The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Review

                            

Note: The first two paragraphs of this review will be me focusing on my past relationship with the cinematic exploits of the Web-head. While I can understand this perhaps being tedious for those who simply want to hear my thoughts about the film I'm reviewing, I feel that illuminating my background allows me to better establish what expectations I might have had going into The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Also, I have done my utmost to steer clear of spoilers during this review (which might result in me sounding very vague at points). If anyone wishes to use my opinion to judge whether or not they should see this film, I will aim not to give away anything but that which is essential to the construction of this review. With all that rambling out of the way, let's begin...

I am a big fan of the original Spider-Man trilogy by Sam Raimi. It was a bumpy journey, to be sure. I do still love Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, but I acknowledge that, despite their emotional resonance, they can have some very goofy moments. However, they offered enough comic-book thrills, laughs and terrific performances aided by wonderfully engaging story-telling. Then came Spider-Man 3, a film which left many people feeling disappointed and even angry. Too many villains, an idiotically goofy Peter Parker, a badly misused Venom (one of Spider-Man's most famous adversaries), a deluge of subplots... The list of problems is large. But, while I agree with all of those listed and more, I still LIKE Spider-Man 3. Let me emphasise me liking it but not loving it like I did the previous two. Sure, it has its problems, but it had a very troubled back story. After Raimi already had two villains set up, he was put under immense pressure from both the fans and the studio Sony to put Venom/Eddie Brock in the film (hence why the character shows up around the half-an-hour mark and has little screen time onwards). Another theory flying around was that, since Raimi felt this might be his last Spidey film, he tried to cram in as much as possible so that he could leave a bigger impression. The issue of "cramming too much in" is something I want to touch on again later.

A mere five years after Spider-Man 3, Sony released a 'reboot' in the form of Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man. While the brief period between these two reeked of commercialism (Sony basically had to make another Spidey film to avoid losing the rights to Marvel Studios), the film itself was surprisingly strong. Many criticised it for repeating Spidey's origin story, but I honestly felt that it worked for two reasons. The first is that, in showing a different Peter Parker/Spider-Man to the one previously portrayed by Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield needed a film to make his mark (which he did spectacularly). Secondly, it told the origin in its own way. We see Peter before he turns into Spider-Man, we see that his family has secrets and we see more down-to-earth, lovable characters. I like the characters in Raimi's trilogy, but I ADORED them in The Amazing Spider-Man. Their ticks, their interactions, the dialogue... TASM was a superhero film which refreshingly focused on characters and the simple dynamics which evolved. As a result, we got a truly beautiful romance between Garfield's Peter and Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy. While it was by no means perfect, The Amazing Spider-Man was a truly satisfying reboot of the character for me. And the ending promised that there was much more to look forward to...

Well, with The Amazing Spider-Man 2, that 'much more' has arrived.

We pick up with Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) as they deal with different events in their life. As is common in the world in Spider-Man, these events are only going to become more complicated by the appearance of new villainy on the streets of New York. This villainy takes the form of Max Dillon/Electro (Jamie Foxx), a walking time bomb with the ability to control electricity. Peter's past also plays an important role through family secrets and the return of once best friend Harry Osborn (Dane Dehaan)... 

From the very beginning, director Marc Webb shows that his craft has improved immensely. This is definitely a more ambitious undertaking than the first film, and Webb handles the task with admirable skill. Does the film at times feel cluttered? Yes, it does. But Webb's confidence keeps the film mostly on track, and he zips terrifically from drama to comedy, from romance to action and back again. Plus, while this film may feel cluttered, it promises to shed more light on some of the elements here in future installments (a promise which was lacking in Spider-Man 3).  

The film opens with two thrilling action set-pieces which not only provide dazzling spectacle but also progress the story. Webb almost seems to dare you to try to watch the first Spidey sequence without transforming into a giddy little kid. I didn't even try to resist; the camera captures Spidey in all his web-slinging glory like never before, and it's an absolutely intoxicating rush. The action in this film is leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor, both in terms of scope and intensity. If you're looking for big-screen spectacle and excitement, you'll definitely get your ticket's worth.

What makes it so much more than a showcase for wonderful visuals is the exceptional work of the actors, whether they are returning or making their debut in the world of the web-slinger. I'm sorry, Tobey Maguire, but Andrew Garfield is now officially my favourite Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Whether he's shooting off quips left and right, confronting harsh emotional truths or helping to bring life to one of the best film romances in recent memory, Garfield is nothing short of perfect. His Peter Parker is so relatable, likable, sympathetic and genuine that the inclusion of superpowers is just an icing on the cake. Matching him beat for beat is the adorable Emma Stone, whose Gwen Stacy continues to put Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane Watson to shame. Much like Garfield, she is such a lovable screen presence that she lights up the screen every time she appears. She has movie-star charm, wit and intelligence to spare. And the two of them together... The romance between the two is one of the best I've seen in cinema for a long time. I don't have enough superlatives for Garfield and Stone here. They both breathe vibrant life into their characters wonderfully, and this film wouldn't work nearly as well without the two of them at the centre.

