# The Amazing Spiderman - Blu-ray Review



## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=9734[/img] *Title: The Amazing Spider-man
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Dennis Leary, Martin Sheen
Directed by: Marc Webb
Written by: James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargenet
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 AVC
Main Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA
Studio: Sony Pictures
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 136 minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: October 9th, 2012* 
*Movie:* :4.5stars:
*Video:* :5stars:
*Audio:* :4.5stars: 
*Extras:* :4.5stars: 
*HTS Overall Score:*94




[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=9736[/img]*Summary*
This has definitely been the year for Superhero movies. We have been regaled with mega blockbusters, such as “The Avengers” and “The Dark Knight Rises,” and, as luck would have it, Spidey rebooted and served up to us as “The Amazing Spiderman.” It seems to be a trend recently that reboots are coming faster and faster to the point of only having a few years between iterations before the next rendition is in order. Only five years ago, that the debacle known as Spiderman 3 played in your local Cineplex, and word on the street is that Batman is getting ANOTHER reboot in the next 3 years or so. I’m not sure whether this is a good thing or just the studios trying to have lightning strike twice in the same place financially. “The Amazing Spiderman” was originally going to be “Spiderman 4”, but when plans for that tanked, Sony was forced to go with a reboot or suffer the same fate of “The Punisher” series and have the rights revert back to Marvel Studios. When I originally heard that Spidey was getting a reboot and not going back to Marvel Studios, I winced in pain. I’m the EPITOMY of a Spiderman fanboy, and I was just DYING for the rights to revert back and have Marvel do the same magic that they did with the Avengers movies. As fates would have it, Sony slapped this one together and dashed those hopes to dust. As someone who had SERIOUS problems with the Sam Raimi take on Spiderman, I was just a tad worried about what would come out of this new reboot. I didn't think that they could do much worse than Tobey McGuire and Kirsten Dunst, but reboots when made out of desperation to keep the rights, as this one is, almost never turn out well. Luckily for us, “The Amazing Spiderman” turned those preconceptions on their ears and delivered a fantastic adaptation of the Spidey source material.

Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), our classic hero, gets a new take on his back story. Instead of his parents dying when he was a child, leaving him with his surrogate parents Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Fields), they mysteriously leave in the middle of the night, entrusting his childhood with the aforementioned guardians. There is definitely some foreshadowing there for future movies, most likely to be brought back if “The Amazing Spiderman” grossed enough for sequels. The film then shoots forward over 10 years to Peter’s senior year of high school, where he stumbles upon his father's old leather briefcase in the basement of Uncle Ben’s house. After studying the briefcase, Peter finds out that his father had a partner at Oscorp, one Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans). Compelled to look up Dr. Connors, Peter sneaks in to a private intern field trip over at Oscorp, being the science aficionado that he is; alas, in his urgency to find Dr. Connors, he deviates from the tour only to end up in an experimental lab that is working on genetically engineered spiders. As per the lore, Peter gets bit by one of those spiders and wakes up having gained incredible strength, flexibility, and the ability to climb walls. As Peter tries out his new powers, he gains an understandable amount of cockiness and lack of humility. That same arrogance mixed with teenage angst inadvertently gets his Uncle Ben killed. Wallowing in grief and anger, Peter starts hunting down the man that killed his uncle, developing his trademark costume and webbing along the way. That, however, takes a side seat after Curt Connors, with some help from Peter, develops a serum using cross species genetic modification that will allow him to re-grow his severed arm. While the Serum works and miraculously starts to regrow the arm, it has some unforeseen side effects: instead of just having the ability of a lizard to regrow one’s own limbs, Dr. Connors takes on the aggressive tendencies and form of a giant lizard. The lizard DNA starts to take over Dr. Connors' mind, turning him completely primal, and he wrecks havoc on New York City. Now Peter, with the help of his sweetheart Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), has to evade the aggressive New York Police Chief Stacy (Dennis Leary), learn to control his powers, navigate his relationship with Gwen, AND take down a giant lizard all while keeping his high school grades up. 

