Film Review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Rated M (action violence). 142 minutes. Directed by Marc Webb. Screenplay by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner.

Verdict: A bloated Spider-Man outing that both rewards and tests our patience.

Given the saturation of superhero films, avid movie-goers could be forgiven for waking up in the middle of a dream starring the big, flickering Marvel logo. The studio’s output can only be described as prolific, and the trend for their films to run way too long is perfectly encapsulated in this Spider-Man sequel, which balances precariously on the edge of riveting human drama and an experience you might also find yourself waking up in the middle of.

What keeps it interesting is Andrew Garfield’s return to the title role. Garfield, like Captain America’s Chris Evans, constantly threatens to out-class the material, and his tortured, soulful Peter Parker gets as much screen time as his daredevil, smart-mouthed Spider-Man.

Cinematographer Daniel Mindel (Star Trek) unleashes a frenetic combination of moods and tones, while Webb places us firmly at the heart of all the action. What emerges, though, is the distinct impression that Garfield is more at home deep within the drama than the acrobatics, which accounts for the beautifully played scenes between Peter and Emma Stone’s perfect Gwen Stacy, Sally Field’s divine Aunt May, and Dane DeHaan’s outstanding performance as Peter’s childhood friend Harry Osborn/Green Goblin.

Jamie Foxx’s Electro starts out brilliantly, but ends up with far too much screen time, most of which is too effects-heavy to ever be totally convincing or as interesting when compared to the characters that remain resolutely human in the face of all the tedious, electrically-charged chaos and destruction. When DeHaan’s more relevant and invigorating Goblin eventually turns up, it unfortunately feels like someone has just served you up your nineteenth helping of apple pie and ice-cream.

This review was commissioned by the West Australian Newspaper Group.

Film Review: The Amazing Spider-Man

The Amazing Spider-Man. Rated M (action violence). 136 minutes. Directed by Marc Webb. Screenplay by James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves.

Verdict: Andrew Garfield brings Peter Parker to life in sensational form – and the film follows his lead beautifully.

If there’s one reason to see this intriguing reboot of the Spider-Man franchise, it is Andrew Garfield’s (Boy A, The Social Network) bravura performance in the title role. Garfield’s Peter Parker is no shy, bland, awkward geek. Instead, Garfield’s Peter is a twitchy, neurotic, damaged young man who is perpetually grieving for his lost parents who obviously meant the world to him. It’s a fascinating, complex performance from one of the finest young actors of his generation – and one that lends this particular take on the well-known and much-loved Spider-Man a source of deeply engaging heart and soul.

Garfield is well-supported by the charming Emma Stone (The Help) as Peter’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy, who also provides the film with a lightness of touch that is a delightful counterpoint to the film’s over-riding seriousness. Rhys Ifans (The Five-Year Engagement) makes a fantastic Dr Curt Connors/The Lizard, while Denis Leary as Gwen’s father and Martin Sheen (The West Wing) and Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters) as Peter’s aunt and uncle round out the fine ensemble.

Writers Vanderbilt (Zodiac), Kloves (who adapted the Harry Potter novels for the screen) and Sargent (who has worked on every Spider-Man script including Sam Raimi's memorable adventures with Tobey Maguire in the title role), have delivered a beautifully structured screenplay that neatly divides the story into two parts: the keenly-observed origins of Peter’s superpowers and the ultimate battle between Spider-Man and The Lizard for control of New York.

Webb (500 Days of Summer) wisely lets his outstanding ensemble do what they do best before cutting loose in spectacular fashion for the film’s monumental slap-down that echoes the climactic sequences of King Kong.

Editors Alan Edward Bell, Michael McCusker and Pietro Scalia keep the action moving along at a perfect pace – ensuring that the pace never once sags, and James Horner’s (Avatar, Titanic) score underscores every layer of the story perfectly.

John Schwartzman’s (The Green Hornet) superb cinematography beautifully accounts for the film’s many changes in mood and tone – with the night-time sequences high above the city, in particular, just stunning. Fans of the Marvel comics will note the stylish comic book framing of almost every shot – and will more than likely be grateful that Webb and his creative team have chosen to respect the comic book origins of the character with a fine, uncluttered visual aesthetic.

As we have come to expect, a short scene after the main credits at the end more than hints at a sequel – and it’s not that often that we welcome that thought. In this case, though, it’s welcome back and hurry back Spider-Man.

This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group and appeared in the print edition of The Geraldton Guardian (pictured below).

 

Film Review: The Social Network

The Social Network. Rated M (coarse language). 120 minutes. Directed by David Fincher. Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin. Based on the novel The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich.

When contemplating the game-changing social-networking website ‘Facebook’, the statistics are staggering. Consider, for example, the following: more than 500 million active users; 50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day; and people spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook.

And while the debate rages regarding the extent of The Social Network’s authenticity, you can’t take anything away from the film as a sensational piece of cinematic story-telling. Fincher (Alien 3, Se7en, Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Sorkin (The West Wing, Sports Night, A Few Good Men) have absolutely nailed the complexity of what just may have happened behind the scenes as the behemoth website was created.

The Social Network boasts the most brilliant performances from an exceptional young ensemble, with Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland) and Andrew Garfield (Boy A), in particular, superb as Facebook founders Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin respectively. Justin Timberlake proves he can, in fact, do anything with a fantastic turn as Napster founder and Facebook interloper Sean Parker.

But anyone familiar with Sorkin’s uncanny ability to write in often surprising detail about the intricacy of human interaction, will recognise the rich layering of emotion that gives much of The Social Network its cinematic torque – all spun masterfully from the simple premise of the extent to which Zuckerberg has to defend the proprietary rights over his much-loved creation.

With flawless cinematography from Jeff Cronenweth (Fight Club), pace-perfect editing from long-time Fincher collaborator Angus Wall and Sydney-born Kirk Baxter (… Benjamin Button), and a brilliant original score from Atticus Ross (The Book of Eli) and Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), The Social Network powers along for every one of its 120 minutes – never looking or feeling like anything less than a monumental labour of love for everyone concerned – resulting in one of the most perfect films of the year.

Pictured: Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield.

This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.