Traders of Babylon

So I saw that Spider-man movie. The Amazing Spider-man is in the odd position of being at once both a good movie and a bad movie. On its merits, this is a fine film, not exceptional but perfectly serviceable. The trouble, to my mind, is that the concept itself is fundamentally flawed. I believe it is sensible, even desirable, to retell Spider-man’s origin for each new generation. 2002’s Spider-man, however, has not dated to the point that it has lapsed from the public consciousness. It simply hasn’t. Because 2012’s Amazing Spider-man offers no compelling reason to revisit this story at this moment, it reeks of creative bankruptcy. In choosing to reboot the franchise, Sony Pictures selected the easiest approach available, and not surprisingly it is also the most boring (as is the film at times). It is a cash grab more transparent than usual.