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Sony was using the Rhino to market the movie and that was probably a mistake in the long run, i mean i can kinda see why they would because fans suddenly gain a new excitement for another comic villain being added... its still kinda false advertising
Sony needs to learn less is more. Plastering your marketing with multiple villain is a hindrance not a help. And it's pointless marketing to kids when it's parents and adults that buy the tickets.
Here's my blog review. It was going to be more "forceful" in attacking some of the more (imo) ridiculous claims some are making about the movie, but I decided to go for a more neutral outcome.
Here's my blog review. It was going to be more "forceful" in attacking some of the more (imo) ridiculous claims some are making about the movie, but I decided to go for a more neutral outcome.
Here's my blog review. It was going to be more "forceful" in attacking some of the more (imo) ridiculous claims some are making about the movie, but I decided to go for a more neutral outcome.
i like bobs reviews and i have disagreed with a lot of his opinions, but yeah he is kinda right about this( and truthfully not as ranting as i was expecting)
the film is better than the first and has some alright-good elements (gwen and peter's scenes though to be fair i didnt know they were actually dating and now they have less impact because its not that hard to get chemistry on screen outta two people who are you know actually have it in real life)
but anyway the film does have major problems and a lot of people seem to be glossing over that to various degrees. but sadly these far outway the good parts and it seems like such a slapped together story that it has little to no cohesiveness and with a lot of decisions that have been made been done simply to be done or make little to absolutely no sense.
and before people jump in with the usual crap on here
i'm not a raimi fan boy, i enjoyed 1 the most, 2 was good but over hyped and 3 sucked donkey balls
i did not go in wanting to hate it. personally in the whole pre production the only thing i hated was complete mishandling of the green goblin in character and design which by now many who felt the same have been proven right about
I enjoy a lot of the main cast and the fact that stone has made me like a gwen story is amazing as i have a complete loathing for the character
and while i couldnt say its in the top 10 i did enjoy the first to a degree and hoped this was better
Here's my blog review. It was going to be more "forceful" in attacking some of the more (imo) ridiculous claims some are making about the movie, but I decided to go for a more neutral outcome.
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING REVIEW IS EXTREMELY LONG. Thanks to those who'll have the courage to read it, I wrote it with much love.
First of all, that scene wrecked me, NEVER before (and I've seen over a thousand movies) has my heart beaten so fast during a movie, I felt it was either going to stop working or explode, for the whole movie, I was just sad & anxious knowing what was to come. When that scene happens, it's pretty breathtaking, the
shape of the web
alone brought a tear to my eye, and I just didn't want it to happen.
I was literally angry, wrecked as Peter is (Garfield is not acting here in particular), and I just missed her right after, just like I lost someone close, it's probably gonna sound ridiculous & a bit "much" to some of you, but that's how it feels.
I think by that little introduction, you can guess what I thought of the movie.
Marc, Andy, Emma, Jamie, Sally, Dane, etc, they can all be VERY proud of this movie, no matter what some are saying.
This IS the ultimate Spider-Man movie, imo and I love Spider-Man 2 to death, like TASM, and I also really dig Spidey 1, 3rd one is still entertaining. Marc just gets the character and the world that surrounds him.
The opening sequence of the movie is surprisingly emotional and a great scene by itself, I love this storyline and think it's tremendously interesting, and hope that somehow, it's not the end of it.
Following right after with
Spidey in action, freefalling
(not a spoiler, but some might be touchy on that) really works, Zimmer's amazing score (that I consumed non stop for 2 weeks before seeing it) soars, and it's just the best webslinging we've ever seen (unless that's a controversial statement? I don't think so though).
Marc seems completely free in his direction, he's embracing the whole fun & exhilaration of being Spider-Man, what it feels like, you can tell he learned a lot with TASM and this time, he goes all in.
I was just ensnared in Spidey's web (lameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ) right from the beginning. The whole scene is just so much fun, dynamic, and I like how it ties
Aleksei & Max Dillon
The use of
Captain Stacy
as this sort of memento for Peter is very well done and has him on the wire more than once and actually complicates his relationship with Gwen much faster than I expected.
