Why I Like Spiderman Best

 

I thought I’d take a teensy break from posting re-caps of my trip to Colorado to talk about Spiderman.

Recently, Sarah wrote a whole series on The Avengers. It’s extremely articulate and interesting and I’ve wondered if I could write about superheroes with kind of passion. Probably not.

But I did take my dad and my husband to see The Amazing Spiderman in 3D yesterday. And it was pretty much awesome. Growing up, The Amazing Spiderman was the one comic I did read and when Sam Raimi released his movie trilogy a decade ago, I was very much a fan (although something about Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker always bugged me. I don’t know.)

And yeah, maybe it was just Andrew Garfield’s angstier, more grown-up take on the role. Or his dimples. Maybe. Or his mind-blowing chemistry with Emma Stone. Maybe.

But I liked this Spiderman so much more.

I’m not going to spoil the movie for you (but if your boyfriend or husband or comic-loving best friend is dragging you to see this…you’ll enjoy it). But I am going to say that I found this film kind of refreshing in the sea of recent superhero origin myth remakes. Because (with the exception of Steve Rogers/Captain America) it feels like the majority of these men turned super get reaaaaaaaaaaaally introspective and self-involved. “Who am I now that I have these powers? I’m such a freak. I’m so different. This is so hard for me.” Especially Bruce Wayne and his “Gotham needs me as their scapegoat because I am the dark avenger and I am so brooding and aloneeeeeeeeeeeeee…” (I apologize to Kyle and every other Batman fan out there, myself including). Of course, they all eventually realize that they can use their powers for good and not for evil, which is…you know…pretty much the premise of all superheroes ever.

But The Amazing Spiderman felt different. This Peter Parker isn’t a total loser before he gets his powers or total superstar after he does. And while Garfield does his duty as the simultaneously nerdy-bordering-on-genius-straight-A-manchild-with-mad-crush-on-daughter-of-police-chief and the brooding-disheveled-hair-skate-boarding-teen-with-abandonment-issues (oh, how my cup of angst doth runneth over!), this film manages to skip the whole “I wish I’d never been cursed with this HORRIBLE SUPERPOWER! I am so ALONE. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS MEEEEEEEEEEE!” and gets right to what I love about Spiderman, the emphasis on personal responsibility.

And if there is a neat bow on the moral of the story (and there really might be), then at least it’s a good one. Peter continually comes back to the phrase, “I messed up and I need to fix it.” And while a lot of real life doesn’t allow us that luxury, it’s wonderful to see a hero who really owns up to his own flaws.

Also…super great to see a superhero not do the whole “ugh, stop acting like my superpower is cool, it’s really a burden.” Um, no. Being a superhero is awesome. Stop acting like it’s not.

So thank you, Andrew Garfield and Marc Webb Who Directed One Of My Favorite Movies Of All Time No It Wasn’t The Amazing Spiderman.

Photo credit

 

Have you seen the movie yet? How do you feel about superheroes?

love, elizabeth

PS: Bruce Wayne fans…bring it.