Unfortunately, this initial entry to the new franchise only seems to prove the idea that a reboot was completely unnecessary.

It's not a bad film by any means - it's foundations have very few faults. The cast is definitely stronger than the original trilogy, as the actors seem to be a more natural fit to their roles than the original movies, and the main actors all have more experience with film too. The romance is better developed, as Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are given more screen time to develop their relationship. Having genuine and clear chemistry in every scene they star in helps too. The direction is solid and the action scenes are clear and easy to follow, and Marc Webb is clearly in his comfort zone with the more character-focused moments. The overall more serious tone is also promising, since they might choose to have a Christopher Nolan-style trilogy in later entries. And that could potentially be brilliant. A certain section involving a child and a car wreck in particular shows a flash of this brilliance.

Yet excluding this single flash in the film, the remainder of the movie doesn't tap into this potential. Films exist to tell a story first and foremost, and the story in this first entry is nothing we haven't seen before. Sure, some elements are changed to match the introduction of the new villain being the Lizard, yet all the core emotional and narrative beats remain the same as the original first film. You know what's going to happen every step of the way and you know how it will end, so you're never truly drawn into the film. In fact, the film becomes boring quickly. You admire the action scenes. You admire the acting. You admire the characters. Yet you never truly grow to care for them.

So let's just hope the same isn't said for the inevitable sequels.