I'm gonna describe the whole movie if I keep going like this, so I'll try to focus more on the different aspects.
I never once felt the "jarring" tone that a lot of reviewers are talking about, never, on the contrary, I kept thinking it felt very organic, whether from a story progression point of view or a tonal point of view.
I'm surprised that the movie feels overstuffed to some, on the contrary once again, I feel it's very rich, and kind of feels comic booky that way, there's a lot of stuff going on in there, and I love that.
Who said there's no story or plot here? I mean, what? I don't, seriously, you could tell me that a thousand times, I'd tell you you're mistaken, there are plenty of stories on the contrary
Peter's parents' disappearance, what his dad's research meant and it's directly linked to the experiments Oscorp are conducting, and connected as well to Norman Osborn //////// Peter's relationship with Gwen, its evolution, him wanting to stay with her but seeing her dad everywhere and reminding himself that what he's doing is not fair leading to their breakup, her wanting to go to England to move on, but in the end, not being able to stay away /////// Harry & Peter's relationship, Harry needing Spidey's blood to avoid dying like his father, Peter not wanting to do it because he fears it might kill him. //////// Menken spying on Harry, taking control over Oscorp, while conducting experiments /////// The Gentleman building up the Sinister Six.
Etc, etc, that's just on the top of my head, the only thing I felt was unnecessary was the plane stuff towards the end, but I get what Webb is doing here, setting up the stakes.
The acting, let's not talk about it, we all know it's fabulous, and I just want to work with Emma, Andy & Dane as fast as possible, fantastic stuff.
The villains? I'm surprised that Electro is actually a strong villain imo, a hundred times better than the Lizard for sure, they established Max's personality pretty well and it was all very clear when he doesn't have a lot of screentime. Electro is such a fantastic visual presence, it makes all the sense in the world that Marc would want him, he looks really cool, his powers are pretty stunning and well handled.
GG? I wish we could have seen more of him but the whole
metamorphosis scene
was quite gruesome and well done, his motives, as well as Max's make sense, and it's pretty organically done.
It's what I like, it all ties together very neatly.
The action in the movie is excellent, although I'm not sure if I still think the train fight in Spidey 2 takes the cake, Time Square scene & the other ones (that you know of) are really cool, especially Time Square & the one at the ending, I wish it was a tad longer but you know what?
What I love most about the movie is not even the Spidey action, it's the relationships, Peter & Gwen, it's superbly made, touching, funny, relatable, very well written, Marc just has a knack for those elements like we've seen in 500 Days & TASM, we can't even talk of chemistry anymore, Andy & Emma pop off the screen and when that scene comes, you can tell Andy didn't have to search a lot to feel what he feels.
I love the scenes about Peter's parents, I love the scenes with Aunt May, of Peter in his room, the montage with Spidey, I love how fun & exhilarating it feels, how it all unravels, I love the scenes where Peter & Harry hang out together. The ending is heartbreaking and what's more heartbreaking is the fact that
Peter knows it, when she shows up after the fight against Electro, he's angry at her for being here, but she's stubborn, loves him & cannot accept to stay away. As she says it, it's her choice to be here. Peter has her, he could have saved her, but there wasn't enough time, the theme of the movie: time, he could have saved her.
What comes after that is a very touching & beautiful montage to show how Peter
deals with the pain, and stays with her as he wanted to do, like he tells her "you can't leave, stay with me"
, and then how he finds strength (beautiful idea with
the speech
), how to overcome his grief and be who people need him to be.
I just don't know what movie they're talking about. Does the movie have a lot going on? Yes, but nothing feels overly focused or unfocused. The narrative doesn't shift focus as bluntly or abruptly as Spider-Man 3 and it all ties together at the end rather smoothly. Every plot line they set up they paid off in due time. If anything, this movie has better writing and structure than is being stated.
And one critic says the film lacks heart. WUT!? This has got to be one of the most openly heartfelt superhero movies ever made. ITS ALL HEART for crying out loud.
And one critic says the film lacks heart. WUT!? This has got to be one of the most openly heartfelt superhero movies ever made. ITS ALL HEART for crying out loud.
