Category Archives: Film Fodder

“The Awakening” opens viewers’ eyes to hauntings of a different kind

Robert (Dominic West) attempts to comfort Florence (Rebecca Hall) in "The Awakening"

There are many theories on whether or not ghosts actually exist and, if they do, what causes these lost souls to stick around rather than moving on. The idea of proving or debunking their existence has become the subject of numerous reality shows such as Ghost Hunters, where experimental scientific methods are used to investigate paranormal activities. The British film The Awakening (not based on the feminist novel by Kate Chopin) takes ghost hunting back almost an entire century as strange occurrences at a preparatory school for orphans culminate in the death of one of its students.

Florence (Rebecca Hall) has made a career out of using scientific methods to track ghosts. Only her methods have been effective in not only disproving hauntings, but also uncovering fraudulent mediums using hoaxes to prey on those looking to reconnect with loved ones who have passed on. Her dedication to the subject has made her a famous (or infamous, depending on who you talk to) author bent on proving that there’s no such thing as ghosts. But when Robert (The Wire‘s Dominic West), a teacher from the boarding school, asks Florence for her assistance with the reported ghost sightings that resulted in the death of one student, she agrees to help. After her initial hesitation, Florence is inexplicably drawn to the school, and especially one young boy named Tom (Game of Thrones‘ Isaac Hempstead-Wright).

Florence (Rebecca Hall) endures physical and emotional distress in "The Awakening"

After her first night at the school, Florence is able to unveil a prank by some of the students, and it seems that the mystery has been solved. But after she also exposes one teacher’s abusive disciplinary methods, she starts to experience unexplainable occurrences for herself. As it turns out she, herself, is haunted by the loss of her lover in World War I. But that doesn’t fully explain the odd sightings and flashbacks that become more and more frequent the longer she stays at the school. When she insists on continuing her investigation even after Robert and Maud (Imelda Staunton), the housekeeper, are convinced that the prank explains everything, Florence’s own sanity begins to be questioned. And she gradually begins to realize that it’s not just the guilt and grief of having lost her lover that is haunting her, but something from much earlier in her life that has been repressed for many years.

By the time she figures out the source of these ghosts, chaos has broken out for those remaining at the school while the students are out on holiday. And in the tradition of The Sixth Sense and The Others, there is a big twist (or should I say, “an awakening”?) as the film reaches its climax. But The Awakening‘s big surprise is not the same surprise found in those movies. Instead, this film takes things one step further, surprising the viewer yet again just when he thinks he has it all figured out. And after all the suspense leading up to the big revelations, it’s kind of like the uneasy relief you might feel if you pulled the sheet way to find that there was never anyone underneath after all.

The Awakening. Directed by Nick Murphy. Starring Rebecca Hall, Dominic West and Imelda Staunton. Rated R. www.cohenmedia.net.

Fantasy becomes romantic comedy reality in “Ruby Sparks”

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Writer’s block can be a tough obstacle to overcome, especially when you’re also lacking a muse for inspiration. But such is the case with Calvin (Paul Dano), a modern-day J.D. Salinger who was catapulted to the top of the literary world after dropping out of high school and writing one of America’s most celebrated contemporary novels. Now celebrating the tenth anniversary edition of his acclaimed book, Calvin feels ever increasing pressure from his friends, family, agent and publisher to break out of his reclusive spell and write another book.

Calvin (Paul Dano) hides from the product of his imagination in "Ruby Sparks" (photo by Merrick Morton)

Then Calvin suddenly starts having dreams about a cute redhead whose irresponsibility and character flaws make her all the more adorable. He begins putting these endearing qualities to paper and before long he realizes he’s falling for this imaginary girl. But when he wakes up one day to find the girl of his dreams in his kitchen cooking him breakfast, he thinks he has finally gone mad. Previously convincing himself that the mysterious appearance of women’s undergarments and other strange items have been the result of his dog digging through the neighbor’s garbage is one thing. But when there’s a living, breathing fictional character standing in front of you as if everything you’ve written about her has actually happened, that’s a little harder to explain.

