GuestStar2004
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Overall The Amazing Spider-man 2 is a fairly satisfactory experience, full of fun and excitement and solid performances and a more confident director in Marc Webb this time around who almost felt first time out that he was afraid to make Spidey really cut loose... the running time is too much and the pacing is erratic, focusing in the wrong places for the wrong amount of time... But, when all is said and done, it may have it’s faults but it is fun and it definitely leaves you wanting more.
Ultimately, Webb may prove that some franchises get better as they go along, so think of this as the adolescent part, where Peter Parker is caught in that sticky place between being a boy and being a man – and maybe even, a truly ‘Amazing’ Spider-Man. We’ll have to wait and see.
Let’s just hope that the next time we meet Garfield’s Spider-Man, Marc Webb has learned a little more restraint so his obvious passion for the project manifests itself without the sloppy mistakes that at times threaten to derail The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which is still the third best of the five Spider-Man films released to date.
Read more at http://whatculture.com/film/amazing-spider-man-2-review.php#XEukJ21vX4bEHfPg.99
Overall verdict
Loved it. It takes all the best elements of the first film and makes them even BETTER - with scenes that make you feel as though you're ACTUALLY flying through the air alongside Spidey, tense emotional drama, humour and a big old dash of romance all wrapped up in one webby package.
From the dramatic opening flashback scene to the final emotional moments, it's a thrill-a-minute, action-packed epic adventure of a film, that'll have you falling in love with Spider-Man all over again. 4 stars ****.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 hits cinemas on April 16th, 2014.
DeHaan is by far the best thing here, and his scenes with Garfield have an integrity lacking elsewhere. Foxx, too, is very watchable: the effects make-up is spectacular and his character is intriguingly downtrodden, if dubious in its portrayal of the mentally ill.
However, much about ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ doesn’t work. Garfield aims for dorky and loveable but comes close to smug; Emma Stone, as his squeeze Gwen, gets too little to do; the big action sequences are perfunctory, confusing and too infrequent. Those who made the first movie such a huge success will doubtless find much to enjoy here, while others will find themselves longing for the boldness, scope and wit of ‘The Avengers’.
Read more: http://flicksandthecity.com/the-amazing-spider-man-2-review/#ixzz2yaiFudwR
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Final Words: Garfield and Webb continue to be a winning team when it comes to Spider-Man as they create strong characters and an enjoyable narrative, and combine these with stunning visual effects and 3D. The combination of action, emotion, and surprise twists together create a film that is so engrossing the two and a half hours fly by.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 isn't a perfect summer blockbuster but it's damn close. Some trimming of extraneous characters and excision of irrelevant plotlines and you'd have something genuinely amazing. As it stands, this is a seriously impressive and thrilling superhero film that throws the po-faced greyness of Marvel's recent The Winter Soldier into sharp relief. Highly recommended. - See more at: http://www.londoncitynights.com/201...man-2-2014-directed.html#sthash.HMz4J6Jl.dpuf
The sequel is long at 142 minutes and the 3D superfluous during some rapidly-edited early action scenes...But Garfield has now made the role his own and new technology enables us to follow Spidey swinging through the streets of New York like never before...And by sticking to key elements of the original comic books, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has an emotional core that’s not always present in superhero movies...With constant reminders of the shortness of human life, some spectacular fight scenes, a stunning role for a boy, Emma Stone adding plenty of glamour and there being yet another cameo for Spider-Man’s now 91-year-old legendary creator Stan Lee, the sequel has something for everyone.
Let’s just hope that the next time we meet Garfield’s Spider-Man, Marc Webb has learned a little more restraint so his obvious passion for the project manifests itself without the sloppy mistakes that at times threaten to derail The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which is still the third best of the five Spider-Man films released to date.
★★★★ Watched by Olivia_C94 08 Apr, 2014
The Amazing Spiderman 2
What do we want from our superhero movies these days? It is the dark, brooding tones of Nolan's Batman series? Or the bright, energetic, ultra-co-ordinated films from Marvel's studios? Or is it something more like Zack Synder's 'Man of Steel'? Sorry, I apologise. Nobody wants another 'Man of Steel'.