The movie has 4 things happening. Peter and Gwen, Peter's parents, Electro and Harry. It all weaves in and out seamlessly and makes it feel like the shortest over-2-hour movie I've ever seen.
It's not like Spider-Man 3 where Sandman emerges from a sewer and you're like "Oh right, I forgot he was in this movie.". It rockets forward.
The movie has 4 things happening. Peter and Gwen, Peter's parents, Electro and Harry. It all weaves in and out seamlessly and makes it feel like the shortest over-2-hour movie I've ever seen.
It's not like Spider-Man 3 where Sandman emerges from a sewer and you're like "Oh right, I forgot he was in this movie.". It rockets forward.
I haven't felt this BAFFLED by the critics in a long time. I honestly feel like I saw a different film than what these people are talking about. No joke or sarcasm intended.
The movie has 4 things happening. Peter and Gwen, Peter's parents, Electro and Harry. It all weaves in and out seamlessly and makes it feel like the shortest over-2-hour movie I've ever seen.
It's not like Spider-Man 3 where Sandman emerges from a sewer and you're like "Oh right, I forgot he was in this movie.". It rockets forward.
You're right. It actually doesn't feel that long. There's a point in the movie where I could tell the shift from second act to third and climax starts. It almost felt a bit short actually.
Here's my blog review. It was going to be more "forceful" in attacking some of the more (imo) ridiculous claims some are making about the movie, but I decided to go for a more neutral outcome.
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING REVIEW IS EXTREMELY LONG. Thanks to those who'll have the courage to read it, I wrote it with much love.
First of all, that scene wrecked me, NEVER before (and I've seen over a thousand movies) has my heart beaten so fast during a movie, I felt it was either going to stop working or explode, for the whole movie, I was just sad & anxious knowing what was to come. When that scene happens, it's pretty breathtaking, the
shape of the web
alone brought a tear to my eye, and I just didn't want it to happen.
I was literally angry, wrecked as Peter is (Garfield is not acting here in particular), and I just missed her right after, just like I lost someone close, it's probably gonna sound ridiculous & a bit "much" to some of you, but that's how it feels.
I think by that little introduction, you can guess what I thought of the movie.
Marc, Andy, Emma, Jamie, Sally, Dane, etc, they can all be VERY proud of this movie, no matter what some are saying.
This IS the ultimate Spider-Man movie, imo and I love Spider-Man 2 to death, like TASM, and I also really dig Spidey 1, 3rd one is still entertaining. Marc just gets the character and the world that surrounds him.
The opening sequence of the movie is surprisingly emotional and a great scene by itself, I love this storyline and think it's tremendously interesting, and hope that somehow, it's not the end of it.
Following right after with
Spidey in action, freefalling
(not a spoiler, but some might be touchy on that) really works, Zimmer's amazing score (that I consumed non stop for 2 weeks before seeing it) soars, and it's just the best webslinging we've ever seen (unless that's a controversial statement? I don't think so though).
Marc seems completely free in his direction, he's embracing the whole fun & exhilaration of being Spider-Man, what it feels like, you can tell he learned a lot with TASM and this time, he goes all in.
I was just ensnared in Spidey's web (lameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ) right from the beginning. The whole scene is just so much fun, dynamic, and I like how it ties
Aleksei & Max Dillon
The use of
Captain Stacy
as this sort of memento for Peter is very well done and has him on the wire more than once and actually complicates his relationship with Gwen much faster than I expected.
I'm gonna describe the whole movie if I keep going like this, so I'll try to focus more on the different aspects.
I never once felt the "jarring" tone that a lot of reviewers are talking about, never, on the contrary, I kept thinking it felt very organic, whether from a story progression point of view or a tonal point of view.
I'm surprised that the movie feels overstuffed to some, on the contrary once again, I feel it's very rich, and kind of feels comic booky that way, there's a lot of stuff going on in there, and I love that.
