The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is a 2012 live-action film starring Andrew Garfield as the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man. The film was directed by Marc Webb, the director of 500 Days of Summer, and is a Continuity Reboot of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy. Once again telling Spider-Man's origins, this time the film focused on Peter as he develops his powers in high school.
The film also stars Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Martin Sheen and Sally Field as Peter's Uncle Ben and Aunt May, Denis Leary as Capt. George Stacy, and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard.
It was followed by The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 2014, which received a mixed critical reception. Since then, Sony abandoned all other plans for Spider-Man films, instead making a deal with Marvel Studios to integrate the character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starting with Captain America: Civil War in 2016.
- Adorkable: Peter Parker.
- Canon Foreigner: Gwen Stacy seems to have siblings in this continuity.
- Continuity Reboot
- Create Your Own Villain: Peter is responsible for working on the formula that transforms Curt Connors into The Lizard.
Peter: I have to stop him, because I created him.
- Darker and Edgier: Compared to the previous trilogy. For example, Spider-Man being pursued by police appears to be more seriously treated here, while in the previous films this was played for laughs.
- Dawson Casting: Like Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield is playing a teenager despite being in his late twenties. In fact, Maguire first played him at 27 and Garfield is 28, so he's actually older than Maguire was, even though this Spidey actually spends the majority of the movie as a high-school student, and not just the first act. It seems to work, though, as Garfield certainly doesn't look like he's pushing 30.
- Deadpan Snarker: The fandom rejoiced when this version of Peter was revealed to be one, similar to his comics counterpart.
- And from the looks of things, George Stacy is getting in on the act too:
George Stacy: [After Peter escapes Police Custody] Thirty-eight of New York's finest, versus one guy in a unitard.
- Death by Origin Story: Peter's parents, Richard and Mary, and his Uncle Ben.
- The Dog Bites Back: At one point, Peter grabs Flash and slams him against a locker in response to his Jerk Jock tendencies.
- Fauxreigner: Averted as it seems Rhys Ifans is keeping his Welsh accent for Connors.
- Full-Frontal Assault: Unlike most versions, the Lizard will have no clothes, at least most of the time.
- Headphones Equal Isolation: Stan Lee's cameo.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: Par for the course, but in this case, Peter is on the run from the entire police force for his vigilantism.
- It Got Worse: The trailer's...
(Spider-Man stops a car from plummeting into the East River)
Man: Help! My son's in there!
(car bursts into flames)
- It's All My Fault: Peter blames himself for Dr. Connors becoming the Lizard, as he helps him with the Lizard formula.
- Jekyll and Hyde: Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard.
- Jerk Jock: Flash Thompson.
- Le Parkour: At the end of the first trailer, a first person sequence featured Spider-Man running along a few rooftops in a manner very similar to parkour, with a good dose of spider powers thrown in for good measure.
- One Degree of Separation: Spider-Man is being hunted by the police, led by Captain George Stacy; Captain Stacy's daughter Gwen is an intern at Oscorp and working with Dr. Curt Connors; Dr. Connors used to work with Richard Parker; Richard's son Peter is High School Sweethearts with Gwen Stacy; Gwen's father is leading the police in their hunt of Spider-Man, who just happens to be Peter Parker.
- Ordinary High School Student: Unlike the previous film franchise, it's been confirmed that the bulk of this film will take place during Peter's days in high school.
- Parental Abandonment: Once again, Peter is raised by his Aunt and Uncle. However, taking a page from the Ultimate universe, Peter knew his parents for several years before their deaths, and both Richard and Mary Parker appear on screen.
- The Snark Knight/You Fight Like a Cow: Confirmed - The Comic Con showreel included a scene with Spider-Man coming across a car thief who asks if he's a cop. Spidey sarcastically mocks him for thinking cops wear red and blue spandex, and when the thief pulls a knife on him, he falls to to the ground pleading for his life, before webbing the guy.
You found my one weakness! Really small knives!
- Steven Ulysses Perhero: Ladies and gentlemen, the director of The Amazing Spider-Man; Marc Webb.
- Troll: Garfield invoked internet trolls who get the feeling of power from their anonymity to describe the dorky, insecure Peter's transformation into the wise-ass masked vigilante Spider-Man. Peter is also all too happy to repeatedly test his webshooters on the car thief in the scene described above.
- Where Does He Get All Those Wonderful Toys?: Peter's web shooters are created by his father before his death, or adapted from one of his father's inventions; Peter just happens to find them around the time he gets his powers.