Andrew Garfield IS Spider-Man!

Since we have threads for a lot of the other characters, I thought we maybe should go with one for our main hero as well.

One of the major letdowns of the first film, for me, was Peter Parker's characterization. He just wasn't likeable. At points he was simply mean-spirited (his jabs at criminals while dressed as Spider-Man came off more as demeaning and patronizing than witty or clever). He seemed incredibly immature. His quickness to break his promise to Captain Stacy, and his disrespectful comment about "broken promises being the best kind" didn't do any favors to my opinion of the character.

I think much of this is due to bad scripting rather than Garfield's performance. I'm hoping the characterization will be much better this time around. So to get things started: what would be some ways to improve his character in the second film? Where should his arc go from here? Do you disagree with my above analysis and why?

I'm hoping (fingers crossed!) that Spidey will be a more likeable and sympathetic character this time around.

 

I don't know why, but for a second I thought this thread contained the first picture of the new suit and my heart skipped a beat.

 

Agree. Garfield's Peter Parker AND Spider-Man.

While I loved his Spidey being much more "spider-like" than Raimi's Spider-Man, the characterization of Webb's version sincerely felt way too immature even if he stopped a giant lizard from turning the city into fellow lizards...all of that accomplishment paled in comparison to Peter even breaking his promise to Captain Stacy and if nothing happens to Gwen in the sequel, then Peter needs to realize himself that he needs to "grow up", with the Spidey mask and without.

 

The advantage is that ASM has much more of a "chapter 1 in a longer story" feel than Raimi's films, so the potential is that Parker will overcome these character issues in subsequent chapters. It feels much more serialized than self-contained.

The disadvantage with that is that the first film kinda ends on a note where I don't really respect or like the main character all that much... and that makes me nervous. It would have been better to have Peter abide by the promise in this film but be tempted to break it in film 2, IMO.

 

Yeah he's still a kid in this trilogy. I'm sure after Gwen dies we'll see the Peter who truly understands what "great power comes with great responsibility" means. I wouldn't be surprised if we get the line in a flashback between Peter and Uncle Ben.

 

i love how he abides by captain stacey's promise when gwen comes to his door. then he goes back on it when he hears the voice message left by uncle ben, which i just do not understand. the message didn't seem to instruct peter to be irresponisble. if anything it gave him an extra push to still be spider-man, and it is his being spider-man which was the whole point of captain stacey's ultimatum in the first place.

 

I do somewhat agree with the second part (that's how I felt after the first time I saw it), but I think it was just meant to kind of serve as a cliffhanger for the next movie. If it would have ended with the scene at his porch, or seeing each other in the hallway looking angry/upset, it wouldn't leave much anticipation for the next film. Although he gives it away he's going to continue seeing her and 'break' his promise, I think it's obviously going to play a continuing role in their relationship, just as the synopsis hints at.

As for your comment about the more serialized feel of these movies as opposed to self-contained chapters, I couldn't agree more. I hope that direction applies to the villains as well

 

If he seemed immature, then that's great. He's 17 yrs old.

 

Something serialized as TAS-M definitely has pros and cons than just characterizations as well.

 

I don't understand why everyone always seems to be calling Andrew's Peter Parker an unlikeable *****ebag and whatnot. Webb's goal was to have this Peter Parker be more grounded and realistic and it worked. This Peter Parker is always how I imagined he would be if he was created in modern times. He behaved exactly how a teenager would act nowadays and I found him to be very relate able.

 

Bringing up the grounded card while explaining why Webb's Peter is a *****e, lol. That is a new one.

 

how is he a *****e?

 

I never said he was a *****e. I was explaining how other perceive him as one but he's just a more realistic teenager this time around and people like me can relate to him because of it

 

And they say comedy is hard to do.....

 

I'm not trying to start and argument of anything but I would think that I would know how a teenager in high school would act because I AM a teenager in high school.

 

You are mean to your adopted Aunt after you get her husband killed?

 

how was he mean?
imho,he was irresponsible ,defensive to his Aunt, they both are in a lot of pressure and again Peter is still a teenager so he still has a lot to learn
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I'm with Vigilante on this one.

Granted I havent been a teenager for a couple years, but how long has it been for you, C. Lee?

Peter acts like roughly 90% of teenage boys I've known in the last 5 years.

 

Rly.........................

 

Oh no he told Aunt May to "please go to sleep" because he didn't want her to worry about him and his injuries as Spider-Man. What a complete jerk.

 

Yeah that was their only interaction.

 

Or maybe its because he forgot to get the eggs while he was trying to avenge her husbands death.

 

Not helping a cashier just because he(Peter) didn't have enough money for the milk, breaking a promise he made with a guy that saved his ass from a giant lizard.

You said Webb made a Peter Parker for the modern times, and that portrayal was a *****e.

Newsflash...EVERYONE'S been a teenager

Just because you are one now doesn't mean you are the only one wise enough to know how teenagers act, lol.

 

You didn't get my post......I'm sure others did...but I will explain for the heck of it.

You said - I don't understand why everyone always seems to be calling Andrew's Peter Parker an unlikeable *****ebag

And you also said - He behaved exactly how a teenager would act nowadays and I found him to be very relate able.

So....if everyone calls him an unlikeable *****bag......and you say you relate to him, or in other words act like him.....does that makes you seem like a **insert witty remark here** to everyone?

If everyone thinks he is an unlikeable *****ebag....and he acts exactly like a teenager acts nowadays.....then I guess everyone thinks that teenagers nowadays act like unlikeable *****ebags.


Hence my remark about comedy.

Because to me your remark was hilarious.

 

He didn't want to get yelled out by his aunt; he wasn't trying to be nice to May.