com/amazing-spider-ma ... ut-scenes/

Focusing on Electro (who was apparently the "main bad guy," remember?) would've been a good idea. And there are signs of rewrites LITERALLY seeming to take place even within the film. For instance, Spidey says "Every time me and Electro fight, he destroys my web shooters." Um...he's only ever fought Electro ONCE at that point. Why does he make a reference to "every time" in that context?

Then again, maybe these rumors of a better director's cut being around are just that: rumors. All I know is that Marc Webb's made two Spidey movies now, and he STILL seems to have no idea in heck what he's doing. And yeah, we're all hearing that the next one will be much better, that it will have more action, that it will make the reboot worth it...but isn't that what we heard was supposed to be the case with THIS sequel??!!

In a single paragraph, no, I don't think that these movies are "bad." But they're also far from amazing. "The Average Spider-Man" really would be a more accurate title at this point.

[Bill1978]

The Amazing Spider-Man 2: The Rise Of Electro

Australia still got this title.

[Ben]

Dacey...loved it!

But director's cut or no, I couldn't stand it if the film was any longer!


Bill...interesting you got that title. Was it actually on the "prints" or just on marketing materials. My understanding was that it was a production title, dropped for promotion. It would be odd if they switched it back just for Australia so I wonder if it is on the film or not (could have been a decision to drop it that did not "filter through")...?

[Bill1978]

I have no idea if it is on the prints. I haven't seen it yet. Waiting until dVd like I seem to do for all comicbook movies. But every review I saw in a paper, every time I see a Box Office chart or see an ad (in print or TV) it has the Electro bit attached to it.

[Dacey]

The Amazing Spider-Man: The Rise of Electro, the Birth of the Green Goblin, the Secrets of Our Fathers, the Cold Hand of Fate, and the Dawn of the Rhino's Reign: Part 1

And coming soon...

The Amazing Spider-Man: The Charge of the Rhino, the Carnage of Venom, the Luck of the Black Cat, the Kraving of the Hunter, and the Devil's Favorite Number is Six

And then...

The Amazing Spider-Man: No Spider-Man Here!

And, finally...

The Amazing-Spider Man: WE PROMISE IT WILL BE WORTH IT!!!!

After that, well...

The Amazing Spider-Man: All Heroes Must Begin Again Sometimes, Especially When Making Convenient Deals to Save Our Elders Who Are Already Old and Should Maybe Just Die Instead, But No (another reboot)

[Dacey]

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I have to disagree. I'm pretty sure Electro's "motives" in the movie were just that Spidey forgot his name for 10 seconds before remembering it again. The Raimi trilogy, this ain't.

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I don't think that had anything to do with Gwen's "destiny," although I see very clearly where you're coming from. A lot of people feel the same way (BTW, who says "motion picture" anymore?).

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Maybe if Harry Osborne had recognized "his criterion sparkle bulbs," he never would've become the Green Goblin. Anyone else feel the same way? Also, I'm REALLY hoping that Sir Thomas More is the main baddie in the next film.

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The "nest egg" as you call it--which was seen on Norman Osborne's desk when he was "dying"--was just a cheap setup for the next Spider-Man film, and nothing more.

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Gonna be honest: As someone who will cry during almost any movie depending on the mood I'm in, this part of the film failed to bring any tears to my eyes. But I was really frustrated with the movie at that point, so maybe that's why. Still, it would've been nice if Aunt May could've recruited "Zap Lineman Brisbane," since we know she was looking for "skillful men," as you say.

Anyway, thank you for contributing to the conversation n this topic. I can't say we agree, but you definitely have a lot of interesting ideas about the new Spider-Man movie. It's not like you're just an OBNOXIOUS spambot or anything, right? *






* Apologies to James, Ben and Rand for giving them yet another post that they'll (probably) have to delete.

[Ben]

I take it someone already deleted the posts you quoted from, Dace, but that was funny.

[Randall]

I think it was I that deleted the spammer, but thanks to Dacey his legacy lives on!

[Dacey]

Glad to know that the wise words of whateverhisnamewas will last forever now.

Not related to Spidey per se...or is it?

http://screenrant.com/fantastic-four-ca ... ox-marvel/

[Randall]

Definitely related. Marvel is clearly not cool with other studios using their characters anymore, not that they have much choice. Any protest is likely to be ineffective (and only shoots Marvel in its own foot, probably), as comic sales have nearly zero impact on the films.

[Dacey]

And everyone on the internet shared a collective shrug...

http://collider.com/amazing-spider-man- ... ore-338580

[Randall]

I can't even manage a shrug. Sony has screwed up this franchise, and they know it.

[Dacey]

But what about that Sinister Six solo movie that absolutely no one in the world really actually wanted?