Who said there's no story or plot here? I mean, what? I don't, seriously, you could tell me that a thousand times, I'd tell you you're mistaken, there are plenty of stories on the contrary
Peter's parents' disappearance, what his dad's research meant and it's directly linked to the experiments Oscorp are conducting, and connected as well to Norman Osborn //////// Peter's relationship with Gwen, its evolution, him wanting to stay with her but seeing her dad everywhere and reminding himself that what he's doing is not fair leading to their breakup, her wanting to go to England to move on, but in the end, not being able to stay away /////// Harry & Peter's relationship, Harry needing Spidey's blood to avoid dying like his father, Peter not wanting to do it because he fears it might kill him. //////// Menken spying on Harry, taking control over Oscorp, while conducting experiments /////// The Gentleman building up the Sinister Six.
Etc, etc, that's just on the top of my head, the only thing I felt was unnecessary was the plane stuff towards the end, but I get what Webb is doing here, setting up the stakes.
The acting, let's not talk about it, we all know it's fabulous, and I just want to work with Emma, Andy & Dane as fast as possible, fantastic stuff.
The villains? I'm surprised that Electro is actually a strong villain imo, a hundred times better than the Lizard for sure, they established Max's personality pretty well and it was all very clear when he doesn't have a lot of screentime. Electro is such a fantastic visual presence, it makes all the sense in the world that Marc would want him, he looks really cool, his powers are pretty stunning and well handled.
GG? I wish we could have seen more of him but the whole
metamorphosis scene
was quite gruesome and well done, his motives, as well as Max's make sense, and it's pretty organically done.
It's what I like, it all ties together very neatly.
The action in the movie is excellent, although I'm not sure if I still think the train fight in Spidey 2 takes the cake, Time Square scene & the other ones (that you know of) are really cool, especially Time Square & the one at the ending, I wish it was a tad longer but you know what?
What I love most about the movie is not even the Spidey action, it's the relationships, Peter & Gwen, it's superbly made, touching, funny, relatable, very well written, Marc just has a knack for those elements like we've seen in 500 Days & TASM, we can't even talk of chemistry anymore, Andy & Emma pop off the screen and when that scene comes, you can tell Andy didn't have to search a lot to feel what he feels.
I love the scenes about Peter's parents, I love the scenes with Aunt May, of Peter in his room, the montage with Spidey, I love how fun & exhilarating it feels, how it all unravels, I love the scenes where Peter & Harry hang out together. The ending is heartbreaking and what's more heartbreaking is the fact that
Peter knows it, when she shows up after the fight against Electro, he's angry at her for being here, but she's stubborn, loves him & cannot accept to stay away. As she says it, it's her choice to be here. Peter has her, he could have saved her, but there wasn't enough time, the theme of the movie: time, he could have saved her.
What comes after that is a very touching & beautiful montage to show how Peter
deals with the pain, and stays with her as he wanted to do, like he tells her "you can't leave, stay with me"
, and then how he finds strength (beautiful idea with
the speech
), how to overcome his grief and be who people need him to be.
I just don't know what movie they're talking about. Does the movie have a lot going on? Yes, but nothing feels overly focused or unfocused. The narrative doesn't shift focus as bluntly or abruptly as Spider-Man 3 and it all ties together at the end rather smoothly. Every plot line they set up they paid off in due time. If anything, this movie has better writing and structure than is being stated.
And one critic says the film lacks heart. WUT!? This has got to be one of the most openly heartfelt superhero movies ever made. ITS ALL HEART for crying out loud.
The movie has 4 things happening. Peter and Gwen, Peter's parents, Electro and Harry. It all weaves in and out seamlessly and makes it feel like the shortest over-2-hour movie I've ever seen.
It's not like Spider-Man 3 where Sandman emerges from a sewer and you're like "Oh right, I forgot he was in this movie.". It rockets forward.
Agreed with all the above. It confuses me too, I think it's because unlike most movies it doesn't have one simple focused story, but several equally focused, interweaving ones that are all wrapped up by the end. Also there seems to be a confusion over the terms used by reviewers in that the movie is rushed, it's fast-paced, not rushed.
The movie has 4 things happening. Peter and Gwen, Peter's parents, Electro and Harry. It all weaves in and out seamlessly and makes it feel like the shortest over-2-hour movie I've ever seen.
