Considering how many characters were denied appropriate screen-time and fleshing out of their characters in this film, all that's left for fans to do is step back and admire what worked - even if it was only momentarily. Although the character was completely wasted - existing merely to throw a wedge between Peter and Mary-Jane (a wedge that no one cares about, no less) - Bryce Dallas Howards is a damn fine Gwen Stacy. She has the high school sweetheart sweetness, the looks, and the hair is bang-on perfect. She looks stunning, and that's a big part of the character's appeal. The whole point of Gwen as she exists in the comics is unfortunately gone, bulldozed back in the first Spider-Man as Mary Jane took her place (apparently being more recognisable to Joe Q Public as a character). But at the very least fans were given a token appearance by the character in the close of the trilogy, which was arguably better than nothing at all at the time.
Cinephile since 1993, aged 4, when he saw his very first film in the cinema - Jurassic Park - which is also evidence of damn fine parenting. World champion at Six Degrees of Separation. Lender of DVDs to cheap mates. Connoisseur of Marvel Comics and its Cinematic Universe.
