Spiderman 2 (2004)
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Starring: |
Tobey Maguire
|
Released By: |
Sony Pictures |
Released In: |
2004 |
Rated: |
PG-13 |
Reviewed By: |
Adam Mast |
Grade: |
A- |
Spider-Man 2 - as you've probably heard from nearly every critic in the free world - is that rare sequel. It's bigger, faster, funnier and much more heartfelt than the first, (though, it should be noted that I was somewhat disappointed by the first picture). But be warned. Lower your expectations a bit. As good as it is, it isn't Empire Strikes Back or Godfather 2, nor would I go so far as to call it the best superhero adaptation ever made (for me, that honor still goes to Superman from 1978). It is, however, an outstanding summer movie that delivers the goods as promised.
Spider-Man 2 continues the threads started in the first picture. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is now a full fledged super hero, protecting citizens from the evil element running rampant through the big city streets. While he feels he is doing the right thing, he soon begins to see that his own life suffers as a result of his overwhelming responsibilities. His grades begin to slip, he loses his job, and he is unable to puruse any kind of romance with a confused Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). To make matters worse, he continues to work on his turbulent friendship with a distraught Harry who still bares resentment towards Spider-Man for the death of his father. Soon, Parker begins to question his purpose, especially when - following a crime bust - he momentarily loses his ability to sling webbing from his wrists (is something physical happening or is it merely psychological?).
As if Peter didn't have enough on his plate, he then finds a new villain to battle in the form of Doc Ock, a once sweet natured scientist who, after an experiment gone horribly wrong, wreaks havoc with his new appendages - four mechanical tentacles that take on lives of their own.
Perhaps the biggest stroke of genius here was replacing first Spider-Man screenwriter David Koepp with Alvin Sargent (and story consultants Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon). What's really special about this sequel is it's emotional depth. Sure, this is a superhero movie - a fantasy in every sense of the word, but Sargent and crew add an underlying sense of realism to the proceedings. Not just in terms of the honest, emotional connections between the characters, but through the story itself. This isn't merely a movie about crime fighting. It's a picture about destiny and making tough choices. I was also surprised by how edgy this picture is. When Parker makes the choice to stop fighting crime, there are a couple of scenes in which he sees violent acts being committed and chooses to walk away. I also found the screenplay surprisingly smart. When Dr. Octavius spews his technical jargon, I bought into it - whereas in a film like The Day After Tomorrow, I was laughing at it.
Not that Spider-Man 2 is all edgy mind you, after all, this is grand summer entertainment, and the real key to it's brilliance, lies in the capable hands of director Sam Raimi. The man is a fantastically creative force who somehow managed to elude commercial success until the first Spider-Man two years ago. Raimi's amazing visual style is much more prominent in this picture than it was in the last. Spider-Man 2 is not only brimming with Raimi's pure love of comic books, but his undying passion for cinema as well. Rest assured fans won't be disappointed this time out, because Raimi delivers the goods in a big way. One of my favorite sequences in the picture features a team of doctors prepping to amputate the mechanical tentacles from an unconscious Doc Ock. Of course you don't mess with a villain when he's down and this staff finds that out the hard way. The sequence is shot in a frenetic fashion that brings to mind Raimi's influential Evil Dead 2. It was both scary and thrilling. In fact, Raimi injects the entire picture with an awe-inspiring sense of wonder. And as adventurous as Spider-Man 2, it is first and foremost a movie about character, and Raimi never loses sight of that. As far as pictures on his resume, I'm still most fond of Evil Dead 2 and the underrated thriller A Simple Plan, but Spider-Man 2 is clearly one of his best efforts.
The effects work in this picture is truly something to behold. Unlike the first movie, the integration of CGI and live action here is seamless. And the action sequences (and there are many of them) will leave you absolutely breathless (most notably a dazzling fight scene atop a moving train). I never felt like I was watching a video game while I sat through this movie (as I did with the overbloated Van Helsing).
Also an improvement are the performances. Tobey Maguire is absolutely outstanding as a young man who pays a price to protect the city. He's a desperately lonely heart, and Maguire plays this exuberant but tortured hero with flying colors. As Spidey, he's lively and in shape, in what must have been a physically demanding role.
Rosemary Harris is the epitome of class, and her role as Aunt May has been expanded in this installment. Her subtle scenes with Tobey Maguire are particularly effective. Alfred Molina is terrific as the token villain, lending a kind of likability and sympathy to Doc Ock, whereas Willem Dafoe was clearly going for creepy and over the top. He really is perfect here as a sort of a tragic, Frankestein's monster kind of character. Even when he's committing a dastardly deed, I felt rather sorry for him.
Kirsten Dunst is occasionally effective here as Mary Jane, a young woman who can't shake loose her feelings for a seemingly disinterested Peter Parker. She fares much better here than she did in the first movie, but it helps that she's given more to do. She only falters a bit towards the ending of the picture when she's forced to recite some pretty cheesy dialogue.
James Franco I couldn't get into. I just never felt he lost himself in this character, and the part isn't quite devoloped enough. I never bought into his desperation and his yearning to follow in his father's footsteps. And I really tired of that brooding stare. I just didn't believe it. During one moment, Franco engages in a scene that is supposed to evoke a Shakespearean tone but he is unable to sell it.
Still, Spider-Man 2 succeeds with a glorious fusion of grand thrills, romance, real drama, and perfectly placed humor. I really cared about Parker's situation, and Sam Raimi's ability to fuse several genres into a big, cohesive, web slinging extravaganza make this one of the summer's most entertaining films.
Spider-Man 2 should please the comic book crowd with it's familiar take on a classic character but it will also appeal to the casual movie goer. And for all the fans out there, you'll be happy to know that this entertaining sequel does leave the door wide open for the now in development Spider-Man 3.
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