Review of:Spiderman 2 (2004)
Director:Sam Raimi
Rating:
Starring:
Official Site
Very seldom, does a sequel stand up to the original and surpass it. The very first Spiderman was one of the finest transfers from comic to screen that I had ever seen, and I only hoped that the second would not disappoint. I can remember the very first trailer I had an opportunity to see of the film. You know the one where Peter Parker is talking to Mary Jane and then a car is coming through the window. In just that little segment of film, I found great promise, and finally when the film arrived, my thirst was quenched.
One of the staples of the comic Spiderman has always been the storylines. When you can read a complete comic with the main hero never taking on a villain and still feel satisfied‚ something has been done right. This film reminded me of that feeling. The story is what carried it along, and when you did have fight scenes (which are incredible) you are getting icing on the cake.
A short synopsis of the film is in order so that at the very least you understand what has transpired. It has been two years since Peter Parker has gained his newfound powers, and he has been on a spiraling decent of catastrophe ever since. Scared to open up to his friends and family in fear that they may unwittingly become pawns of his enemies‚ he has went along with life bearing the brunt of his gift/curse with the whole world on his shoulders. The responsibility he feels when needing to stop a crime is one of his better character traits‚ but since his life seems to have polarized in the direction of him being a superhero it has become the one thing that is his bane. His job of supercharging pulls him so many ways that his life is a complete mess. He misses classes, turns in papers late, and is continuously late to work. With his life stretched so many ways he goes into a sort of depression. How can he be Peter Parker when being Spiderman takes so much of his time?
This is what his situation is when he has to face one of his greatest challenges to date. Dr. Octavious (aka Doc Ock) is what Peter Parker may one day become. A highly successful scientist, Doc Ock is motivated to help to make the world a better place. It is with this motivation that he tries to create a source so powerful that it possibly holds the power of a sun. To handle the delicate details he has invented a group of arms that attaches directly to his spinal column. During the first testing, an accident occurs causing these arms to become fused to him. The simple failsafe engineered to protect him from the artificial intelligence of the limbs fails‚ and his mind becomes cluttered as they fight for control.
Spiderman 2 does a wonderful job setting up the storyline for both characters: Spiderman, and Dr. Octavious (Alfred Molina). The romance is brought about by Marie Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and you find yourself almost screaming at the screen to make the right decision. Something that I thought brought the characters of Spiderman and Doc Ock into a similar light was the relationship that Doc Ock had with his wife before the accident. One could see that he loved her with all of his heart, much like Peter Parker loves Mary Jane. It just signaled to me what could have been. A direction that Peter could have taken that he rejected.
If the CGI in the first film was not completely smooth, Spiderman 2 takes the process into something close to perfection.
With all that said I encourage all to see, this must see film. For a summer time movie, it excels past the rest, and is one deserving to be seen on the big screen. Hope you enjoy!