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=9738[/img]I’ve got to tell you, I’m the epitome of a Spiderman fanboy. I grew up reading “The Amazing Spiderman,” “The Fantastic Spiderman,” “Ultimate Spiderman,” and even the highly underrated “Spiderman 2099.” I can tell you every villain, every plot line and every crossover; I can dissect them like a frog. As a result, I was only mildly entertained with Sam Raimi’s “Spiderman.” I actually LOATHED “Spiderman 2” and pulled a Darth Vader NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO when the abomination known as “Spiderman 3 came out. I understand that some creative license must be made when adapting comics and books to film, but I just could not justify the character butcheries that happened in the Raimi trilogy. Tobey McGuire and Kirsten Dunst were hopelessly miscast, and the villains, such as Doc Ock, were completely trashed and given a remake so that we could “connect” with them. My wife actually had to calm me down in the theaters for “Spiderman 3” because I was muttering under my breath constantly during the film, just picking it apart. However, “The Amazing Spiderman” totally floored me. It takes elements of “Ultimate Spiderman” and blends them with “The Amazing Spiderman” back story, then throws in the very first episode of the 90’s animated Spiderman for good measure; we are given a totally unique throwback to the Spiderman of old. “The Amazing Spiderman” doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, or make a wildly dark take on the superhero genre, but rather, it does what a comic book story does best - entertain us. There are some minor plot holes, and Peter Parker tends to wear more hair gel and skinny pants than I remember Peter wearing , but overall the movie is absolutely fantastic, blending a stunning set of visual effects and a compelling story (with much less angst than Raimi’s adaptation), leaving us a story that the whole family can enjoy. While the story is light and engaging, it’s really the characters that bring this to life. Peter is no longer just a nerdy boy with a slightly less nerdy alter ego. Instead, we have the science nerd in Peter, but with the mask on, he transforms into the brutally sarcastic yet lovable superhero that I grew up watching. Emma Stone is fantastic as the tragic Gwen Stacy (if they keep true to the source), and the chemistry between the two of them raised the movie from good to great. While Tobey and Kirsten struggled to keep any chemistry alive between the two of them, Andrew and Emma were literally sizzling with it. They managed to keep a sweet, yet lively relationship that didn't overshadow the actual plot of the movie. While Mary Jane is usually considered the quintessential romance in Peter Parker’s life, Gwen is historically one of THE most important love interests that molds him into the Spiderman that he is to become in the future. Overall, I give this reboot a wild thumbs up. 



*Rating:* 

Rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence



*Video* :5stars:

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=9737[/img] Sony has regaled us with an absolutely breathtaking 2.40:1 AVC encode for “The Amazing Spiderman.” Shot digitally, we are privy to one of the best transfers that I've seen since “The Avengers.” Artifacts are completely absent from the film - no digital noise to distract us, or banding to annoy. I looked long and hard to find some sort of flaw, but I honestly couldn't find any. Colors are rich and clear, not overly garish; the color palette can be a bit muted at times, but still clean. Detail is absolutely stunning, from the individual pores in Emma Stone’s face to the intricate and detailed Spidey suit; you can see every line, every crease and every stitch in the material. Blacks are deep and inky, and shadows are exquisite. The film can be very dark at times, but always clear and crisp. Nothing is lost to crushed blacks or an overly dark experience. Flesh tones are accurate and pleasing to the eye. The CGI for the Lizard is probably the only “flaw” I can think of in the picture being that it doesn't feel “seamless.” 






*Audio* :4.5stars:

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=9735[/img] Not to be left behind, the audio is about as close to sonic perfection as you can get. As with most superhero movies, we are enveloped by a wildly aggressive track that literally sucks you into the middle of the action. Dialogue is, of course, crisp and clear, centered in middle of the front channels and balanced just right with the effects. No need to turn the volume up and down; the dynamic range stayed well within reasonable ranges. The surrounds - oh my goodness - the surround usage was incredible! A track that can utilize all 5.1 channels seamlessly is a track that can totally immerse the viewer into the storyline. From Spiderman flying through the air to bullets whizzing past, I felt like I was in the middle of an aural hurricane. Audio affects switch seamlessly between channels, and the music is reproduced excellently. James Horner can create a very memorable score, and this is one of his better ones. The action scenes really shine here, explosions going off all around, webbing shooting from every direction, and bullets ripping up the soundscape. My only small complaint that draws this down from complete perfection is the LFE. While the LFE is clean and accurate, it feels just a little bit “lacking” at times. The LFE is deep and low, accurately reproduced, but you are left with this nagging feeling that they could have done more with it. The Lizard crashing through a wall lacks that “umphh” that would make it go from “oh my, that’s awesome” to “WOW.” 


