I’m an adult woman, but I first watched Andrew‘s Spiderman when I was the ‘appropriate’ age to feel the feelings I re-lived while watching The Amazing Spiderman this week. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone have ‘it’ and flow between angst and comedy WHILE giving each other SO much heat. It’s amazing to watch. And re-watch.
I’m an adult woman, but I first watched Andrew‘s Spiderman when I was the ‘appropriate’ age to feel the feelings I re-lived while watching The Amazing Spiderman this week. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone have ‘it’ and flow between angst and comedy WHILE giving each other SO much heat. It’s amazing to watch. And re-watch.
After Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider, he gains newfound, spider-like powers and ventures out to save the city from the machinations of a mysterious reptilian foe.
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But, it’s not obsessive in a way that makes it difficult to see Spiderman/Peter Parker’s journey. His coming-of-age is about personal integrity in the body of a young man still forming. He loves life, he loves his parents, he feels BIG: he hugs and kisses and cries and says I love you freely. This story was highly impactful for me in the 2010’s where these issues were being explored by all of my peers. And BOTH Andrew’s Parker and Emma’s Gwen are on their own journey of agency, integrity, and identity. It is SO important that I was able to show my kids that BOTH Parker and Gwen’s journeys were a part of the film in a bigger way. Aunt Mae’s journey was an entire movie in and of itself, she had so much love, pain, anger, and care. Everyone was full of life and embraced each other in big ways.
With that said, I did not like the sequel. I’m still hurt by it. I love love love those characters and don’t love the structural and mortality decisions. They were valid, sure, but I was too broken hearted to really see why it was all worth my time. It became a ‘lesson’ in agency, mutual trust, and respect for everyone’s gifts and talents… Yet, Peter took a chance on ‘love’ and offered all of himself in a way that immediately resulted in losing everything. I didn’t like the lesson. I disagree with the lesson.
Tobey’s Parker went half-way and ended up keeping his object of obsession, Andrew’s Parker went ALL in (even joyfully committing to moving to London) and still lost everything as if Gwen’s Dad cursed him for choosing life over an empty commitment. That is not the Spiderman tale I want my kids to take away. That didn’t reflect the Spiderman legacy, it felt like a push too far.
But, honestly, I could watch The Amazing Spiderman over and over again because I LOVE Andrew’s Spiderman, all of him. He loves the children and his neighborhood and it shows. His is the first friendly neighborhood Spiderman.
Click HERE To Watch The Amazing Spiderman