But there she is. Ruby Sparx (Zoe Kazan, who also wrote the screenplay), the somewhat wild-spirited painter who sometimes forgets to open her mail. The girl Calvin’s brother (Chris Messina) says sounds unbelievable on paper, but who is unbelievably real when she is cooking him dinner a few days later. Once Calvin gets over the initial shock of his situation, he then struggles with how to handle such power. His brother suggests he have as much fun as possible with the scenario, pointing out that Calvin could make her boobs bigger. But Calvin takes the ethical route and decides to stop writing about Ruby.

Calvin (Paul Dano) and Ruby (Zoe Kazan) have a very real relationship moment in "Ruby Sparks" (photo by Merrick Morton)

As Spider-Man has taught us, with great power comes great responsibility. And when Calvin’s relationship with Ruby progresses into the inevitable stages of her needing more space and wanting to be independent, Calvin can’t help but “fix” the situation with a few quick clicks of his typewriter. But just like any real relationship with a real person, working through such times is never as simple as he’d like it to be. And even with the ability to change Ruby’s actions and personality traits, she is still human, which means she still sometimes has inexplicable mood swings, can be desperately needy and might just strip down to her underwear at a friend’s party.

In much the same way that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (and, to a lesser degree, Total Recall) illustrated the philosophical struggles that come with the ability to pick and choose things such as human emotions, damaged egos and the natural progression of relationships (even under such unnatural circumstances), Ruby Sparks takes a similarly humorous look at the complicated subjects of human interaction and companionship. Like most any relationship, there are some fun times, some dark times and some mundane times. And even with the literal luxury of starting over, erasing the past or creating a new future, Calvin realizes certain things are inevitable and life often comes full circle.

Ruby Sparks. Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. Starring Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan. Rated R. www.makerubyreal.com.

Randy Couture proves he’s not expendable in “Hijacked”

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After starring alongside an ensemble of action heroes, martial artists and pro wrestlers such as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Mickey Rourke, Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li and Terry Crews in 2010’s The Expendables, wrestling legend and Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer Randy Couture returns to the big screen in the upcoming The Expendables 2. But before you see him kicking ass in theaters with Jason Statham, Chuck Norris, Dolph Lundgren, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Liam Hemsworth, Jean-Claude Van Damme and others on Aug. 17, Couture leads his own battle in the skies as he stars in the Blu-ray/DVD release Hijacked.

When a series of suspicious events leaves his partner (Vinnie Jones) gunned down after a ritzy party, government agent Paul Ross (Couture) realizes Bruce Lieb (Craig Fairbrass), the billionaire who threw the party, is the target of a terrorist plot. Between losing his partner and being unable to patch things up with his ex-fiancé Olivia (Tiffany Dupont), Couture and his cauliflower ears have nothing to lose. So he decides to save the day by boarding Lieb’s personal plane to provide security against the thugs planning to hijack the plane and parachute out with a bunch of money.

In a somewhat ironic twist of fate, Olivia just got a job with Lieb and is also on the plane. So while Ross is trying to protect the plane’s passengers from the terrorists, he has a more personal interest in making sure Olivia isn’t harmed. As the hijackers and their inside conspirators carry out their plan, Ross leads the other hostages in a revolt to regain control of the situation. But these hijackers are ruthless and begin taking out the passengers, beginning with Lieb’s wife (Gina Philips) until they get the ransom they’ve demanded.

Ultimately (pun intended), all of this plot development is used to set up shoot-outs and fight scenes. And as you might expect from a multiple-time UFC champion, the fights are impressively executed as Couture takes out the bad guys one at a time. And the gun battles are equally enjoyable, with exaggerated blood spatter that offers some additional drama (yet is probably the result of the film’s low budget). Hijacked is about as predictable as the action movies Couture’s Expendables co-stars made in the ’80s and ’90s. But it does offer a bit of a twist at the end just to make sure you’ve been paying attention to more than just the action. And as action movies go, Hijacked is exactly what you might expect from a straight-to-DVD action movie starring a guy who helped propel UFC into the mainstream. Which is to say, Hijacked is just the kind of escapism you might be looking for on a lazy Sunday afternoon on the couch. And Couture proves that he can carry a B-level movie such as this one just as well as he can work with an ensemble of more experienced actors on the bigger screen.