It's not like Spider-Man 3 where Sandman emerges from a sewer and you're like "Oh right, I forgot he was in this movie.". It rockets forward.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 was not a film I was expecting greatness from. I initially had quite high hopes, I'll admit. I quite enjoyed the first film, but it felt like it was laying the groundwork for a much more interesting sequel, and at first it seemed like this film was shaping up to be just that. But with the more trailers I watched (and there were A LOT of trailers), the more I got this niggling feeling about the film that it was just "off" to me, and my anticipation started to sap away. I actually waited for a couple of weeks after its cinema release to get round to seeing it, as it just wasn't grabbing me. But still, I went in expecting a fun, if unremarkable movie experience. So it's with some disappointment that I have to report that the film failed to meet even these modest expectations and proved to be quite underwhelming.
It's hard to explain what exactly is wrong with it. People have been comparing it to Sam Raimi's SPIDER-MAN 3, and I don't think that's quite on base, because while I'd say it's around the same ballpark in terms of quality - probably a little bit better, to be fair - people are coming at it from the wrong angle. First, people are making the comparison because of the "too many villains" dilemma, which needn't necessarily be a problem in itself (CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER worked in no less than 5 villains from the comics and managed to do it rather seamlessly and unobtrusively) and certainly isn't a problem here because, despite what the marketing may tell you, this is essentially a two-villain film. And second, and this is something many won't acknowledge, while SPIDER-MAN 3 was the worst of the Raimi trilogy, it really only exacerbated problems that were already present in the previous films. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is different in this case, as it feels less like a progression of existing problems to the point where they come to a head, and more like a drastic regression, so while the end product isn't as poor as SPIDER-MAN 3, it may be in its own way more disappointing.
While the Raimi SPIDER-MAN trilogy is already dated, feeling quite hokey and cheesy by today's standards, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN was a breath of fresh air, very much a post-BATMAN BEGINS superhero film that presented more of a grounded reality and a human dimension around Spider-Man, while also preserving that character's identity and unique charm. It provided a great foundation to build from, and there are flashes of it here and there. But for the most part, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 feels like a doubling-down of that outmoded cartoony vibe. Watching this, I found myself thinking that if this came out in the 90s, people would love it. But we've moved on as an audience since then, and expect more from superhero movies than this condescending "POW! THWACK!" pantomime. The film I found myself comparing it to most was BATMAN FOREVER, actually. Not quite the disaster BATMAN & ROBIN was, but it hasn't aged well. And though of course the production values are better, I got a BATMAN FOREVER vibe here. Stagey-looking sets and locations, everything given this cartoonish, melodramatic quality, characters monologuing and talking to themselves, broad characterisations, particularly when it comes to OTT, BWAHAHAing villainy. This is a world where we meet a lip-curling German mad scientist called Dr. Kafka, which feels like something straight out of the Schumacher wheelhouse. It even starts similarly, with a great actor (Tommy Lee Jones for FOREVER, Paul Giamatti here) phoning it in as a one-note moustache-twirler snarling and bellowing nefarious threats straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon, before segueing into a caricature nerdy loser who abruptly shifts from idolising the hero into despising him due to a dubious slight. It was Jim Carrey in FOREVER, here it's Jamie Foxx.
