The Amazing Spider-Man parents guide

The Amazing Spider-Man Parent Guide

Parents will want to listen to their spidey senses before taking young viewers to see this black-and-blue superhero in action.

Overall B-

The story of Peter Parker comes to the big screen once again, this time with Andrew Garfield playing the boy who secretly protects humanity as the Amazing Spider-Man. In this script a desire to uncover what happened to his parents puts the super-powered orphan into grave danger.

Release date July 3, 2012

Violence D+
Sexual Content B
Profanity B-
Substance Use B+

Why is The Amazing Spider-Man rated PG-13? The MPAA rated The Amazing Spider-Man PG-13 for sequences of action and violence.

Run Time: 136 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

As if high school wasn’t tough enough already, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) has just been bitten—by the love bug and by a genetically enhanced spider.

Dealing with the love bug may be normal for high school students (played in this film by some actors who are pushing 30), but the spider is quite another matter. After stumbling upon several sheets of handwritten notes belonging to his deceased father, Peter tracks down his dad’s former scientific partner, Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) at his research company. It is in his lab that the awkward science student is stung by an eight-legged arachnid. While this event results in Peter acquiring extraordinary strength and heightened sensory ability, confidence isn’t part of the package. He still stammers and sweats whenever he attempts to talk to fellow student Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone).

Considering it’s been just a scant five years since the theatrical release of the final film of the Toby Maguire adaptations, it seems rather early to be rebooting the comic book series with another actor donning the red and blue bodysuit—especially when the script covers pretty much the same ground as Maguire’s Spider-Man. This version does offer a brief glimpse of Peter’s parents (Campbell Scott, Embeth Davidtz) when they drop him off at the home of his Uncle Ben and Aunt May (Martin Sheen, Sally Field) on a dark and stormy night. But beyond that the story details differ in only minor ways.

Garfield’s Spidey has more human foibles and his vulnerability becomes an issue. Driven by his guilt over his uncle’s death, the young man seeks revenge on every longhaired crook he comes across. Yet he doesn’t always fare well, often coming home from these encounters with bruises and bloody lacerations.

Bullets fly fast and frequently in this film as well, with at least one character dying from his gory injuries. Another character, frozen with a dousing of liquid nitrogen, has several appendages shot off. Characters are impaled, thrown through walls, and beaten repeatedly. And a young boy is caught in a car engulfed in flames.

While Peter Parker’s life is a far cry from that of billionaire Bruce Wayne who reappears in this summer’s movie The Dark Knight Rises, his man-of-the-streets persona may make him more accessible to audiences than Batman. (With no place to store a cell phone in that form fitting sheath, he is even reduced to using one of the few remaining pay phones in the city. Who knows where he kept his coins?) This hero’s human limitations also motivate fellow New Yorkers to do their part to stop a gigantic lizard that is attacking the city. Though the community cooperation might be commendable, parents will want to listen to their spidey senses before taking young viewers to see this black-and-blue superhero in action.

Directed by Marc Webb. Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans. Running time: 136 minutes. Theatrical release July 3, 2012. Updated

The Amazing Spider-Man
Rating & Content Info

Why is The Amazing Spider-Man rated PG-13? The Amazing Spider-Man is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sequences of action and violence.

Violence: A character is bitten by a poisonous spider. Students are bullied at school, including being hit, kicked and humiliated. Characters engage in a fistfight with objects being used as weapons. A man robs a store and later shoots and kills a man during a struggle. Blood is shown. A man assaults a woman. Characters fight in an alley. Numerous bloody injuries are shown. A monster crushes cars and throws them over the side of a bridge. Later he attacks civilians and police officers, destroys buildings and fights with several characters. A van starts on fire with a child inside. An animal eats a bloody mouse. Characters fight underwater. A man is seen with bloody gashes on his chest. Characters are chased and threatened in a school. A character tosses another around the room. A character hits another with a large trophy. An explosion occurs in a school. A character is repeatedly shot, with body part blown off. Frequent gunshots are depicted. A man is impaled and dies from his bloody injuries. A man is shot in the chest and later the leg.

Sexual Content: A character inadvertently rips a woman’s shirt off exposing her bra. A high school couple kisses passionately on a couple of occasions.

Language: The script contains infrequent profanities, some vulgarities and several terms of Deity.

Alcohol / Drug Use: Characters are injected with a fictitious serum that changes their bodies.

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The Amazing Spider-Man Parents' Guide

How does guilt motivate Peter? Is guilt always a good thing?

How does Dr. Connor take his desire to improve the life of ailing people to the excess? How can good motivations become misguided?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of The Amazing Spider-Man movie is November 8, 2012. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: The Amazing Spider-Man

Release Date: 9 November 2012

The Amazing Spider-Man releases to home video in the following packages:

The Amazing Spider-Man: Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack:

- Disc 1: 2D Blu-ray feature film

Special Features:

- The Amazing Spider-Man Second Screen App, including interviews, storyboards, alternate takes, costume tests, pre-visualization sequences and more. Allows you to “sling” content from your tablet to the TV.

- Disc 2: 2D Blu-ray

Special Features:

- 90 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes Documentaries:Development and Direction, Casting, Costumes, On Location: LA, On Stage: Sony Studios, On Location: NY and Post Production and Release16 Pre-Visualization Sequences.

- Disc 3: DVD of feature film

Special Features:

- Deleted Scenes

- Filmmaker’s Audio Commentary

- The Oscorp Archives - Production Art Gallery

- Stunt Rehearsals

Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack Special Features:

All of the 3-Disc Combo Pack Special Features plus:

Disc 1: 3D Blu-ray

- 3D versions of the film

- 3D 101 with Director Marc Webb

- 3D Image Progression Reel

Disc 2: 2D Blu-ray feature film

Disc 3: 2D Blu-ray featuring 90 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes Documentaries

Disc 4: DVD of feature film

Limited Edition Gift Set Special Features:

All of the 4-Disc Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Special Features plus…

- Collectible Amazing Spider-Man Figurine

- Collectible Lizard Figurine

Related home video titles:

Actor Tobey Maguire played this super hero in Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3. Another action avenger is born when an angst-ridden man tries to understand the death of his parents in Batman Begins.

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