Hijacked. Directed by Brandon Nutt. Starring Randy Couture, Dominic Purcell, Tiffany Dupont, Holt McCallany, Gina Philips and Craig Fairbrass. Rated R. www.anchorbayent.com.

Wrestling with Pop Culture has three Blu-ray/DVD combo pack copies of Hijacked to give away! Just tell us what your favorite Randy Couture moment is (in UFC, on film, whatever) and why it’s so memorable to be entered into the drawing. The deadline is 5 p.m. Aug. 17, so just comment below to be entered into the contest.

MMA fighter and long-time dancer flash mob their way to the big screen in “Step Up Revolution”

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Sean (Ryan Guzman) and Emily (Kathryn McCormick) invade each other's personal space in "Step Up Revolution" (photo by Sam Emerson, SMPSP)

Featuring triumphant love stories told just as much through spontaneous (yet intricately choreographed) dance routines, the Step Up films have helped popularize flash mobs and Channing Tatum. The fourth installment in the series, Step Up Revolution jumps into theaters today and features two new leads dancing their way to love on the streets of Miami. Ryan Guzman, who plays Sean, parlays his mixed martial arts fighting background into a new form of physicality while his female counterpart Kathryn McCormick, who plays Emily, has already shown off her dance skills on the small screen in So You Think You Can Dance. With the help of famed choreographer Jamal Sims, whose most recent work can be seen on Cirque du Soleil‘s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, the two were able to learn how to mesh their talents as the stars of this latest Step Up movie. As they await moviegoers’ responses to their hard work, Guzman, McCormick and Sims take a moment to talk to Wrestling with Pop Culture about the challenges of going from one form or entertainment to another.

What is it about this franchise that has kept you coming back for each film?

Sims: When we started the first one, we didn’t know the success it was going to have or how many people it was going to touch. To see it grow each time, it just always keeps me coming back because I want to make better movies and get better dancing in there. It’s always a challenge because you never know how you’re going to be able to top the last one, being that everybody’s expecting you to. I live on challenges, I love it. So every time we make another, it’s like, “Here we go! Are we going to be able to do it?”

Coming from physical worlds, did you have any fears about acting? If so, how did you overcome those fears?

Guzman: I had been training in acting for about two months, which isn’t long at all. It was cool, though, because I had been through a lot of life experiences with fighting and college and a lot of personal stuff. As I learned from my acting coach, it was a way to vent things that you normally wouldn’t vent. There are intimate scenes, crying scenes, angry scenes, and I just had a blast. For me it was more than just acting and it just felt so right.

Emily (Kathryn McCormick) causes a scene in "Step Up Revolution" (photo by Sam Emerson, SMPSP)

McCormick: I had gone to maybe three improv classes, just for fun. I had a choreographer whose husband teaches improv, so I’d just go sometimes. But for the most part, I had never really dipped my fingers in that and it was something that people were like, “You should take classes.” But I never took time away from dancing classes to go to acting classes. But I’ve realized that being on a show like So You Think You Can Dance, where you’re constantly put in a position to tell a story through your body is still telling a story. I feel like that has prepared me, in a way, to be able to connect my mind and my life experiences, like he was saying, to what I’m actually doing and realizing that telling a story is greater than yourself because sometimes it’s the other people around you that need to hear it. Whether you’ve gone through it or not, they have and you are the one who gets the gift and the opportunity to share that. Knowing there’s an importance in that draws me to acting. Acting’s a little bit more vulnerable, it shows a lot more about the person that you are. I think one of the scariest things as a dancer is hearing your own voice for the first time, because you’re so physical. So to be not as physical and let your voice come first can be really intimidating. But once you drop that and remember that you have this story that is way greater than being so self-conscious, the fear kind of goes away. But it was definitely intimidating. And just the pressure of realizing this is my first time doing it and it’s going to be put on screen where the whole world’s going to see it is very intimidating to think, “Are we going to pull this off?”

Guzman: I think if you think about acting, you’re not going to be able to act. It’s a feeling. you definitely have to feel it, then it just comes naturally. So you can’t be letting outside factors influence what you’re going to do.

You each have unique athletic backgrounds. How would you say those skills helped prepare you for your roles in this movie?

Sean (Ryan Guzman, red belt) leads a dramatic flash mob in "Step Up Revolution" (photo by Sam Emerson, SMPSP)

Guzman: I fought in the octagon for about a year and a half and trained for about eight years. I think that was, without me knowing it, training my body into knowing what my body can do and making my body aware. That’s what helped me the most, I think, with the choreography I did. As far as acting, I would say the life experiences helped us out so much. And having the support group that we did, whether it be the choreographers that were helping us out or my co-star, we literally became a family. We still talk and I’m sure after this movie’s done we’ll still be best friends.

McCormick: For me, physical contact and connection as a dancer and as a partner with someone, you can’t be afraid to look them in the eyes. You can’t be afraid to just hold their hand and connect with them and be as close as possible. There’s no personal space in dancing, so you have to get really comfortable really fast. Through experiences with that coming into it, I think I’m very open to becoming close and trusting new people. Dance is a double trust thing, so just looking people in the eye and not being afraid to open up a little bit and just kind of be like, “I trust you. Do you trust me? Here we go. We’re diving in this together.”

Sims: He’s a fighter, so when you have that kind of spirit, I knew that he would connect to that part of his life with moves. I never really worried about it. If I could see him doing it even a little bit, I was like, “Oh, he’s going to fight for it. It’s going to be done.” As a boxer and a fighter, he knows how his body works in every way. Dancing is another extension of that and that’s what he did really well. He keeps saying, “I’m not a dancer.” Well, he turned into a dancer! I know some people that weren’t dancers and they still ain’t dancers.

How did your work with Cirque du Soleil help you with this movie, if at all?

Sims: I choreographed the Michael Jackson Cirque show. There were eight choreographers and I did three numbers on it. I did “Dancing Machine,” “Jam” and the finale, which is “Black or White.” We rehearsed it last year in Montreal in June, then I left there and went straight to Miami to shoot this movie. So it’s so funny that it’s all going on right now and people are finally getting to see what we did last year. That show’s out on tour now, so my part is done.

Now that you’ve gotten into acting with this movie, are you still dancing and fighting as you were before?

McCormick: I’m still dancing and training, doing yoga and ballet. I’m in acting classes as well, so I’m just trying to train and be prepared for any opportunity. I want to keep dancing and start acting more, so I’m kind of riding with it.

Guzman: Dance is a new love of mine. As soon as I got into the movie and started figuring it out, I just engulfed myself with it and took it home with me. So know I dance almost every single day. But my main love outside of acting is MMA. I still train, but my license went up two years ago. So I can’t technically compete any more. But my last fight was a loss, and it was for my Welterweight belt, so I’ve got to get back in the octagon at least once before I die.

Step Up Revolution. Directed by Scott Speer. Starring Ryan Guzman, Kathryn McCormick, Misha Gabriel, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, Adam Sevani and Peter Gallagher. Rated PG-13. www.summit-ent.com.

Gotham’s secrets arise in “The Dark Knight Rises”

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Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) contemplates gearing up as Batman again in "The Dark Knight Rises" (photo by Ron Phillips)

From Gothamites’ speculation on who wears the cape and cowl to comic book and movie fans anticipating the next twist or dark revelation, Batman has always been a character of mystery and intrigue. Perhaps more so than any other movie in recent memory, The Dark Knight Rises is surrounded by the same kind of cautious speculation and protective tactics that have kept Bruce Wayne’s secrets safely hidden for more than 70 years. And much like those who speculate, but would rather not verify, that Wayne and Batman are one and the same, most of those waiting with fervent curiosity to see how this latest big screen adaptation will end would rather find out for themselves than be informed by a review such as this one.

