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Overall Rating
  Awesome: 60.49%
Worth A Look: 26.92%
Average: 3.85%
Pretty Bad: 4.2%
Total Crap: 4.55%
12 reviews, 214 user ratings
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| Spider-Man 2 |
by Erik Childress
"The ‘Superman II’ of Spider-Man Movies!"
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What is it with Sam Raimi and his sequels? No self-respecting film geek will deny that Evil Dead 2 is not only one of the best follow-ups but also one of the best horror films, period! Anyone who knows me is aware that I think Superman II is the best of any of the comic-book/superhero films. It was wittier, action-packed with great villains and had a heart bigger than most of your typical Hollywood romantic fodder. Mere minutes after the conclusion of Spider-Man 2, I had very little hesitation in proclaiming it the greatest of all its ilk. Quite simply, it’s the fiercest, funniest one-two-eight punch to the brain that we’ve been waiting decades for.If I set the scene during the press screening with my colleagues, you would dismiss us a trio of fanboys with all the jaw-gaping near-bowing hysterics we put on during it. From frame one I was glued with the clever comic tribute recapping the first film and right through to the final fade out with the brief hope that part 3 would be starting immediately afterwards.
We’re a couple years down the road from the events of the first film. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) still pines for Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) as her glamour shots haunt him across New York City. Best friend Harry Osborne (James Franco) still holds a grudge against Spider-Man for killing his dad. Peter must juggle his great alter-ego responsibility with college and his inability to hold a job. The way things continually never work out for him becomes one of the film’s best running jokes.
A new villain is about to be created in the city. Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) has been working on fusion as a viable energy alternative. I don’t know if fusing four giant armored tentacles to his back is the best way to help prove his theory, but its certainly creepy and it works. When another in the long line of scientific accidents destroys the chip that allows him to control the arms, it’s just hard to say no to the snakelike creatures who destroy a hospital room in an utmost spectacular fashion. Plus, when you’ve worked your whole life on a dream, obsession will lead one to follow through even if it means terrorizing the city. Throwing a car at your only source of inspiration may be a bit misguided, but chalk it up to going a little mad sometimes.
So while we’re on the villain, I don’t know if you can count his motives as the most hideous considering Lex Luthor unleashed nuclear missiles and the Krypton triplets wanted world domination. But Dr. Octopus (or “Doc Ock”) will rank in this critic’s book as the greatest on-screen supervillain. Plus its cool to see Molina finally unleash his frustration on spiders (Remember him in Raiders of the Lost Ark?) The special effects accentuate the illusion without question, but his mano-a-mano battles with Spidey are enough to make Roddy Piper & Keith David from They Live concede their nomination for best on-screen fight. Not a single action sequence fails to radiate an adrenaline rush of dangerous proportions, particularly one on an elevated train that is breathlessly flawless in its execution and ends on the most moving bit in either film.
Therefore, pause for a moment and give it up for director Sam Raimi who has clearly given us the Spider-Man film HE wanted to make. The ruthless camera speed, terror-filled close-ups and winks to the chainsaw are pure Raimi, as is his at times brutal sense of humor. When was the last time you saw an action film where every laugh it went for works? It helps when J.K. Simmons (as Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jamison) steals every frame he’s in. (There should be a special achievement Oscar with his name on it somewhere.) Cheap gags become gutbusters. Slyer bits become moments of sublime inspiration. Who would believe that Spider-Man and B.J. Thomas could combine to create the best unspoken punchline of the year?
Raimi sells all of it, we’re buying it and Tobey Maguire delivers it. Beyond devouring any thoughts that anyone else could play this role, Maguire brings the nuances that both sides of his personality require. Watching his gawky down-on-his-luck side provides an immediate rooting interest in what is commonly the least-interesting of the split personality (character-wise, beyond the superpowers). As we’re reminded though, that’s just a kid under that suit who in a moment forgetting he’s lost his mask displays all the fear and desperation of trying to do the right thing that casts our hero with a believability that we don’t always get from Bruce Wayne. When his powers are essentially rendered impotent at inconvenient moments, we can understand why.There’s too much and not near enough to possibly say about how incredible Spider-Man 2 is. Without knowing much more than the Saturday morning cartoon, I could still feel the respect for its hardcore brethren without alienating the rest of the uninitiated. Surprises come in unexpected intervals, especially towards the end. The screenplay is classy and perfectly rendered on what could easily be a schizophrenic affair in tone. With Raimi and the cast signed for a third, I have little doubt that it will be able to pull off what Superman and Batman couldn’t; by succeeding past its second chapter. For now, forget about both of them. Don’t think twice about The Punisher or Daredevil and the hell with Hellboy. Don’t hold the fact that I believe Hulk to be one of the best of the comic flicks against me. Spider-Man 2 is the first-class real deal ranking amongst the best films of 2004, the best action films of the past decade and, once again, THE GREATEST COMIC BOOK SUPERHERO FILM EVER MADE!
link directly to this review at http://www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=10131&reviewer=198
originally posted: 06/30/04 14:13:10
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USA
30-Jun-2004 (PG-13)
DVD: 17-Apr-2007
UK
N/A
Australia
30-Jun-2004 (M)
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