The Amazing Spider-Man How Do ASM's Acting Performances Rank For CBMs?

[Jexx]

Oh, I don't care if RDJ doesn't have a hard time acting like Tony Stark, I just care how good the performance comes off as. His performance, to me, is really amazing. That's why his performance is at the top for me.

 

[grieven]

Oh, I don't care if RDJ doesn't have a hard time acting like Tony Stark, I just care how good the performance comes off as. His performance, to me, is really amazing. That's why his performance is at the top for me.

I like RDJ as Iron Man, but am more wowed by performances by Ledger (no explanation needed), Reeve (like the passion when Lois dies at the end of Superman) and Garfield.

 

[PSYLENTGuardian]

I dug back two pages because I want to answer to something:

Look, I get it that this is the TASM board and people love this movie. No shame in that. I do notice; however, that whenever there's something about the film that people legitimately know to be bad, they immediately bring up the shortcomings of another movie as a way to claim that the current scene, plot point, or performance is good. Sorry, but that logic doesn't work. The movie isn't perfect, folks, it won't kill you to admit the flaws. Every single performance in this film doesn't deserve an Oscar...it's almost sickening to see people defending every little detail about this movie, but I digress.

I've seen a lot of people on these boards acknowledge the minor flaws they found in the movie. I'm confident that we all know that this movie isn't perfect, and I'm sure we can acknowledge that you have your opinions. People just like to compare.
I was iffy on the crane scene. I didn't like the Connors/Lizard angle too well. Even though I look forward to points in this movie being answered in a sequel, I would've appreciated it a lot better if they tied them up here. If they wanted to depart from Sam Raimi's version, there's a lot they could've done that might've made Webb's reboot itself good enough not to warrant so many comparisons.

But hey, look at me digress. We were talking about Flash, weren't we?
I'll make my point clear. I judge performances based on how the actor is presented in everyday life and how they present their characters in the movie. I personally liked Chris Zylka's performance because from what I've seen of him from interviews, he seems like a, well, nice guy. I mean, the guy can look like Flash Thompson, but I would never picture him beating on the loner orphan kid. To me, he made Flash a human character and not a stock bully archetype. If a character develops over the course of the movie, then I consider that character dynamic.
Obviously we judge actors differently, so I'll leave it at that. We can agree to disagree.

 

[Visualiza]

But hey, look at me digress. We were talking about Flash, weren't we?
I'll make my point clear. I judge performances based on how the actor is presented in everyday life and how they present their characters in the movie. I personally liked Chris Zylka's performance because from what I've seen of him from interviews, he seems like a, well, nice guy. I mean, the guy can look like Flash Thompson, but I would never picture him beating on the loner orphan kid. To me, he made Flash a human character and not a stock bully archetype. If a character develops over the course of the movie, then I consider that character dynamic.
Obviously we judge actors differently, so I'll leave it at that. We can agree to disagree.

I can see your point. Fair enough, although personally, if I were to judge actors performances against their personalities(or however I perceived them from interviews and soundbites), I think that would skew my opinion of them to a degree. My philosophy(which I'm not claiming to be right, mind you, just different) is to judge a performance based upon how believable or convincing that particular character is and whether or not they are congruent with the world that the movie portrays.

As for character development, I simply didn't see it. Sure, he featured in several different scenes throughout the movie, but that, in and of itself, isn't analogous to character development in my eyes. His sudden change of heart was completely spoon-fed, and I get that the audience is left to infer that he's been struck by tragedy himself, but it wasn't sold well at all. Poor performance aside, this is among my chief gripes with how Flash was handled; the writing was pedestrian and his appearances felt forced. Absolutely every scene in which he was featured was a device to illustrate a particular plot point, and there was no depth to him at all. I feel that the audience didn't get a sense of what makes him tick, so the half-hearted progression that we were shown was meaningless; it didn't resonate with me at all because it was unconvincing and didn't seem genuine. I could go on for days about this because I feel it was a criminally mishandled aspect of the film, but in a nutshell, this is how I feel about Zylka's acting and the character as he was written for the movie. Cheers, and thanks for the civil discussion.

