WILL ELECTRO BE A GOOD VILLAIN?

Entertainment Weekly's recent issue unveiled what new villain Electro would look like in the upcoming "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," and I had...mixed reactions. Jamie Foxx's villain resembles a high-tech "Avatar"-like character on meth, certainly a far cry from the original version of Electro I had growing up as a kid, the one with lightning bolts growing from his face in that ridiculous green leotard. I also find it interesting that while they hired a black man to take over the role of the Caucasian comic book antagonist, it looks like he'll be decidedly indigo for most of the film.

Just a bit of a difference

But those are mostly nitpicks. The fact that Foxx, one of Hollywood's brightest and talented stars, was employed with no outcry from the fans regarding his color shows progress in tolerance for sure. Mega comic book nerds probably have too much to whine about anyway, giving the "The Amazing Spider-Man's" somewhat polarized reception. Myself, I'm worried about the Rhino, who director Marc Webb says isn't in it for long. Growing up, the Joker naturally trumped any other villain for me, but Rhino was probably in the top ten. It's that bulking simplicity the Hulk has, that solid gray, monotonic costume that always propelled the character for me. Giamatti looks like a tattooed, Sopranos-like thug in the existing pictures, but hopefully CGI will assist in his memorable appearance.

Not being a comic book nerd, I can only report in superficial remembrance that I always enjoyed Electro, who I recall as being nasally but having those incredible lightning powers. I'm not even sure of his origin, and I don't want to do too much homework to spoil the fun, but the picture to the right of a nerdy-looking Foxx gives me a bad taste in my mouth from "Iron Man 3," where Iron Man, in his pre-superhero days dismissed Aldrich Killain, leading to his eventual life of crime. Maybe it was Guy Pearce individually, but that story line was so weak I couldn't help but role my eyes. I don't care if you need to do a little Nolan-like reinventing of a villain, just don't make it lame, please Marvel!

In conclusion, after his somber, chilling performance in "Django" I have the highest of hopes that Foxx will deliver and then some, and hopefully Webb will remember what made the original "Spider-Man" trilogy's best villain so superior, and of course I'm referring to Doctor Octopus. It wasn't just the metallic tentacles that led the audience to crave more of Doc Oc, (though those helped), but his back story, and the fact that under those arms was a man who'd lost his wife, his life's work, and basically his control of himself. Comic book villains don't need Heath Ledger level performances to be great; that's unrealistic. But what they do need is commitment, and if Foxx can master that, his sure to be scene stealing work really will be electric. (Bah-dunn-tsss).