Dark Knight Rises vs Amazing Spiderman: How They Stack Up, From Screenplays to Leading Ladies

The two biggest summer blockbusters, The Amazing Spider-Man and Dark Knight Rises will be released this July. How do they stack up against each other? Here’s a point-by-point analysis of the superhero smackdown.

Story. Batman. The Nolan brothers are better screenplay writers than the Spiderman writers. But it also depends if you’re an origins-story or finale type of person. As the third installment of Nolan’s trilogy, Dark Knight Risesfeatures Batman battling both his tarnished reputation — he took responsibilities for the crimes of the Chief Commissioner — and a traditional villain, Bane, who threatens to destroy Gotham. Much darker and more violent, the finale will be a force to be reckoned with. Amazing Spider-Man, on the other hand, is a coming-of-age story. Webb takes Spider-Man back to high school, when he struggles to understand the truth about his parents and to navigate the stormy waters of first love. While he fights villains like any other superhero, this film is about figuring out his identity as a hero and as an everyday person.

The third trailer is more action-adventure, but the second trailer is more coming-of-age. 

Christian Bale, though more talented, honestly scares me. First, American Psycho. Second, did you hear his on-set rant? For The Machinist, the six-foot man starved himself until he was 122 pounds, 20 pounds below what he was advised to reach. Weird. Also his Batman sounds constipated. 

Stone is so likeable — she’s charming, talented, nerdy, gif-able, mainstream gorgeous, and freaking hilarious. Her role choices — Superbad, Crazy, Stupid, Love, and The Help — make her a guy’s girl, good-hearted and “reasonably smart,” and a pretty great actress. She just seems so refreshingly down-to-earth.

Alfred. There's room for only one tireless valet/father figure/life advisor this summer. 

Cage fighting. Finally, which superhero would win in a smackdown? Gotta say Batman. As much as I love Peter Parker's spidey senses, Batman is a better fighter — all the more because he doesn't have superhuman powers. And the Christian Bale factor, man.

6 for Dark Knight Rises, 3 for Spider-Man. Batman will be a bigger hit. They have different strengths - Batman is more traditional, majestic, and dark, while Spider-Man is simply younger. But Spider-Man has more movies ahead, which will probably grow to become another Batman.