'The Amazing Spiderman' made a strong debut for a series which many believed shouldn't have been rebooted so soon after the trainwreck/cult classic that was 'Spiderman 3'. The sequel, the unimaginatively named 'The Amazing Spiderman 2' takes what its immediate predecessor achieved and makes it even better. The sassy spiderman that fans loved from the comic books is back in full action, casually insulting cops and monsters alike. Emma Stone's Gwen Stacey remains an impressive and likeable love interest whose scientific knowledge proves invaluable to Peter more than once. Although many people still have a strong affinity to Tobey Maguire's Spiderman, Andrew Garfield continues carefully carving out a alternative yet equally appealing characterisation. And as always, any mention of Uncle Ben will instantly bring a lump to any audience member's throat.
Then there are the aspects which take 'The Amazing Spiderman 2' even further beyond the accomplishments of the first film. The first thing which must be mentioned is the use of graphics and 3D. I am proud to announce that this is the first superhero movie to fully make use of the graphics and CGI available, yet use it in a way which keeps it completely relevant to the narrative direction. Yes, there are set-pieces, especially some fantastic ones using slow-motion, but rather than being an extravagant display of what post-production houses can produce nowadays, it feels as if every frame has been carefully considered, and nothing is included which doesn't bring extra value to the film as a whole. As a result, I would definitely advise paying for the 3D this time around, as it beautifully enhances the action sequences.
'The Amazing Spiderman 2' also smoothly dodges a potential bullet which destroyed Sam Raimi's 'Spiderman 3': the use of multiple villains. There are two main antagonists in the film, but fortunately the existence of both, and their relationship to each-other, are crucial parts of the narrative. As a result, the audience isn't left feeling like the film didn't come about from some studio exec screaming Bigger! Better! whilst throwing money at returning director Marc Webb. Admittedly unnecessary is a third antagonist brought in near the end, which most likely only appears to solidify the establishment of the inevitable following film. Other than that, this film thankfully avoids becoming the steaming pile of mess that was Raimi's third effort.
On the way home from the screening, and having asked for any review notes, I received a text from my viewing companion, which began with the words 'one giant music video'. I must say, this is not an unfair judgement. The music comes from the unlikely pairing of Hans Zimmer and Pharrell Williams and whilst Zimmer has a strong background in traditional music scoring for the epic superhero film, Williams throws in a curveball which mainly consists of dubstep and heavy basslines. During the action scenes in the final act, which (to avoid spoilers) I shall say includes a type of light-show using New York City's skyscrapers, the music matches this club-like visual. I liked it, but it won't be to everyone's taste. It certainly didn't go down with Spiderman himself, who yells out 'Man, I hate this song!' mid-sequence. It doesn't come as a surprise though, considering we earlier witness a scene involving Peter lying on his bed, sullenly listening to indie music on his ipod.
Dane deHaan as Harry Osborn takes the same method that Garfield did in the first film in that he is nothing like a carbon copy of James Franco's Osborn, and clearly has no desire to be. His Osborn is isolated, unpredictable and potentially dangerous from the moment we first lay eyes on him, and as he will almost certainly appear in the next instalment of the franchise, I look forward to seeing far more of him. He is evidently a skilled actor and his scenes allow him to make use of his wide-ranging talents. Jamie Foxx, on the other hand, sadly appears to have drawn a short straw. His characterisation is wonderful, making Max Dillon (for the love of god, please remember his name) a character that the audience can simultaneously be fond of and be terrified by. It is very unfortunate that most of Foxx's acting is obscured by heavy use of CGI, and whilst you can sense that a tremendous performance is being given underneath the layers of computer effects, it is mostly lost in the final image which appears on screen.
All in all, 'The Amazing Spiderman 2' is a good superhero film, and easily one of the strongest 'individual' hero films in recent years. It really was a breath of fresh air to see computer-based effects finally being put to good use and for once, I don't think audiences will feel cheated if they pay out to view it in 3D. With the Garfield/deHaan duo set to helm the third instalment, let's hope that success of the rebooted Spidey-franchise keeps on climbing.
