New trailer for THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN, aka SPAMAZING

A significant number of comments under this trailer are variations on the phrase ‘Too soon…’, which while clearly in reference to the fact that this is one of the quickest reboots in history (though I think the Hulk was even quicker), it’s also basically equating SPIDERMAN 3 with 9/11 as some sort of unimaginably tragic atrocity that we need at least another decade to process before we can begin addressing it with any sense of clarity.

*pauses, leans on microphone stand*

Anyway THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (this looks like key aspect of rebooting flagging super hero movies: add a preceding adjective, i.e. HULK becomes THE INCREDIBLE HULK, SPIDERMAN becomes THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Look out for THE REALLY GREEN LANTERN and THE FUCKING DAREDEVIL in 2013) has a had a bit of a tough time of it – geek attention is at a premium, being taken up by the twin-onslaught of box-office behemoths THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and THE AVENGERS. And the first trailer was bobbins, attempting to awkwardly position this new Spider-man as ‘darker’ and ‘edgier’ (you know, like Batman?) in the process missing the point entirely what makes Spidey so good.

This new trailer’s got everybody’s organic web-slingers in a twist, however, and it is indeed much, much better than the first. I’m still more reserved than I would like to be – the okay but not great CGI for the Lizard bothers me, and makes me wish not for the first time that James Cameron had got to make a Spidey movie during the peak era of practical effects.

The reason I am staying positive, though, is that Andrew Garfield is clearly an inspired choice for Peter Parker and Spider-man. As much as I liked 1 & 2 I never dug Tobey Maguire all that much, and Garfield is not only physically perfect for both roles, but he’s got the perfect degree of snark to sell a Spidey one-liner, something that was sorely lacking from the Raimi films. (I actually laughed out loud at a description of one of these lines from this Den of Geek preview – warning: spoilers ahead)

His casting along with a whole bunch of actors I like (Rhys Ifans, Emma Stone, Martin Sheen, and Sally F’N Field!) mean I’m cautiously optimistic.

NB: I don't want to be one of those anti-3D bores, but I would just like to state right now that I can't think of a film I'd want to see less in 3D than this one. If it's packed full of shots of Spider-man swinging RIGHT. AT. US then all that Garfield goodwill will be undone in one very literal and idiotic swoop.

Check out the trailer below: