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 Okay,
so everyone expected the first Spider-Man
to be a big hit when it swung into theaters two summers ago, but
nobody expected it to be that big! Not only did the big screen
version of the beloved Marvel Comics character take in $115 million
domestically in its first weekend alone, but it also took moviegoers
on the ultimate spin when it grossed more than $820 million worldwide.
That’s a lot of web-heads!
Yet for all
its box office success, there was something a little…well, “off”
about the actual movie. Sure, director Sam Raimi -- a longtime
Spidey fan if there ever was one -- certainly captured the spirit
of the character’s comic book origins, and Tobey Maguire was practically
born to play the wall-crawler’s conflicted alter ego, Peter Parker.
But the film felt rushed and contrived in an effort to fit two
movies worth of material into one film, Willem Dafoe laid it on
pretty thick as the villainous Green Goblin, and there were times
when the special effects looked kind of phony.
Well, not
only does the highly anticipated sequel fix those problems, but
it also tops the original film in just about every other way.
Thanks to a deeper story, loads of character development, better
special effects and some downright exciting action scenes, Spider-Man
2 just might be one of the greatest comic book movies ever
made.
Two years
ago, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) learned the hard way that with
great power comes great responsibility. These days, that power
may be more trouble than it’s worth. He’s perpetually exhausted
from balancing his dual life as the amazing Spider-Man, and he’s
still haunted by the guilt that caused him to become the crime-fighter
in the first place. He still carries a torch for his true love,
Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), but she’s already moved on with
her thriving acting career and a new boyfriend. His relationship
with his best friend, Harry Osborn (James Franco), has been strained
ever since his father’s death, and a powerful new nemesis, Dr.
Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) -- a.k.a. “Doc Ock” -- threatens
to destroy half of New York City with his delusions of grandeur.
So much for the theory that being a superhero would make life
easier, but the real question is, how long will it take before
Peter ditches the red-and-blue tights for good?
If director
Raimi captured the spirit of the comics with the first film, then
he flat-out nails it with the sequel. Now that all the set-up
is out of the way, Raimi can focus on telling a deep, solid, emotionally
resonant story that examines Peter’s inner conflict as he tries
to balance his dual life. The comics have always been about Peter’s
personal struggle, and by infusing several storylines (and images)
from the classic 1960’s comics, Raimi has effectively made a coming-of-age
superhero movie that’s more about Peter Parker than it is about
Spider-Man.
Ironically,
the screenplay -- written by Oscar-winner Alvin Sargent (Ordinary
People) from a story co-written by Pulitzer Prize-winning
author Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier
& Clay) -- owes as much to another superhero sequel as
it does to the original Spidey comics. Just as Clark Kent was
content to turn his back on truth, justice and the American way
to pursue his love for Lois Lane in 1981’s Superman II,
Peter Parker is ready to throw in the towel to tend to the more
important matters in his life. What he doesn’t realize is that
Spider-Man is an important matter, and it isn’t until he temporarily
loses his powers that he finally starts to realize it.
Spider-Man
2 may not be as campy, zippy or action-packed as its predecessor,
but that’s what makes it so much better. The story is darker and
digs deeper, there’s a lot more build-up to the better-directed
action sequences, and the visual effects are a tremendous improvement
over the first movie. There are times when it may be too violent
for younger kids, but some of the fight scenes between Spidey
and Doc Ock -- particularly a shocking clash on a runaway Manhattan
train -- are exciting nail-biters that will keep you on the edge
of your seat.
The prospect
of starring in a special effects-laden superhero flick might seem
like a thankless task, but thanks to a substantial amount of character
development, the performances here are stronger than you’d expect
from the genre. The returning players are much more confident
in their roles, and not only does Tobey Maguire continue to have
excellent chemistry with Kirsten Dunst, but he demonstrates even
more range and goes to the next level in his portrayal of Peter
Parker.
But what
would any superhero movie be without a deadly archenemy? Where
Willem Dafoe went a little overboard as the Green Goblin in the
first film, Alfred Molina is just right as Doc Ock. It helps that
you can actually see Molina’s face (whereas Dafoe was stuck wearing
a mask as the Goblin), but he still conveys just the right amount
of menace without crossing over into camp territory. Molina is
more of a pawn to his menacing tentacles than the character was
in the comics, but when he traverses the Manhattan skyline with
either poor Aunt May or feisty Mary Jane in tow, it looks like
a scene right out of King Kong.
As for the
supporting players, J.K. Simmons continues to steal his scenes
as the Daily Bugle’s intimidating editor J. Jonah Jameson, while
Rosemary Harris is effective as Maguire’s still-grieving Aunt
May. James Franco also returns as Harry Osborn, whose embittered
vendetta against Spider-Man lays the groundwork for the already-in-the-works
Spider-Man 3.
In the end,
there’s enough going on in Spider-Man 2 to please both
die-hards and novices alike. There are plenty of in-jokes for
the fans, but you certainly don’t need to see the first film to
appreciate the sequel. Besides, this isn’t just another superhero
movie. Sure, it’s a totally accessible, action-oriented summer
flick, but it’s also a coming-of-age story about choices, love
and identity for a true hero who finally realizes the extent of
his great power and great responsibility.
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