Plot
Two years have passed, and the mild-mannered Peter Parker faces new challenges as he struggles with "the gift and the curse," desperately trying to balance his dual identities as the web-slinging superhero Spider-Man and his life as a college student. Tormented by his secrets, Peter finds that his relationships with all those he holds dear are in danger of unraveling. His life-long yearning for M.J. becomes even stronger as he fights the impulse to reveal his secret life and declare his love. His friendship with Harry Osborn is complicated by the young Osborn's bitterness over his father's death and his growing vendetta against Spider-Man. Even Peter's beloved Aunt May, who has fallen on hard times after the death of Uncle Ben, begins to have doubts about her nephew. Peter's life is about to become even more complicated as he encounters a formidable new foe, Dr. Otto Octavius. Peter must use all the powers at his disposal to try to stop this diabolical madman in his octagonal tracks.
Analysis
Spiderman opened it's doors to much crazed anticipation from fans like myself who have either grown up on or have been introduced to the comic book ethics that Marvel have worked so long to instill in it's readership. These ethics are true of almost every single hero storyline that has ever been written and follow that in a world of imbalance something or somebody will appear to restore equilibrium. So when the world is in peril due to the misguided actions of evil minded criminals, along comes the alkaline to cancel out the acid. Whether our saviors are born or made the hero's we see them as is something that, to those that require their services, is irrelevant, but to these selfless individuals the saving of lives isn't the end of their story.
Clark Kent's decision to become a mortal in order to spend his life with Lois Lane is akin to the struggles facing Peter Parker in this all new all singing and definitely all dancing sequel to the very mixed-up Spiderman 1 which faced it's fair slice of the criticism pie when it was released back in 2002. Some said that it wasn't as magnificent as it should have been whilst others groaned on about dodgy looking computer animation which tarnished the films expected polish. For me it was a combination of all these plus a feeling that it was just a little too on the 'safe' side in a bid to ensure a high $$$ turn around from the family audience. When the slightly less recognisable face of Daredevil graced the big screen in 2003 it was, for me, everything that I hoped Spiderman would have been with an air of oppressive darkness that just works so well in superhero movies (look at the Batman movie series and you will see what I mean). It is with great relief that I can state that Spider-Man 2 is perhaps one of the best mixes between mood shading's I have seen up to this point with a winning combination of dark and broody moments interspersed with light and honestly tender interchanges between the characters.
My previous mention of Clark Kent was more than just inane dribble as Peter Park also suffers from an identity crisis which add's an element which ensures that the film is more than just a mindless action movie and instead becomes a character driven love story with moments of supreme action. As Parker begins to struggle with the gift that has been bestowed upon him we get to witness his true weakness, that of the love he has for his Auntie and his high school sweetheart, Mary Jane. It is the expansion of this relationship along with the hatred his friend Harry Osborn has for Spiderman that climaxes in some truly touching moments that help underline the exhausting action sequences.
The films visual flair is evident with the wonderful opening artwork by artist Alex Ross which introduces newcomers to the first films story line via some exquisite comic art whilst the cast credits roll. Moving into the film proper, all the anily re-tentative nitpickers (myself included) will begin to see that much effort has gone into improving the computer action segments with some absolutely jaw dropping moments that see our hero and his nemesis placed in positions that clearly could not have been achieved by stunt work alone and, although you will still spot a few 'odd' looking moments, the visual animators have earned their pay check's.
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Rating (out of 5)
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Comment |
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Action
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The huge visual effects team made up from companies such as Sony's Imageworks and Edge FX are the people most responsible for the action sequences. We're treated to a cluster of top notch fight segments that are completely jaw dropping, interspersed with live action stunt work of the highest quality. If it's thumping adrenalin pumping your after, look no further!
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Tension
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As is the case in most action movies, the tension comes from the visuals rather than the build up of fright. Spider-Man 2's well crafted skirmishes and predicaments put the viewer on the edge of their seat in an effective yet predictable manner.
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Violence/
Gore
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Although kept in a deliberate comic book style (i.e. - very little gore), some of the fight sequences, particularly some of Doc Ock's tentacle work, have a much greater ferocity to them that might surprise unwary parents.
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Bare Flesh
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None
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Spidey rips up his costume to the pleasure of adoring adolescents everywhere but Maguire's pec's are the total sum of skin on display here.
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Plot
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Peter Parker's struggle with his 'gift' is thrown more to the fore as his life begins to crumble as he saves the city from crime. This, coupled with the development of his relationship with MJ, helps to balance the film out between an all out action-fest and the character driven sub-plot.
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Verdict
Enthralling and engrossing, Spider-Man 2 is one of the finest examples of the super hero genre. If your resisting the urge to see this over the short coming's of the first film then take it from me, the problems are no more!
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Facts, figures and boobs
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1.
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The two boys who hand Spider-Man his mask on the train are Tobey Maguire's half-brothers Weston and Jopaul Epp.
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2.
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Sam Neill, Ed Harris, and Chris Cooper were considered to play Octavius, as was Robert De Niro.
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3.
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Tobey Maguire's participation was in doubt at one point because he was suffering severe back pains. Jake Gyllenhaal, was lined up to play Spider-Man and had already begun preparation, but Maguire decided to take part after all. There is an in-joke - written into the script by Ted Raimi - referring Maguire's health problems in the movie: Peter falls from a building and then gets up in pain moaning, "my back, my back."
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4.
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In one scene, Peter asks Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) if she's still in the village. Kirsten Dunst dropped out of Village, The (2004) to make this movie and Elizabethtown (2005).
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