With that in mind, The Dark Knight Rises sees a hobbling Howard Hughes-like Wayne (Christian Bale) seemingly retired from crime fighting eight years after the tragic conclusion of The Dark Knight. Wayne Enterprises is suffering as a result of Wayne’s reclusiveness, but Gotham City is in a time of peace thanks to the Dent Act, which has kept many of Gotham’s most violent criminals behind bars. Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) struggles with revealing the truth about Dent, but realizes Dent’s legacy provides Gotham with the hero it needs. The struggle between keeping secrets or exposing the truth is naturally an ongoing struggle in the Batman mythos, but in The Dark Knight Rises it’s a heavier-than-usual topic in that practically no one is who they seem to be and almost everyone is harboring a darkness of his or her own.

Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) slinks her way into Batman and Bruce Wayne's life in "The Dark Knight Rises" (photo by Ron Phillips)

From the concern for Wayne’s personal well being that has always haunted his butler Alfred (Michael Caine) to the true intentions of Gotham’s newest (and perhaps most dangerous) villain Bane (Tom Hardy), these secrets gradually work their way to the surface (literally and metaphorically). Throw in a couple of new love interests for Wayne, including Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway, who is never directly referred to as Catwoman, but whose sly, emotionless demeanor is all too familiar to the man who knows a thing or two about repressing feelings), and emotions arise in even more ways. But when the fate of an entire city and its citizens is at stake, these romantic interactions are a bit hokey and unnecessary at times.

Even with Batman, Bane and Catwoman, the real star for much of this film is Gotham City itself. Not the physical landmarks that make up the city (though they are also crucial to certain scenes), but the people of Gotham (including a hot-headed young police officer played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt whose past isn’t all that different from Wayne’s) and how they collectively cope with the anarchy that ensues when Bane obtains some of Wayne’s most destructive gadgets and plunges the city into a war zone. In fact, there’s a good portion of the movie in which Wayne/Batman is hardly seen, leaving Gotham to really show what it’s made of.

Although Bane doesn’t have quite the history with Batman as someone like the Joker, he has been responsible for some of the Dark Knight’s biggest physical and mental defeats. So when he and Batman do battle in The Dark Knight Rises, it is a truly tragic moment capable of sending chills down the viewer’s spine (while doing much worse things to the Bat’s spine). Hardy adequately captures both Bane’s physical brutality and his terroristic intellectualism as he relentlessly cripples Gotham for several weeks. But since Batman is such a big part of what makes Gotham the great city it is, I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by revealing that he does eventually return to save the day (though there is a huge flaw in his return that is hard to overlook).

Tom Hardy captures the intellect and brutality of Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises" (photo by Ron Phillips)

At the beginning of The Dark Knight Rises, many are still distrusting of Batman, holding him responsible for Dent’s death in The Dark Knight. But upon his return to Gotham, he now has an army of disgruntled police officers and other citizens following him into battle, realizing he is likely their last hope. He also has a new flying toy that Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) calls “The Bat” that plays a big part in Gotham’s fate. But, again, the most important things at play in The Rise of the Dark Knight aren’t the most obvious ones. Who lives and dies is almost irrelevant to who these people are at their core, and how their histories intertwine. Nolan definitely brings things full circle in The Dark Knight Rises, with direct references to Batman’s origin story from Batman Begins. But he does so in such a way that each time you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, you’re given another tidbit of history that makes the darkness that much clearer. And even though this is supposedly Nolan’s finale, he leaves many things open-ended enough that I can’t help but wonder if he has been keeping more secrets than we realized when it comes to the outcome of The Dark Knight Rises.

The Dark Knight Rises. Co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Rated PG-13. www.thedarkknightrises.com.

