My journey to Sony studios lot created a Monday that even Garfield would be okay with. We saw the first 15 minutes of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, along with scenes showing the latest in the continuing Gwen Stacy-Peter Parker saga, Electro’s splashy introduction to New York City, and Harry Osbourne busting Electro out of his specially-crafted prison.
Director Marc Webb sat down with us to give us some context around what we saw in this film before its May 2nd release.
1. Get Out Your Bugle
This film will introduce more of The Bugle, although Webb didn’t specifically mention an appearance by J. Jonah Jameson, whose character is also not listed in the credits thus far.
2. Richard and Mary Parker’s Final Moments Revealed
In The Amazing Spider-Man, Peter’s parents death is mentioned as a plane crash, but not touched on again. You won’t have to wait long to see what happened to them, finally delivering more towards what Webb had promised in way of the universe’s “untold story.”
3. Spidey’s Punchier–and Not Just With His Fists
Mark Webb said that not only is Spider-Man put into intellectually-mismatched situations with dopey villains (read: The Rhino) that bring out his wit, but his normal wise-cracking got a boost from several unnamed comedians who were brought in to brainstorm jokes on his behalf in pre-production. This isn’t to say he will just be a swinging joke-telling machine, of course, but even in the limited amount of footage I saw, his humor seemed emphasized.
4. The Amazing 3D, Man
We only saw a small percentage of what Webb said would be a two-hour plus movie, but in that time, I couldn’t help but be thankful for how fast technology moves in the world of CG. Even though Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man was impressive in its ambition and execution, this new stuff awoke the kid in me who had apparently been taking a nap. It looks great, with incredible fluidity and realism. I guess the same thing that costs me hundreds of dollars in cell phone upgrades every year is the same thing that propels a cinematic feast for the eyes. Progress, man.
5. Electro Isn’t Just a Bad Guy…
…He’s a cinematic opportunity. It has become clear to me that a guy with glowy skin who sucks more power than a blow dryer and a microwave plugged into the same outlet is one of the most beautiful, seductive, and flashy villains to ever grace the screen. Electro, when in the midst of his tirades, is like a Nova special that wants to kill you.
