Spider-Man returns in this origins re-boot of the Marvel franchise. Gone are Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and director Sam Raimi after 'irreconcilable differences' with parent Sony. Herald a new director in the aptly surnamed Marc Webb, a new love interest in Emma Stone and a brand new Spider-Man (The Social Network's Andrew Garfield). Arguably the scriptwriters also brought a new tone by investing the story in abandonment issues and teenage Peter Parker's search for his parents (albeit an un-troubling adjunct positioned more for a sequel bounce than dramatic angst).

But first, we go back to the start which leads quickly to one question: why? In real terms, there's little difference between the new part one and the old part one: Peter's a loner who gets bitten by a spider, acquires intense physical attributes and the capacity to sling webs while slinging himself around rooftops and skyscrapers. Along the way he falls for his sweetheart (Gwen Stacy, the police commissioner's daughter), and falls foul of his father's science-geek comrade in arms (Rhys Ifans, who nurses a secret about Parker Snr's disappearance along with a longing to turn into a reptile). Plus ça change... By half time it's all sweeping action as Spider-Man slugs it out with a giant lizard-man in a non-too-subtle merger of, well, Spider-Man, Godzilla and King-Kong.

After an unnecessarily long introduction (the kid wears latex, I've got it!), Webb struts his control of 3D camera work commendably. There's some thrilling action, particularly as Spider-Man stalks the streets looking for the killer of Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen). It drops a peg as the lizard takes over, forcing the film into effective if obvious and emotionally distancing CGI. The Amazing Spider-Man is at its best with humans: Garfield has the necessary charisma, Sheen and Sally Field as Aunt May are rock solid, Stone as Peter's new gal is compelling.

Webb has crafted an agreeable romp that raises the pulse while clearing the mind. Garfield and Stone are in position to propel the franchise forward while Rhys Ifans (at least while in human form) is dark enough to torment Peter Parker into the future. But try as it might, The Amazing Spider-Man is not all that amazing, it's not Nolan's Batman and any attempts to make it so bring you back to that nagging question. Why?

// COLIN FRASER
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