One of the things that works for me in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” is the way in which they depict Spidey being idolized by his fans. He is a larger than life superhero and so it makes complete sense that people in the world of the films would love him (heck, people in the real world love him). Talking then with star Andrew Garfield, I wanted to get his take on the idolization and see if it was anything that transferred to him as an actor.
Garfield's answer is that he never feels idolized, that it's always the character and that, “It's right that this character would be idolized… be an icon.” He finishes his thought with something that seems terribly wise about the character and what it means to idolize a superhero, “If anything, they're responding to the mask and to the suit, which is good for me because that's the truer thing to respond to.”
The answer to that first question goes into much more depth, and Garfield discusses what it means to be a superhero and what sacrifice is involved there. The actor shows a great understanding of who Peter Parker (and Spider-Man) is, and the virtue in his being Spider-Man anonymously. It is something that Garfield, clearly, has thought about in playing the character. “It doesn't matter who's behind the mask, it's about the symbol of good, the symbol of protection and of love.”
I also ask in the interview about whether his part in the movie really requires him to play not one, but two people. Garfield answers by saying, in part, that it's who Parker is as an individual that makes Spider-Man a great hero. He also goes on to discuss the metaphor of the character and how, “We are all Peter Parker in terms of being ordinary and struggling with the same things everyone else struggles with, and we are all Spider-Man in the sense that we all have something extraordinary to give to the world.”
Whether or not the movie as a whole is great-Drew McWeeny says that “the film does work in fits and starts” in his review-what is great is hearing just how much the actor wearing the mask has considered what it all means. Do be sure to watch the full interview for more answers from Garfield, including one where he discusses whether Parker will ever hang up the suit for good.
“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” swings into theaters on May 2nd.