For all of my gushing about Garfield and Stone, I do have to give credit to all of the other fantastic performances here. First and foremost is Dane Dehaan as Harry Osborn. Dehaan, in my honest opinion, is one of the best young actors working today (check out Chronicle, Lawless, The Place Beyond the Pines and Kill Your Darlings for proof). As Harry Osborn, he damn near threatens to steal the film from under Garfield and Stone. Dehaan is a captivating screen presence, creating both a threateningly slimy yet oddly understandable character. The motivations for Harry's actions throughout the film are genuinely fascinating, and Dehaan's multi-faceted turn gives Harry's story genuine weight. As Max Dillon/Electro, Jamie Foxx also delivers a sympathetic yet imposing performance. I was really interested in seeing what Foxx would do with this character primarily because Electro is one of my favourite Spider-Man villains. Thankfully, Foxx didn't let me down. Electro is a force to be reckoned with, and while Foxx initially comes across as comical in his portrayal of Max before his turn to the dark side, there is an underlying sadness which quickly boils into a tragic rage. Foxx's terrific work makes Electro an impressive foe. Once again, Sally Field is flawless as Aunt May. Her chemistry with Garfield is wonderfully natural, making it feel like they've really known each other for years, and their scenes together are beautifully understated. In his brief screen time, Paul Giamatti leaves a lasting impression with his deservedly over-the-top portrayal of Russian thug Aleksei Sytsevich. Colm Feore, Campbell Scott, Chris Cooper, Marton Csokas and Embeth Davidtz all provide solid support. My only negative note about the cast is that it's so big that actors like B.J. Novak and Felicity Jones are given almost nothing to do. But I'd have to assume that if a young actor was given even a small role in something as high-profile as Spider-Man, they'd jump at the chance. Judging by a lot of the footage from trailers which didn't actually appear in the film, I'm assuming that perhaps some scenes with them in were cut out. Given how much this film already had to get through, that might not necessarily be a bad thing.

Technically, the film is close to flawless. The visual effects are nothing short of spectacular, especially when showcasing Spidey's agile swinging through the city and Electro's manipulation of electricity. Visually, Electro is Spidey's most impressive adversary by far, his whole body pulsating with power. Electro also gets an exceptional musical theme courtesy of Hans Zimmer and The Magnificent Six (with contributions from Pharrell Williams and Johnny Marr), whose work throughout the rest of the film is equally brilliant. The score perfectly emphasises the emotions of dread, romance, heroism and danger as they appear throughout the film. The soundtrack is also wonderfully chosen, with a particularly pitch-perfect placement of Phosphoroscent's Song for Zola lending beauty to one of the scenes between Peter and Gwen. In fact, I'm listening to the score/soundtrack while writing this, and I'm strongly resisting the urge to purchase the deluxe edition. It is fantastic to listen to, whether in the midst of the film or separated from it. The editing is also strong, helping immeasurably in the film's rapid-fire pacing. Finally, the 3D (which was an unnecessary addition to the other recent superhero film Captain America: The Winter Soldier) is genuinely impressive here, providing a greater level of immersion while never feeling like a gimmick.

While I may have seemed to have nothing but praise for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, there are flaws. There is a lot going on during this film (it's telling that actors were cast in major roles, filmed and then cut), and the seams do sometimes appear. The same charge of ambition could be levelled at this film as Captain America: The Winter Soldier. However, that film played with elements which had already been established within its cinematic universe through multiple films, allowing it to both play with the universe and work as a self-contained narrative. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is introducing several elements within one film. While it does sometimes feel like we don't have much room to breathe, credit is still due to Marc Webb and to writers Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner and James Vanderbilt for their ambition. The film sometimes feels like it's setting up later installments as a result of everything taking place. But much like its predecessor, the characters, their stories and the immensely talented people involved both manage to keep my interest rooted in this story and make me very curious to see what happens next. I would have liked the film to be a bit longer by 10 to 15 minutes, just so that a bit more time could have spent on observing the relationships between characters. In the first film, moments like this were in abundance, but here (with a running time only four minutes longer than the first), there's too much going on for that simple luxury to have the same level of prominence. With that being said, there is enough development and care for us to become emotionally involved.  

Overall, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a strong and immensely entertaining superhero film. The visual effects and action set-pieces are stunning, the performances are enthralling, the direction smoothly courses over any bumps to be found in the story, the energy and pacing rarely flags and the work of Hans Zimmer and The Magnificent Six, combined with a perfect song selection, makes the film an aural delight. Plus, the film's conclusion is tremendously well-handled. Despite some problems with over-crowding, I had a great time with this film and I would have to highly recommend it to any Spider-Man fans or even those with simply a passing interest.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5. At the moment, I still slightly prefer Captain America: The Winter Soldier out of the two superhero/comic book films so far this year. I did debate giving The Amazing Spider-Man 2 a rating of 4 due to how crowded it was. Eventually, I felt that I would go for 4.25 instead. It's not quite 4.5 for me after the first viewing, but it exceeded what I would give a 4 due to its sheer entertainment value.