EARLY MOVIE REVIEW: "THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN"

Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) consoles Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), after his encounter with the Lizard (Rhys Ifans) in "The Amazing Spider-Man."

I am a fan of the original films and the comic books, particularly the Silver Age periodicals that the new movie draws from. With that in mind, I liked that the filmmakers had Parker's original girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Stone) in place rather than starting with Mary Jane Watson. Stacy is a pivotal component in Peter's maturation, as opposed to an afterthought in "Spider-Man 3," and Stone has great on-screen chemistry with Garfield.

Hopefully, the creative minds behind the already green-lit sequel slated for 2014 will follow the arc in the comic books, which leads to a life-changing moment for both Stacy and Parker at the hands of Spider-Man's nemesis the Green Goblin.

I also think that Garfield is a better Peter Parker/Spider-Man than his predecessor Toby Maguire. Maguire was so whiney and wimpy, while Garfield plays the part as the intellectual outcast with a touch of rebellious teenager. Whether it is the acting, the script or both, Garfield is a more intriguing and brooding version of the superhero. Ifans is also a credit to the film, with his sympathetic portrayal of Parker's friend and Spider-Man's adversary the Lizard.

Even with a more accurate interpretation of the wall crawler, "The Amazing Spider-Man," is too familiar -- a redundant reboot at best. The movie has an average narrative, which foolishly involves Parker's parents, and the film absolutely wastes moviegoers' time with its less-than-impressive 3-D IMAX experience. I've seen better attempts at incorporating 3-D effects into motion pictures via bad B movies and cheesy 80's horror films.

"The Avengers" is still the movie to beat this summer, and with the impending release of "The Dark Knight Rises" Spidey may find a rough ride waiting at the box office. I wish Garfield and Stone's brilliant performances and sizzling chemistry were enough to carry the film, but the repetitive tale, barely 10-years-old, dooms the "Average" Spider-man. The film opens in theaters on Tuesday.

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