[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=9739[/img]*Extras:* :4.5stars:
• Director's Commentary
• Second Screen Experience
• Previews
• Rite of Passage: "The Amazing Spider-Man" Reborn
•Deleted Scenes 
• Pre-Visualization
• The Oscorp Archives Production Art Gallery 
• Image Progression Reels
• Stunt Rehearsals 
• Developing "The Amazing Spider-Man" Video Game




*Overall:* :4.5stars:

“The Amazing Spiderman” was a movie that worked not only as a superhero film, but as an excellent character driven drama. Spiderman has needed to be redone right for quite some time, and I’m ecstatic that director Marc Webb (I know, the irony of the name isn't lost on me) did such a fantastic job converting the source material from paper to film. Spiderman will always hold a special place in my heart, and I love it when a director can connect with the original feel and tone of a comic so well without turning it into a farce or making it “gritty.” The movie works, and works well, on all levels. Add the fantastic video and audio score to the mix, along with a hefty array of in depth extras, and this is a disc that should be adorning EVERY superhero lover's shelf. This is a movie that I raise from my usual enthusiastic “Watch it!!” to BUY IT!!!

*Buy The Amazing Spiderman on Blu-ray at Amazon*

*Recommendation: Buy It!​*


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks for the review Mike. After that glowing review a buy it is for me now.


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Spot on review Mike. I was not a huge fan of the first and third spiderman movies and part two was just Ok but this one had it all and I very much enjoyed it. Great job!


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

Thank You Mike, that was what I was hoping to read.
You have been batting 100% of the last couple movies so I will buy this one tomorrow. I love Emma Stone so I am really looking forward to watching this.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Thanks for the review Mike! :T

Saw this one at the theaters - I am a superhero movie aficianado - so it was a blind buy for me.


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## Picture_Shooter (Dec 23, 2007)

Thank you for taking the time and putting out this review. 
My son and I saw it when it came out to our local theater and enjoyed it greatly. 

I am excited to purchase it this past Friday after work.

I enjoyed the fighting scene with Mr. Spiderman vs The Lizard in the city . bridge!! :bigsmile:


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

Well I went ahead and watched this disc tonight and you were spot on Mike. I loved the chemistry in this film, much better than the last couple. Watching this brought back so many memories, do you know how long it has been since I did a hand stand on top of a skyscraper in downtown New York City ? I am glad I am not the only one doing that these days.
I really cannot nip pick, this movie just worked and on top of that it looked and sounded excellent. Nothing really missing from my point of view but then I have been told I am easy


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Yup, just watched it tonight as well. Was very happy with the story and could not agree more with the above comments.
My thoughts on the video was they did a great job with the night scenes, as said above no banding or artifacts at all and detail was superb. This movie does not get high marks for eye popping color that jumps out at you but it sure works with the darker storyline.
There is lots of heartfelt emotion and gripping at the edge of your seat action. 
I think my only real gripe is that there were a few spots that the CG was a little sloppy as far as detail compared to what we are now used to, for example Many of the downtown traffic scenes seemed rushed.
I also thought the audio was a bit how shall I put it, soft. not muddy but not as crisp as I like it to be. the use of the LFE was good when it needed to be and was not over done like some recent action movies. The surround channels were well used and it felt like you were there. 
Over all this movie was "Amazing"


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## typ44q (Apr 7, 2008)

Thanks for the review! I was a huge fan of the first two movies (and parts of the 3rd) so this is definitely going to be a blind buy for me, I am just undecided if I want to spend the extra money for the 3D version.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

I just purchased the 3D version last night though we watched the 2D version. Sometimes when I'm tired the darkness of the 3D version has a tendency to put me to sleep. If the movie is released in 3D that is the version I buy most of the time though many times I prefer the 2D for initial viewing. That probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense but that's what I do. As for the movie I really enjoyed it and I think it looked and sounded excellent. I'm a really big fan of Emma Stone and think she was perfect for the part. I do think I liked Toby Maguire a bit more as Peter Parker though. A really fun film and worth the buy.


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## musikpirate (Nov 13, 2009)

We watched this over the weekend. The wife and kids all agreed it is far better then the other Spiderman movies. Will definitely be adding to the collection.

Thanks for providing these reviews. I always revert to them before purchasing or adding to my queue.


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## Peter Rygiel (Jan 21, 2010)

I'm not a fan of the Sam Raimi movies particularly because of the very weak CGI. Spider-man swinging from skyscraper to skyscraper and it looking good is integral for an enjoyable experience, and I just didn't get that from the trilogy.

I also think this reboot is too similar to the first movie. You could skip the first 45 minutes of The Amazing Spider-man and really not have missed anything. 

Raimi directed his trilogy the way he wanted to and with its hits and misses it should have stayed a done deal; go onto a different character.


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

I really enjoyed this one and while I agree it had a lot of similarities, I thought there were enough differences to hold my interest. Plus, I really enjoyed Martin Sheen in the role of Uncle Ben as I thought he really added some depth to the relationship between Peter and Uncle Ben.


