To clarify: while I've made a few critical references to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man throughout this article, by no means do I hate that film. It has its fair share of engaging dramatic moments, good characters and enjoyable action. Overall, I think of it as a fun blockbuster, full of (enjoyably) cheesy superhero movie melodrama and action.
Amazing Spider-Man, by comparison, just has a lot of what I look for in my superhero movies nowadays: more realism, in terms of how the story unfolds and the various characters' motivation, coupled with slick action scenes that don't excessively rely on CGI. Combine that with little touches (like the artificial web-shooters) that comic book fans can appreciate, and I'm left genuinely enthused to see this film when it hits U.S. theaters on July 3rd.
So, how about it: are you ready to join me (or already are) aboard the Amazing Spider-Man bandwagon? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section.