Now, Foxx is charismatic with the right role, but Electro was not the right role. Once he gets his powers, there is the most perfunctory of attempts to play the sympathy card before we have him turn evil and murderous because... ummm.... that's what the movie's plot requires him to do. And before you know it he's blasting out groanworthy electricity-based puns and declaring "I'M ELECTRO!" (also said in the film: "I'M THE RHINO!" - not one for subtlety, these baddies), and by the time we got to him trying to apparently murder Spider-Man with dubstep, I'd checked out. Elsewhere on the antagonist spectrum, the talented Dane DeHaan tries his best with the Harry Osborn role, and plays a sense of justifiable grievance more credibly than Foxx's Electro gets the chance to, but once he gets on that glider and starts cackling and arching his eyebrows (No "I'M THE GREEN GOBLIN!" line, sadly), his hard work is largely undone. I've never been the biggest Green Goblin fan even in the comics, no matter how hard they've tried to convince us he's Spidey's greatest foe, and with us now having 3 out of 5 films where Spider-Man is having to leap around that glider in fight scenes, it's really feeling worn out.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is saved from complete mediocrity by the inherent likeability of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and a handful of emotionally affecting scenes peppered throughout - one near the end packs a particularly powerful punch. But for the most part, this is a letdown. It feels flabby and scattershot, poorly-paced and with writing all over the shop, and by an hour and a half in I found myself constantly looking at my watch wondering when it would be over. Oh, and just as they did with the first film they give away the final moments of the film in the bloody trailer! Quite the opposite from leaving this film more eagerly anticipating the glut of Spideyverse films that are to follow, this left me with my enthusiasm dampened for all of them.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 was not a film I was expecting greatness from. I initially had quite high hopes, I'll admit. I quite enjoyed the first film, but it felt like it was laying the groundwork for a much more interesting sequel, and at first it seemed like this film was shaping up to be just that. But with the more trailers I watched (and there were A LOT of trailers), the more I got this niggling feeling about the film that it was just "off" to me, and my anticipation started to sap away. I actually waited for a couple of weeks after its cinema release to get round to seeing it, as it just wasn't grabbing me. But still, I went in expecting a fun, if unremarkable movie experience. So it's with some disappointment that I have to report that the film failed to meet even these modest expectations and proved to be quite underwhelming.
It's hard to explain what exactly is wrong with it. People have been comparing it to Sam Raimi's SPIDER-MAN 3, and I don't think that's quite on base, because while I'd say it's around the same ballpark in terms of quality - probably a little bit better, to be fair - people are coming at it from the wrong angle. First, people are making the comparison because of the "too many villains" dilemma, which needn't necessarily be a problem in itself (CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER worked in no less than 5 villains from the comics and managed to do it rather seamlessly and unobtrusively) and certainly isn't a problem here because, despite what the marketing may tell you, this is essentially a two-villain film. And second, and this is something many won't acknowledge, while SPIDER-MAN 3 was the worst of the Raimi trilogy, it really only exacerbated problems that were already present in the previous films. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is different in this case, as it feels less like a progression of existing problems to the point where they come to a head, and more like a drastic regression, so while the end product isn't as poor as SPIDER-MAN 3, it may be in its own way more disappointing.
While the Raimi SPIDER-MAN trilogy is already dated, feeling quite hokey and cheesy by today's standards, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN was a breath of fresh air, very much a post-BATMAN BEGINS superhero film that presented more of a grounded reality and a human dimension around Spider-Man, while also preserving that character's identity and unique charm. It provided a great foundation to build from, and there are flashes of it here and there. But for the most part, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 feels like a doubling-down of that outmoded cartoony vibe. Watching this, I found myself thinking that if this came out in the 90s, people would love it. But we've moved on as an audience since then, and expect more from superhero movies than this condescending "POW! THWACK!" pantomime. The film I found myself comparing it to most was BATMAN FOREVER, actually. Not quite the disaster BATMAN & ROBIN was, but it hasn't aged well. And though of course the production values are better, I got a BATMAN FOREVER vibe here. Stagey-looking sets and locations, everything given this cartoonish, melodramatic quality, characters monologuing and talking to themselves, broad characterisations, particularly when it comes to OTT, BWAHAHAing villainy. This is a world where we meet a lip-curling German mad scientist called Dr. Kafka, which feels like something straight out of the Schumacher wheelhouse. It even starts similarly, with a great actor (Tommy Lee Jones for FOREVER, Paul Giamatti here) phoning it in as a one-note moustache-twirler snarling and bellowing nefarious threats straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon, before segueing into a caricature nerdy loser who abruptly shifts from idolising the hero into despising him due to a dubious slight. It was Jim Carrey in FOREVER, here it's Jamie Foxx.