Cult favorite “No Holds Barred” finally released on DVD

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In 1989, the World Wrestling Federation Champion was Rip, a musclebound competitor whose blonde hair and handlebar mustache were in vivid contrast to his suntanned skin. His all-American ideals made him the hero of the wrestling world, and made the network that aired his matches a lot of money. If Rip sounds like another top wrestling star of that era, that’s because he’s played by Hulk Hogan (pretty much playing himself) in the cult favorite No Holds Barred, being released on DVD by WWE Studios for the first time today.

Following his appearance as Thunderlips in Rocky III a few years earlier, No Holds Barred features Hogan in his first starring role in a movie that is basically his own Rocky, with a touch of Road House. For those who haven’t seen the movie (or who may have forgotten it), it hasn’t gained a cult following because of the great acting or intriguing plot. In fact, it’s so unintentionally comical and clichéd that you can’t help but enjoy every second of it.

No Holds Barred was not only WWE‘s first foray into producing its own films (Vince McMahon and Hogan are both listed as executive producers, and longtime WWE music composer Jim Johnston created the movie’s score), but it was also a way to introduce a new in-ring adversary to Hulk Hogan in Zeus (Tiny Lister), an enormously intimidating black guy with crossed eyes, a weird unibrow thing and a shaved head (aside from the letter Z on each side). In the movie, Zeus is dominant in a bar brawl fight club wrestling league that takes place in a dive bar filled with cartoonish caricatures of the dregs of society (including a tobacco chewing monster played by Stan Hansen and a midget in a cage).

Brell (Kurt Fuller) tries to convince Rip (Hulk Hogan) to join his network in "No Holds Barred" (photo courtesy WWE)

When Rip refuses an offer by a rival network executive (played with comedic simplicity by character actor Kurt Fuller), a competing show called Battle of the Tough Guys begins airing and Zeus quickly becomes its star. And when Rip declines to face Zeus in the ring, the baddies resort to nefarious tactics such as beating up his younger brother (Mark Pellegrino) and kidnapping his love interest (Joan Severance). And as you might expect given the formulaic nature of the story, we eventually see Rip and Zeus face off in a no holds barred match that is in Zeus’ favor from the outset.

Zeus gets the upper hand early on and dominates Rip, who is distracted by trying to save his girlfriend before time runs out. But with his brother in the audience (and in a wheelchair following the assault), Rip finds the will to Hulk up and rally back in much the same way Hogan was known to do in the ring at the time. But even after his battle in the ring ends, he still has some fighting to do before he truly saves the day.

Rip (Hulk Hogan) takes on Zeus (Tiny Lister) in the finale of "No Holds Barred" (photo courtesy WWE)

No Holds Barred basically plays out like a long episode of The A-Team, with an equal mix of action, comedy, drama and suspense. But some of that comedy is clearly unintentional, which is one of the things that has garnered such a following for the film. Thankfully (and surprisingly), WWE seems to be having fun with its promotion of this re-release, focusing on the haphazard hilarity of the film rather than trying to make it out to be an action classic. And wrestling fans will recognize cameos from a lot of old favorites like Hansen, Bill Eadie (aka Ax from Demolition), Jesse “The Body” Ventura, “Mean” Gene Okerlund and Howard Finkel.

Aside from the new digital transfer, there aren’t a lot of bonus features (barring a photo gallery of scenes from the movie). But given the simplistic nature of the movie, one need not expect much more. Now if WWE can get us a DVD set of the Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling animated series from earlier in the ’80s, those of us who appreciate wrestling’s somewhat absurd forays into mainstream pop culture will be that much happier.

No Holds Barred. Directed by Thomas J. Wright. Starring Hulk Hogan, Tiny Lister, Joan Severance and Kurt Fuller. Rated PG-13. www.noholdsbarredmovie.com.

“The Amazing Spider-Man” spins a somewhat darker new web for Spider-Man mythos

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Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) reveals his secret to Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) in "The Amazing Spider-Man" (photo courtesy CTMG./ImageMagick)

Though it does seem odd to already be re-spinning the Spider-Man web, there’s not much else to complain about in The Amazing Spider-Man. In theaters July 3, this reboot retells a familiar tale, focusing on different aspects of Peter Parker’s past to give it an entirely different feel than the Sam Raimi trilogy from just a few years ago. And while the origin story is mostly the same, director Marc Webb (whose last name alone could have qualified him to direct this film) seems to be more interested not only in who Peter Parker is, but why he does some of the things he does and, more importantly, why he becomes Spider-Man.