 

[Web face]

I would have liked it if at the end Peter apologized to Flash for humiliating earlier, then we could get the scene at the end where Flash is wearing the Spidey shirt. it would make it a bit more believable and natural. Also, nitpick alert, but Flashes Spidey shirt looked awfully professional.

 

[psylockolussus]

The only actor in this movie that I really liked was Sally Field but they even give her enough materials for her character to be great. Andrew Garfield is alright, obviously he wanted to gave his best and I admire that but sometimes, he felt a little trying-too-hard. Emma Stone is Emma Stone. Like watch Crazy Stupid Love and this ASM, they are kinda identical. I wish she showed range in this movie.

 

[SpideyFan866]

They are just some actors who truly become the character they are portraying.

IMO, Only Andrew Garfield, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Hardy, Heath Ledger, and Mark Ruffalo have done that, IMO.


When I see there performances, I don't see an actor acting, I see that character.

 

[Lorus]

This is my opinion as well. I was thinking what other performance of a comic book hero rivals the sheer emotional power that Garfield packs in TAS, and I don't think any of the Avengers characters have done it, RDJ included. Look at the scenes where Garfield is crying over his Dad abandoning him, or when Capt. Stacy dies, or when he's putting his hands over bloody Uncle Ben. When has RDJ had to dig deep and convey that type of gravitas?

And Stone is far and away the best female lead I can think of in a cbm. Stronger, smarter, and just overall the best fleshed out and not a gal in spandex trying to look tough or a damsel in distress, looking for new ways to scream and cry.

While Stone has certainly charmed the audience through sheer power of personality, I disagree completely with your suggestion that Gwen Stacy is anywhere close to the best female lead in a comic book film. Perhaps you could call her the most charismatic, that’s more of a subjective issue, but in terms of being ‘being stronger, smarter and better fleshed out’, I would disagree vehemently, both Black Widow and Catwoman are leagues better. Before 2012, Pepper comes to mind as well as Rachel and Jane. Gwen Stacy in this film is incredibly underwritten, at best she's Peter's sounding board.

Also, on a completely separate issue, RDJ delivered some powerful dramatic moments in both Iron Man and the Avengers, his conversation was Cap after Coulson’s death is far from RDJ just showing up on set and being himself.

 

[Spuzz]

I agree that Garfield and RDJ give similarly charismatic, character "inhabiting" performances intheir corresponding comic book movies. But I think Garfield's characterizations he gave Peter I will like longer and be less eventually annoyed by than RDJ's Stark. I could barely handle Stark in IM2 and some scenes in the Avengers. I thought his character arc in the first Iron Man was supposed to involve/result in him getting over most of his cockiness. He's still the cocky prick he's been since scene 1 to me!!!

 

[UltimateWebhead]

They are just some actors who truly become the character they are portraying.

IMO, Only Andrew Garfield, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Hardy, Heath Ledger, and Mark Ruffalo have done that, IMO.


When I see there performances, I don't see an actor acting, I see that character.

I'm glad you mentioned Mark Ruffalo. He was great.

 

[Anno_Domini]

They are just some actors who truly become the character they are portraying.

IMO, Only Andrew Garfield, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Hardy, Heath Ledger, and Mark Ruffalo have done that, IMO.


When I see there performances, I don't see an actor acting, I see that character.

I'm not gonna bring up the other names you're not listing, lol, but Tom Hardy gets praise for bringing emotion through his eyes and showing his ferocity as Bane.

 

[grieven]

I agree that Garfield and RDJ give similarly charismatic, character "inhabiting" performances intheir corresponding comic book movies. But I think Garfield's characterizations he gave Peter I will like longer and be less eventually annoyed by than RDJ's Stark. I could barely handle Stark in IM2 and some scenes in the Avengers. I thought his character arc in the first Iron Man was supposed to involve/result in him getting over most of his cockiness. He's still the cocky prick he's been since scene 1 to me!!!

Thank you, so I'm not the only one who gets rubbed the wrong way after a while by RDJ's shtick. He was great in IM overall, but by IM2 and Avengers, I also had grown weary of his strutting around smartass cockiness. He's excellent in the role and I'm not suggesting anyone else should play IM, but personally I can only take him in smaller and smaller doses. I totally realize in the vast minority in my opinion.