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## jays86lx (Oct 20, 2012)

Great review. I will be picking this up on black Friday since this along with some other really good titles are going to be only like 4-9 bucks. That is hard to beat. Thanks again.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Anyone know if the rental version of this has DTS-HD? Or just Dolby Digital...??


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## musikpirate (Nov 13, 2009)

I am pretty sure my blockbuster blu-ray was the DTS-HD version. I never had a rental blu-ray that wasnt though.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

musikpirate said:


> I am pretty sure my blockbuster blu-ray was the DTS-HD version. I never had a rental blu-ray that wasnt though.


I only ask because there have been a lot of reports recently (meaning internet fodder)... that movie houses are turning to this


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

Sony hasn't done that yet, they actually use retail discs, meaning ALL special features and audio tracks. right now only Lionsgate/Summit and Fox are doing the stripped down audio


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Thx Mike!


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

I reserved this on redbox this morning... then, due to my general ho-hum interest in superhero movies, tried to cancel my reservation (which I couldn't do on my iphone app). So, I picked it up and decided to give it a try.

I am happy to say --- VERY glad I did.

I think Mike's review and the ensuing comments are spot-on -- FANTASTIC MOVIE.


I enjoyed the film's character development and the new spin on the spiderman story. Where most superhero movies lose me is the fantasy-land that some boldly travel into. I thought this movie struck a good balance between movie reality, the unreal that was presented in a way that you could convince yourself it's possible, and fantasy. I had mentioned in my response to the review of The Avengers that the recent Batman Triology held my attention because the story telling was done with fantasy but also with a strong attempt to make it seem possible (does that make sense?). I think this movie had a similar spin, minus the lizard situation.:whistling:

At any rate, beautiful movie to watch. I liked the fact that it is a borderline movie in terms of violence (and definitely language) so that I can comfortable let my kids watch it... and the sound was spot-on!

Back to the Avengers... I threw-out-there that I was wasn't a huge fan of the LFEs in that movie. Mike, you had mentioned there were parts of this Spiderman Movie that you would have hoped for a little more umph. I can agree with that... but, I also thought it put a lot out there. The LFE associated with the thumping of helicopter blades or the lizard jumping on cars was all very dynamic and really gave the movie a nice flavor. I kind of appreciated that it didn't turn into a thunder-fest! 

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I just ordered a copy to permanently have in house!!

Mike, great review... and great comments on the movie everyone... this one is definitely a keeper!:T


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## titanius719 (Aug 8, 2012)

As on Spider-Man fanboy to another, I completely agree that Spider-Man 3 should never have been made. That being said I think Spider-Man remake was awesome. Everyone in my office at DISH that knows anything about the original comics loved the writer’s choice of Gwen for Peter’s main love interest. I just the think the choice to cast Garfield was brilliant. I never have enough time or energy to drive over to a Redbox after work, but since I started using Blockbuster at Home through DISH the disks are already waiting in the mailbox when I get home and this was the best film I have seen all year.


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## Dwight Angus (Dec 17, 2007)

Watched this one last night. By far the best Spiderman movie todate. Found the video a little dark at times but the audio was spot on.


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## Kenobi (Aug 11, 2010)

Great movie overall-visually and aurally stunning. Still questioning why a new one is needed but guess the franchise can use fresh faces or it won't be able to compete going forward.


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

Kenobi said:


> Great movie overall-visually and aurally stunning. Still questioning why a new one is needed but guess the franchise can use fresh faces or it won't be able to compete going forward.


Sony had to make a new spiderman by the end of 2012 otherwise the rights would revert back to Marvel Studios. Sony didn't want that to happen obviously thus "The Amazing Spiderman" was born


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## JQueen (Jan 11, 2012)

I watch Spiderman this morning after never seeing any of the other ones I actually really enjoyed it and will be purchasing it soon.


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## gordog (Oct 7, 2012)

Watched it this W/E. One of the best Spidermans ever!


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## typ44q (Apr 7, 2008)

I finally got around to watching this a few days ago and I really enjoyed it. I thought Garfield was an excellent choice for Peter Parker.
I did find myself saying oh great I have to sit through the origin story again but it was well done and interesting.. tho could of been a little quicker.
I thought the audio and video was excellent, next up is to watch it in 3D


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## kingnoob (Mar 12, 2013)

Phenomenal spider-man movie, I disliked the Toby McGuire ones. This one had better actors, better story line and overall it was a great movie. I would suggest anyone to watch it.


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