The new Spider-Man is The Social Network‘s Andrew Garfield, whose gawkiness makes the teenage Peter Parker’s awkwardness all the more apparent. But Garfield’s take on Parker is more of a rebellious outcast than a social one. He stands up to the hallway bully, he rides a skateboard and he catches the attention of the equally dorky cutie Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). The nervous tension between the two is quite adorable, and it only gets more strained when Gwen learns of Peter’s secret.

Dr. Connors (Rhys Ifans) doesn't realize the side effects of the otherwise positive results (photo by Jaimie Trueblood)

But perhaps the most interesting difference between Raimi’s and Webb’s take on Spider-Man is how he comes to acquire his powers. In The Amazing Spider-Man, Parker is trying to find out why his parents left him with his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field) at a young age, and why his father’s past is so mysterious. A science wiz himself, Peter uncovers a secret formula his father had come up with that could be incredibly positive or devastating, depending on who else possesses this knowledge. In order to find more answers, Peter tracks down Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), a prominent Oscorp scientist who once worked very closely with Peter’s father. It is upon a visit to Oscorp that Peter is bitten by a genetically-enhanced spider (also the result of his father’s previous research). Though Connors seems like a trustworthy person to reveal his father’s secret to, Connors’ interest is not purely professional as it could result in the regeneration of his missing limb. And when Oscorp decides to shut down Connors’ research efforts (while claiming all of his progress as its own), Connors resorts to drastic measures that result in a Godzilla-like rampage through New York City.

Stylistically, The Amazing Spider-Man is just as impressive as Riami’s interpretations, but in very different ways. Spidey’s costume has a more sleek appearance (thanks to Cirque du Soleil designers) and even though there’s no wrestling match against Randy Savage like we saw in Raimi’s first film, Peter’s decision to wear a mask is inspired by luchador imagery. Though all of his powers aren’t genetic this time around (Peter actually makes the wrist-worn web slingers, as was the case in the original comic book story), it is interesting to see Spider-Man’s behavior and mannerisms becoming more and more like those of an actual spider. Webb continues to play on the natural tendencies of spiders, as well as Connor’s lizard-like traits, as much of the action takes place in subterranean sewers (a natural urban habitat for spiders and lizards). But whether it’s underground, on street level or high above New York skyscrapers, The Amazing Spider-Man has some, um, amazing stylistic shots, including some very Nosferatu-like shadow play in the sewers.

Spider-Man's luchador-inspired look was designed by Cirque du Soleil (photo by Jaimie Trueblood)

To make Parker/Spider-Man’s journey for self discovery all the more complicated, it turns out that Gwen’s father (Denis Leary) is also the police captain who thinks Spider-Man is a menace rather than a hero. But despite Captain Stacy‘s attempted smear campaign, the rest of New York recognizes Spidey’s heroism and rallies behind him in his final battle to save the city (and Gwen) from the Lizard’s evil plot to turn everyone into monsters like the one he has become. Such an empowering gesture is not lost on Peter, an outcast not used to having the support of so many people, especially when he’s dressed in a skin-tight outfit and swinging from skyscrapers and cranes.

The Greek-like comedy and tragedy that have become woven into the Spider-Man mythos remain intact here, and Webb really seems to have fun with the interaction between the characters and Peter’s attempts at understanding and harnessing his newfound powers. None of the characters are completely good or evil, which adds a sense of realism to the otherwise appropriately comic book-y tone. And with a closing-credits hint at who Spider-Man’s next opponent will be, it seems that a new Spider-Man franchise has been born (at least until someone decides it’s time for another reboot or whatever).

The Amazing Spider-Man. Directed by Marc Webb. Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans and Denis Leary. Rated PG-13. www.theamazingspiderman.com.