does whatever a spider can
Aug. 5th, 2012 12:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lunabee34So, we went to see Spiderman, and fannish heresy or not, I think I liked it better than The Avengers. Not better than The Avengers the fandom, mind you, but better than the movie itself. Here be my reasons:
SPOILERS
1. Andrew Garfield is precious, utterly and adorably precious. His little face is so mutable and expressive (and I can't tell you how much I love that a whole freaking lot of this movie is non-verbal communication; all the actors are wonderful at conveying volumes through facial expression and the camera lingers on their faces, lets them *make* the expressions, waits the ten seconds longer than usual for a lip to quirk, an eye to cut to the side; it's lovely and unusual). I like that he's a kid, a quirky endearing kid; he has no idea what savvy even means.
2. Emma Stone is precious, utterly and adorably precious. I like that she's not a side kick, that she's not there just to dote on Peter. I love that she's smart and brave and funny, and that she isn't afraid to go after what she wants or to say no when she isn't sure.
3. I like that this version of Spidey does not include the lines "with great power comes great responsibility." Cause here's the thing--in this version, it's not about what you do with your superpowers. It's not about what you do because you're in this elevated position, because you're better or more empowered than the rest of us lowly ones. The line should read, "With living comes great responsibility." Spiderman isn't the biggest hero in this flick. Uncle Ben and Aunt May take in and raise Peter, not a sacrifice easily dismissed. Uncle Ben goes head to head with an armed shoplifter. Gwen manufactures the antidote serum and clears the building without any super powers to back her up. Her father straps on a badge every day and does his best to keep the city safe without any protection beyond his wits, his gun, and his team. After Peter knocks the jock down a peg, Uncle Ben's life lesson is that revenge isn't cool, being a bully *to* the bully isn't cool. The underlying moral message, and every superhero movie has one, is about what it means to be an ethical person.
4. Kudos for a villain who is completely sympathetic and whose journey into evil, maniacal laughter is slow and makes a wonderfully twisted kind of sense. Also, is it just me or does that actor bear an uncanny resemblance to James Spader?
SPOILERS
1. Andrew Garfield is precious, utterly and adorably precious. His little face is so mutable and expressive (and I can't tell you how much I love that a whole freaking lot of this movie is non-verbal communication; all the actors are wonderful at conveying volumes through facial expression and the camera lingers on their faces, lets them *make* the expressions, waits the ten seconds longer than usual for a lip to quirk, an eye to cut to the side; it's lovely and unusual). I like that he's a kid, a quirky endearing kid; he has no idea what savvy even means.
2. Emma Stone is precious, utterly and adorably precious. I like that she's not a side kick, that she's not there just to dote on Peter. I love that she's smart and brave and funny, and that she isn't afraid to go after what she wants or to say no when she isn't sure.
3. I like that this version of Spidey does not include the lines "with great power comes great responsibility." Cause here's the thing--in this version, it's not about what you do with your superpowers. It's not about what you do because you're in this elevated position, because you're better or more empowered than the rest of us lowly ones. The line should read, "With living comes great responsibility." Spiderman isn't the biggest hero in this flick. Uncle Ben and Aunt May take in and raise Peter, not a sacrifice easily dismissed. Uncle Ben goes head to head with an armed shoplifter. Gwen manufactures the antidote serum and clears the building without any super powers to back her up. Her father straps on a badge every day and does his best to keep the city safe without any protection beyond his wits, his gun, and his team. After Peter knocks the jock down a peg, Uncle Ben's life lesson is that revenge isn't cool, being a bully *to* the bully isn't cool. The underlying moral message, and every superhero movie has one, is about what it means to be an ethical person.
4. Kudos for a villain who is completely sympathetic and whose journey into evil, maniacal laughter is slow and makes a wonderfully twisted kind of sense. Also, is it just me or does that actor bear an uncanny resemblance to James Spader?
