The Amazing Spider-Man 2 TASM2 vs SM2 Breakdown

[Green Goblin]

*Spoilers follow* feel free to comment on this post, feedback on my posts is always appreciated. For the record I like both films. My internet timed out and I've had to re-write this all over again .

Spider-Man
My personal favorite superhero and a really iconic character. Both suits were great adaptions but I like ASM2's suit better.
One of my main gripes with SM2 is the quips. We really only got "Here's your change!" and "I've an act for that!". Still, it's better than no quips right? In ASM2 you could really see the personality of Spider-Man, he's funny and witty!

For me ASM2 takes this part without question.
Peter Parker
More importantly is Peter Parker, after all Spider-Man is only half a story .Tobey Maguire gave a great performance as Spider-Man. He was at his acting best in Spider-Man 2 and the script made him likable, funny and he had this charm to him. Problem is, he's basically the same character as he was in high school. Garfield was witty and smart, funny and charming. Just as he was in his college years. They also showed Peter grow as a character really well from high school.

For me while both actors are great, I thought the script in TASM2 was better.
Villains
Spider-Man 2 had Doc Ock. While Raimi did change the character into a sympathetic one I thought he was fantastic. Really menacing and along with a great script visuals, he's the best thing in Spider-Man 2. Max Dillon had 2 cringey scenes. I thought they over done the goofiness with him talking to himself and that scene of him singing happy birthday was pretty cringy too. Spidey meeting him and the elevator scene was fine but honestly they went over the top in some scenes. Electro I did like, menacing and the visuals were fantastic, best looking Spidey foe IMO. I also felt more sorry for him as Electro. Dehann was great as Harry and as Goblin and the way Marc Webb tied the villains was great. They weren't fighting for attention, every villain has a purpose and having Oscorp as the web which ties all these villains and subplots let the film flow really well. Is there alot going on? Yes. Is it messy? NO! Rhino was mainly there to entertain. There is no depth to the character, they knew what he was, this little man in a big truck/suit and they embraced it!

While all the villains overall were fine and serviceable, with Harry Goblin being the best individually they don't hold a candle to Doc Ock, the best Marvel villain IMO. Though maybe I'm bias too as I think Doc Ock is the better character.
Love Interest

Emma Stone plays Gwen and Kirsten Dunst plays MJ. Gwen is smart, witty and I thought she had great chemistry with Garfield and I really loved her in the role, Emma brought her to life really well. Kirsten Dunst was OK at acting but the chemistry between her and Maguire felt lukeworm in some scenes. I liked how she was less ****e-ish as it was really only Peter and John she was deciding between and she really loved Peter all along. Still, I never really found her that likable, she's the worst thing in Spider-Man 2
Score
Don't know what to say. I just liked Zimmer better but Elfman's is still great.
Action
Both film's had fantastic action and great visuals. They were really playful with the villains in SM2 and TASM2. The train fight remains my favorite individual fight but I felt the overall action in TASM2 was better.

The final action sequences in both had high emotional stakes too. Both certainly didn't have CGI fests.

In terms of action, it's a tie between TASM2 and SM2.
Theme/Story Arc
Both film's adapt well loved Spider-Man stories and have a theme. In The Amazing Spider-Man 2 the story arc is The Death Of Gwen Stacy and the theme is time.

Time links in well with this story arc. It was all about how we have little time and time with loved ones. Characters like Harry are dying, Norman is dead (apparently), Gwen's speech talks about how in our youth fools us into thinking we are immortal, Richard wishes he had more time with Peter etc. The first shot of the film is a watch and the final fight is in a clocktower, even Spider-Man trying to stop the gears was symbolic for time catching up with Peter and Gwen. It's a great theme for Spider-Man, he is a young person and Gwen's death was done well. It was brutal but sophisticated and the person she loves the most kills her.
Spider-Man 2 adapted Spider-Man No More! and it's theme was desires vs responsibility.

Really fitting too. We see the conflict of Peter wanting a normal life with MJ but he can't because of his responsibility as Spider-Man. What is interesting is at the end of the film, Doc Ock and Spider-Man both realize that they must give up their dreams for our responsibilities. Doc Ock wanted to build a better world but he realized he was destroying it and he saw through his ignorance.

Both films did an equally great job at this. While I personally like Gwen's death more and time is my favorite theme in literature both were done equally well. It was really inspiring Peter coming back into the suit in SM2. In TASM2 it was done well too, the hero watches Gwen's speech and he rises from grief and pain to fulfill his responsibilities as Spider-Man. I loved how it showed the hope Spider-Man inspires to people and the kid standing up to Rhino in the suit reminded me of when I was a young Spider-Obsessed boy, when I wore my Spider-Man costume I felt like I could take on the big bad world.

While Spider-Man 2 had the better villain, everything in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was done to the same extent or better.

*Feel free to agree or disagree with any points I made here and share your thoughts. Also I'd appreciate if you would comment on how well written it was . Thank You very much for taking time to read this post!*

 

[LizardMan07]

Awesome post

There will be fire in this thread though.

 

[Green Goblin]

Awesome post

There will be fire in this thread though.

Thanks I appreciate it .I can all ready tell there are people who's blood is boiling over this and havn't seen TASM2 in the same way there are people who will completly agree with me and havn't even seen TASM2

 

[DACrowe]

Ahem. Not to pick a fight, but in no universe does The Amazing Spider-Man 2 have a better screenplay or story arc. It is a complete muddle with too many villains and subplots that trip over itself.

...With that said it does Spider-Man much better and the romance too. And I'm someone who actually appreciates the Raimi soap opera theatrics of the first two. But Andrew Garfield nails the everyday New York smartass in TASM2 not only better than Maguire did or that he did in TASM1, but possibly the best onscreen version of it ever. It was remarkable. And of course he and Stone have magnetic chemistry and all their scenes were a true enjoyment to watch.

As for Peter Parker, I still give the edge to Tobey Maguire. Garfield may have the humor and deprecation down on the character, but there is an earnest sadness, guilt and ultimately triumph about the character that Maguire did very, very well. And I do think that for the out-of-the-costume scenes, Maguire's performance, perfect representation of the comics or not, grabs audience support better than Garfield's.

In terms of action, I would also give it to Spider-Man 2. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 had 10 years of CGI advancements, but for all that visual upgrade, it still looks more like a video game. Nothing has yet beat the clocktower/subway fight in SM2 this side of The Avengers. It also helps that Doc Ock isn't wasted like Harry's Green Goblin or turned into a Batman Forever villain like Electro.

With that said, TASM2 does do a better job of presenting the city, imo. Raimi gave New York a very magical look, but now that Webb has dropped the studio-mandated "grittiness" from the first movie, he actually makes New York feel a little more real. And his Spidey interacts with New Yorkers in an endearing way. And it is probably the best depiction of that relationship yet.

But if have to boil it down to what is the better movie? Spider-Man 2. It has a very well structured, written, and executed story with a cathartic ending that pays off like gangbusters. It is still the quintessential Spider-Man movie. With that said, Garfield is a perfect depiction of the character when the mask is on. So, if that is what you are looking for, then here it is.

 

[First Avenger]

Right now,TASM2>SM2 as a whole.

 

[chaseter]

Why is GG allowed to keep making these threads?

 

[LizardMan07]

I don't see a problem with it, keeps the discussion out of other threads, and it's going to get pretty in depth once Joker and friends see it and type up why it's completely false, and then we'll here the rebutals from the other side.

This thread seems to pave the way for another ripping discussion, which is you know, the actual goal of a forum to me.

 

[Spider-Fan]

This is needless and will just start flame wars. GG, please stop making threads like this.