Everyone has their opinion and their preference, but I disagree.
Re-reading the original Spider-man comics from the beginning, I realized how much passion and attention went into crafting Marc Webb's Spidey sequel.
Playful funny banter from Spidey? Check!
Peter and Gwen head over heels for each other? Check!
The running theme that Spidey's life is always troubled by some loss? Check!
Gwen Stacy from the Amazing Spider-man comics did not have much depth. Though her and Peter Parker were very much in love, she didn't know he was Spider-man, constantly got jealous of Mary-Jane Watson and that was about it.
The cinematic incarnation of her character from The Amazing Spider-man movies, however, is a very different story. Cinematic Gwen is intelligent, headstrong, wise, and doesn't define herself by her relationship with Peter. In fact, The Amazing Spider-man 2 artfully displays how she needs to think about what opportunities are good for her life: Like moving to England to attend Oxford University. Here we have a "super-hero's girlfriend" who also has her own life and dreams, and goes after them. And no, those dreams aren't modeling or acting: they are in the world of science.
This works on many levels. First, Gwen Stacy acts as a role-model for young girls, who may be influenced away from the science community at an early age. On another, it shows that you can be completely in love with someone, but that doesn't mean you need to sacrifice something huge about your life in order to "stay with" them.
The real sacrifice resulted in Gwen going to help Peter at the end of the movie. She ran back to help him despite the danger. Why? Because she's smart, and could even teach Peter a few things by simply using her head. It didn't matter that it was dangerous. It didn't matter that she didn't have any super-powers. Gwen Stacy made her life meaningful by standing up both for herself and for others. And isn't that the point? Super heroes are about helping others and giving one's life some kind of meaning or purpose that each of us searches for.
It's a tragedy that Gwen's life was cut short. But the pain is what makes this story and this specific movie so valuable. Despite the running cliche stories of a super-hero putting his relationship on the line so he can continue to fight crime while his girlfriend waits around for him or gets herself in danger by merely dating him- Gwen threw herself into danger in order to make a difference. And she wasn't waiting around for anyone. Peter chased after her, and decided to move to England with her. She didn't have to give up her education in a great University studying science just to continue being with Peter.
Gwen Stacy is the Number One Fictional Hero of 2014. Because powers nor her relationship defined her. Her actions did. The whole movie was about love and life, and meaning.
As Gwen said in her graduation speech: "We have to be greater than what we suffer..... What makes life valuable is that it doesn't last forever.
As Gwen said in her graduation speech: "We have to be greater than what we suffer..... What makes life valuable is that it doesn't last forever.
So for everyone who hated on The Amazing Spider-man 2 for various reasons: You missed the point.
