The Amazing Ben Parker
Jul. 6th, 2012 11:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seriousficPretty great write-up of The Amazing Spider-Man by Film Critic Hulk. One thing he nails is that the movie is about nothing. I was IMing after watching the movie and what I hit on was that it feels like a clip show of Raimi's first Spider-Man movie and an all-Lizard movie (which this should have been). "Hey, remember that time Spider-Man first discovered his powers? Remember that time he humbled Flash Thompson? Remember that time Curt Connors was a good guy? Remember later, when he was a full-on villain?" Though I would dispute FCH's praise of Sheen's Uncle Ben, who is given far less good stuff to do than Cliff Robertson.
Robertson's Ben was a retiree, a frail old man who's introduced with his wife worrying that he's going to fall off a ladder and break his neck. We don't see him shot; we just see him afterward, frightened and in pain, moaning Peter's name as he dies (a far more effective choice than having him say something like "Peter, remember... with great power comes great... gak..." which is the kind of cheese people seem to think Raimi's movies were all about). Sheen's Ben fights over a gun and ends up going out like the victim on an episode of Law & Order.
Plus, I still can't figure out the high school scene.
Peter: Hey Uncle Ben, please ignore this bruise, I just got in a fight.
Uncle Ben: Oh well, boys will be boys.
High School: Hello, Mr. Parker? Yes, your nephew was involved in an accident. Well, he and Flash Thompson were playing a game of basketball and when Peter scored a basket, he broke some of the equipment.
Uncle Ben: My uncle senses tell me that my nephew was acting dickish, contrary to all logic suggesting that he's found a non-violent response to being punched in the face. To the lecture!
Robertson's Ben was a retiree, a frail old man who's introduced with his wife worrying that he's going to fall off a ladder and break his neck. We don't see him shot; we just see him afterward, frightened and in pain, moaning Peter's name as he dies (a far more effective choice than having him say something like "Peter, remember... with great power comes great... gak..." which is the kind of cheese people seem to think Raimi's movies were all about). Sheen's Ben fights over a gun and ends up going out like the victim on an episode of Law & Order.
Plus, I still can't figure out the high school scene.
Peter: Hey Uncle Ben, please ignore this bruise, I just got in a fight.
Uncle Ben: Oh well, boys will be boys.
High School: Hello, Mr. Parker? Yes, your nephew was involved in an accident. Well, he and Flash Thompson were playing a game of basketball and when Peter scored a basket, he broke some of the equipment.
Uncle Ben: My uncle senses tell me that my nephew was acting dickish, contrary to all logic suggesting that he's found a non-violent response to being punched in the face. To the lecture!
