Chapter 13
Los Santos, formerly Sony Entertainment's Galaxy Cinemas.
Over 1,500 lucky viewers, along with more than 200 media professionals and film critics, sat in silence, their eyes fixed on the screen.
These seasoned moviegoers had seen countless action films filled with flashy, popcorn-fueled special effects. Yet, none had ever experienced a film as fresh and exhilarating as "Spider-Man."
Hearing a faint murmur behind him, Xu Can struggled to contain his excitement. Though Hollywood movies would grow more diverse in the future, this film's art style, music, and narrative techniques were already ahead of their time.
Incorporating elements from "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" was enough to deliver a knockout punch to the 2006 movie landscape.
The film continued, and with Xu Can's introduction, the story of Spider-Man truly began.
By blending elements of "The Amazing Spider-Man" and the 2002 version of "Spider-Man," the narrative kicks off in a familiar setting: high school.
Peter Parker, an ordinary tech-nerd teenager, often worked as a school magazine photographer, secretly taking photos of the beautiful blonde Gwen Stacy.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted ahead—Fletcher, the tall and powerful school bully, was tormenting another student.
Peter, who had often been a victim of Fletcher's bullying, bravely stepped forward to intervene. But his act of courage only made him the new target.
Fletcher punched Peter hard in the stomach, sending him to the ground in pain. Just as the bully was about to deliver a kick, the angelic Gwen Stacy stepped in front of Peter.
"Hey! Stop it!" she commanded, her voice full of authority.
Gwen stared at Fletcher with disdain. "Sorry, I don't tutor violent students. You can learn on your own from now on! I'm very disappointed in you."
Gwen's scorn left Fletcher humiliated, and he slunk away, unable to retaliate against a girl in front of their classmates.
"Whatever, it doesn't matter," Fletcher muttered as he turned to leave. Gwen quickly helped Peter to his feet.
"How are you?" she asked.
"Thanks, I'm fine. Let's get to class," Peter replied, trying to play it cool and avoid further embarrassment in front of his crush.
At this point, Peter and Gwen were just classmates who barely knew each other. Yet, in just two minutes, Emma Stone's portrayal of Gwen Stacy left a vivid impression, capturing the hearts of both fans and critics.
"It's much better than expected. Despite the lead actors' lack of experience, their performances are surprisingly mature," noted well-known film critic Roger Ebert, already mentally drafting his review.
After the encounter, Peter ran into the Osbornes—Norman and his son Harry—at the school gate. The sight of the two handsome actors, James Franco and Xu Can, standing side by side had the female fans in the audience nearly swooning.
"So handsome!"
"Franco is great, but Xu Can is even more stunning!"
Indeed, Xu Can seemed to outshine even Franco in this moment.
"Mr. Osborn, I read your recent research on nanoscience and genetics, and it was truly enlightening," Peter said, awestruck.
"Thank you. That's admirable. I'm sure your parents are very proud of you," replied the mature and wise Norman Osborn, who had always been Peter's idol.
Norman admired the young man's talent, but Harry couldn't help feeling a pang of jealousy.
"My dad really wants to adopt you. You might as well come to my house and be my brother," Harry teased.
"No, my Uncle Ben and Aunt May would be heartbroken," Peter replied with a smile.
Marvel fans in the audience sighed knowingly. Both the Green Goblin and his son Harry would eventually become Spider-Man's nemeses. The cozy dynamic between them now would only make their future conflicts more intense.
The camera work, influenced by Mark Webb and script modifications by Xu Can, ensured that the early scenes, though simple, were concise and effective. Peter Parker's ordinary high school life and relationships were established quickly, making it easy for even those unfamiliar with Marvel to connect with the character.
Then came the film's highlight: the birth of Spider-Man.
"Hello everyone, you can call me Dr. Connors. Today I will be your guide."
The camera shifted to Midtown High School students visiting the Osborne Headquarters' science lab. Dr. Connors, with his white coat and glasses, stood before them. The sight of his missing arm made comic fans in the audience gasp in surprise.
"Is this...the second villain already?"
"Probably not, it's got to be the Green Goblin."
"Maybe it's just foreshadowing."
Dr. Connors, also known as Spider-Man's old enemy the Lizard, was clearly being set up for future stories. Xu Can had cleverly planted this Easter egg, leaving room for potential sequels. But for now, the main villain remained the Green Goblin; the origin story needed to stay focused.
As expected, Peter was accidentally bitten by a genetically enhanced spider while at the lab, though he was too distracted by Gwen to notice.
"Ah!" Peter winced as a sharp pain shot through his neck. Feeling unwell, he left the Osborne Building.
The next scene showed Peter asleep on the subway, surrounded by a group of dirty homeless men.
"Oh no!" gasped some of the girls in the audience.
Everyone knew how dangerous the New York subway could be, with homeless people sometimes turning to theft or violence. The tension grew as one of the men placed a beer bottle on Peter's forehead.
The camera slowed as the water droplets began to fall, the atmosphere growing more and more tense. The audience held their breath.
Just as the droplets were about to hit his face, Peter's spider-sense kicked in. He opened his eyes and, with incredible agility, sprang to the top of the subway car!
"Wow!"
"Holy—!"
The camera's rhythm shifted from slow to fast, the sudden burst of action leaving the audience breathless. They all knew—Spider-Man had arrived!
"Hey, what kind of freak are you?" one of the homeless men sneered. "You ruined my clothes, pay up!"
Despite Peter's strange new reflexes, the men used their numbers to corner him.
Still dazed, Peter found himself sticking to the steel pipe with one hand. He was no longer an ordinary teenager—he was Spider-Man!
With newfound strength and agility, Peter executed a series of acrobatic moves—pole flips, roundhouse kicks, and more—to defeat the group of homeless men. Xu Can's action choreography was smooth and elegant, blending the stylish fight sequences of Hong Kong cinema with the kinetic energy of modern films.
Unlike the choppy, quick-cut action scenes that dominated Hollywood, Xu Can's one-shot sequences delivered a visceral punch, making the action feel real and immediate.
This first action scene, showcasing Spider-Man's awakening, provided a thrilling experience for the theater audience.
"That was awesome!"
"Hell yeah!"
"That's my Spider-Man!"
While casual moviegoers might have just enjoyed the spectacle, the professional critics in the audience were even more impressed.
"Is Xu Can actually doing these stunts? That's insane!"
"No special effects? This action choreography is incredible!"
"These Asian filmmakers are about to take Hollywood by storm!"
--------------------------------
Thanks BR for your support on patreon
Uploaded 12+ new chapters on patreon
Read 2 advance chapters for free on patreon
TO READ CHAPTERS IN ADVANCE GO TO MY PATREON - patreon.com/ihatesakura