The webman's origins

Besides the great adventure, daredevil escapades and bold heroic feats, there's a Peter Parker in all of us.

The fact that Spider-Man has survived for 50 years, passing on his legendary tale from generation to generation through thousands of comic books, television cartoons, a hugely successful film trilogy and now a new series of films, pays testament to his immortality and our everlasting bond with an ordinary teenager who achieves extraordinary deeds and overcomes insurmountable obstacles (physical and emotionally).

He represents the ordinary person who longs to break out of a prison of traditional conformity and have the courage and guts to be free and uproot his true identity through his explorations.

An anthem to freedom

The Amazing Spider-Man is an anthem to freedom in an age in which issues of identity, culture and sexuality prevail.

The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), an outcast high-school boy who was abandoned by his parents as a child, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high-school crush, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) and, together, they struggle with love, commitment and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance - leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter ego, The Lizard, he makes life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

The film shows that the true test of being a hero is not by stepping into a spotlight of fame and glory, but to exist in world of shadows, becoming an invisible icon who redeems his guilt and allows us to believe in hope.

The story of the webman's origins

The film is not a remake, but tells the story of the webman's origins, the "untold" story; it's an emotional journey that places its emphasis on the characters, as well as a spectacular feast that truly takes the art of film and visual effects to a new level - to bring a "new" Spider-Man' to life, you have not only to know what you are doing as a filmmaker, but you also have to do it extremely well to exceed all expectations. With this film, director Marc Webb, who made his feature film debut with (500) Days of Summer, and his creative team deliver a well-crafted feast.

You will not only experience the awesome and amazing adventure, but the film also plunges you into the action, particularly the 3D version, leaving you exhausted.

It has a well-written script filled with action, adventure and fun, written by James Vanderbilt, who sold his first screenplay 48 hours before he graduated from the University of Southern California's Filmic Writing Program, "because that will help you make friends at film school". The keynote speaker at his graduation was Spider-Man producer Laura Ziskin. Vanderbilt also wrote and produced the true-life crime thriller Zodiac.

First-rate entertainment

Besides its emotional and visceral impact, the film is fun and allows humour to contribute to the overall enjoyment and first-rate entertainment.

Garfield is perfectly cast as the new Spider-Man, delivering a gentle and sensitive portrayal of a tormented youth who yearns to find out who is his and love in a world that rejects him as an unwelcome outsider; Garfield is equally powerful as the bruised hero who turns his unusual talent into a fun-filled adventure.

Spider-Man would not be who he is without a great adversary and Rhys Ifans is superb as Dr Curt Connors, Parker's father's former partner and the only man who might have some insight - not only into what happened to Peter's father, but also into why Peter's life turned out the way it did. When Connors transforms into The Lizard, Peter must make choices that come very close to home and this transformational journey impacts greatly on his life.

The Amazing Spider-Man is not a fluffy visual effects spectacle, but a heartfelt and soulful journey that pays homage to one of the greatest superheroes of all time.

In the end, when we leave the cinema, the Peter Parker in all of us steps to the fore. We might not have superpowers, but the film ignites our abilities to dream, be hopeful and allows our imagination to soar triumphantly.

Behind the scenes

"This Peter Parker is a little different: he's still an outsider, but he's an outsider by choice," said director Webb. "He has a chip on his shoulder - he's the kid who rejects people before they can reject him. The humour, the sarcasm, the rebellious streak emanates from that little kid who got left behind so long ago.

"The things that are unresolved, the things we have to live with, send us down a road - and that road can make us better people. It makes us who we are, whether we like it or not that we're on that road," Webb added.

Garfield says that Webb's vision for a Spider-Man more grounded in reality is highlighted by one of the choices: the decision that Peter Parker would design and build his own web shooters in The Amazing Spider-Man. "They're a big thing for him," said Garfield. "It was important to Marc to show Peter taking an active role in his transformation into Spider-Man. It isn't just something that happens to him - he seizes the moment and does everything in his power to make the most of it."

Garfield said that he feels a special responsibility being the man inside the suit: "When I was younger, I sometimes felt trapped in my own skin, but we all have that. That's why this character is the most popular of all the superheroes: he is universal and uniting. The reason Spider-Man means so much to me is the same reason he means so much to everyone: he's a symbol, an imperfect person in the way that we're all imperfect, but trying so hard to do what is right and what is just and fighting for the people who can't fight for themselves. It's overwhelming to represent him - and believe me, I'm just the guy in the suit. I'm honoured to be that, but Spider-Man belongs to everyone."

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