★★★★ Watched by Chris Haydon 08 Apr, 2014
Brimming with staggering visuals, spectacular action set pieces and laden with trademark wit, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a significant improvement on it's predecessor.
Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone share wonderful screen chemistry and connect as finely with the humour as well as the film's more poignant moments.
Jamie Foxx and particularly Dane DeHaan shine in the villainous roles too; with the latter really making The Green Goblin a memorable foe.
This is premium popcorn entertainment that will keep audiences of all tastes and ages engaged.
REVIEW BY
sarahdobbs FOLLOW
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 2014 ★★★★
Watched Apr 08, 2014
sarahdobbss review:
Andrew Garfield is Spider-man. The way he holds himself, the way he moves, it's all perfect.
There are a couple of missteps in this film - I would've liked more closure for Electro - but the emotional beats all hit hard, and I might've had a little cry a couple of times.
★★★★★ Watched by Ant Dunn 10 Apr, 2014
Well I loved it.
Too long??? I don't think it was long enough. Just as it was getting going, it came to an end. Two and a bit hours absolutely flew by.
The only problem with it was that I felt I had seen most of it in the trailers (especially the Rhino scenes).
What this film teaches us is that the pursuit of truth, right and love is not happily ever after – this is stark realism, interspersed in battle scenes between a hybrid Spider-Man and a monster powered by electricity. It is impressive, nail-biting stuff in cinematic feats of CGI and design.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 isn’t full of cheap gunfights nor sugar-coated happy endings, it is a struggle from beginning to end – for Peter, for Gwen, for Aunt May, for Harry, for Max. It is gripping, tragic and surprisingly meaningful. The web-like mass of interlinking stories make for a truly powerful depiction of this hero’s greatest battle. If you don’t walk out of the cinema with a lapful of popcorn and tears, you didn’t have your 3D glasses on right.
Verdict
A few too-broad gags aside — and even these are in the funky spirit of ’60s Marvel — this is a satisfying second issue with thrills, heartbreak, gasps, and a perfectly judged slingshot ending.
It's far less daunting a prospect to be compared to TASM1 than the first two Raimi movies, and in that sense, Webb couldn't go too far wrong.
But more than that, TASM2 is a more confident movie than the first. And even with the motivational issues, and slightly odd pacing of the Parker/Stacey relationship, it's still the second best Spider-Man 2 ever made.
I was a big fan of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man. It seemed to embody the comics pretty well and was quite close to the tone of what Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created back in the early 60s. Then along came Marc Webb with a reboot, after what felt like 3 weeks following Spider-Man 3. I liked it, it wasn’t necessarily a bad movie, but it really didn’t feel like a true Spidey movie. Taking far too much influence from Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight it was dark. Far too dark. And now, it’s got a sequel which is a million miles away from the first Marc Webb directed movie. I hate to say it, but I’ve forgotten about the Raimi versions. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the best web slinger movie to date.
For whatever reason, Marc Webb has turned the Spider-Man franchise in a brand new direction and moved well away from his first attempt at Spidey. It’s fun, it’s hilarious, it’s spectacular. While as cheesy as it sounds, it really is amazing. However, the movie isn’t without its problems. While not a major gripe or movie killer, the pacing lags a bit in the middle. It just kinda sags for about 15 minutes too long. Again, its not enough to derail the movie by any stretch, but it is noticeable. Probably more so by the superb action the precedes it. But to be fair, once this lag ends, the movie just screams ahead. There was a big concern about having too many villains here.
Many people (myself included) wondered had Marc Webb learned from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, where too many villans seem to bring the movie to a grinding halt. While I feel those criticisms were unfair for Raimi, you can’t really land similar criticisms at Webb’s door. Simply because the Green Goblin, and Rhino in particular don’t have a whole lot of screen time. There not exactly an after thought either and serve their purpose, especially from the Oscorp point of view as they just move the franchise along for the next movie.
The Amazing Spider-Man is the best Spidey movie to date. Its spectacular, its funny, its got heart and its a must see!