Now, Foxx is charismatic with the right role, but Electro was not the right role. Once he gets his powers, there is the most perfunctory of attempts to play the sympathy card before we have him turn evil and murderous because... ummm.... that's what the movie's plot requires him to do. And before you know it he's blasting out groanworthy electricity-based puns and declaring "I'M ELECTRO!" (also said in the film: "I'M THE RHINO!" - not one for subtlety, these baddies), and by the time we got to him trying to apparently murder Spider-Man with dubstep, I'd checked out. Elsewhere on the antagonist spectrum, the talented Dane DeHaan tries his best with the Harry Osborn role, and plays a sense of justifiable grievance more credibly than Foxx's Electro gets the chance to, but once he gets on that glider and starts cackling and arching his eyebrows (No "I'M THE GREEN GOBLIN!" line, sadly), his hard work is largely undone. I've never been the biggest Green Goblin fan even in the comics, no matter how hard they've tried to convince us he's Spidey's greatest foe, and with us now having 3 out of 5 films where Spider-Man is having to leap around that glider in fight scenes, it's really feeling worn out.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is saved from complete mediocrity by the inherent likeability of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and a handful of emotionally affecting scenes peppered throughout - one near the end packs a particularly powerful punch. But for the most part, this is a letdown. It feels flabby and scattershot, poorly-paced and with writing all over the shop, and by an hour and a half in I found myself constantly looking at my watch wondering when it would be over. Oh, and just as they did with the first film they give away the final moments of the film in the bloody trailer! Quite the opposite from leaving this film more eagerly anticipating the glut of Spideyverse films that are to follow, this left me with my enthusiasm dampened for all of them.
An extremely well-written review! But...I hope I don't end up agreeing with you, lol. I really want to like this movie and sometimes seeing these reviews that plot out such points with good writing to back them up, like yours, makes me feel really down.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 was not a film I was expecting greatness from. I initially had quite high hopes, I'll admit. I quite enjoyed the first film, but it felt like it was laying the groundwork for a much more interesting sequel, and at first it seemed like this film was shaping up to be just that. But with the more trailers I watched (and there were A LOT of trailers), the more I got this niggling feeling about the film that it was just "off" to me, and my anticipation started to sap away. I actually waited for a couple of weeks after its cinema release to get round to seeing it, as it just wasn't grabbing me. But still, I went in expecting a fun, if unremarkable movie experience. So it's with some disappointment that I have to report that the film failed to meet even these modest expectations and proved to be quite underwhelming.
It's hard to explain what exactly is wrong with it. People have been comparing it to Sam Raimi's SPIDER-MAN 3, and I don't think that's quite on base, because while I'd say it's around the same ballpark in terms of quality - probably a little bit better, to be fair - people are coming at it from the wrong angle. First, people are making the comparison because of the "too many villains" dilemma, which needn't necessarily be a problem in itself (CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER worked in no less than 5 villains from the comics and managed to do it rather seamlessly and unobtrusively) and certainly isn't a problem here because, despite what the marketing may tell you, this is essentially a two-villain film. And second, and this is something many won't acknowledge, while SPIDER-MAN 3 was the worst of the Raimi trilogy, it really only exacerbated problems that were already present in the previous films. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is different in this case, as it feels less like a progression of existing problems to the point where they come to a head, and more like a drastic regression, so while the end product isn't as poor as SPIDER-MAN 3, it may be in its own way more disappointing.
While the Raimi SPIDER-MAN trilogy is already dated, feeling quite hokey and cheesy by today's standards, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN was a breath of fresh air, very much a post-BATMAN BEGINS superhero film that presented more of a grounded reality and a human dimension around Spider-Man, while also preserving that character's identity and unique charm. It provided a great foundation to build from, and there are flashes of it here and there. But for the most part, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 feels like a doubling-down of that outmoded cartoony vibe. Watching this, I found myself thinking that if this came out in the 90s, people would love it. But we've moved on as an audience since then, and expect more from superhero movies than this condescending "POW! THWACK!" pantomime. The film I found myself comparing it to most was BATMAN FOREVER, actually. Not quite the disaster BATMAN & ROBIN was, but it hasn't aged well. And though of course the production values are better, I got a BATMAN FOREVER vibe here. Stagey-looking sets and locations, everything given this cartoonish, melodramatic quality, characters monologuing and talking to themselves, broad characterisations, particularly when it comes to OTT, BWAHAHAing villainy. This is a world where we meet a lip-curling German mad scientist called Dr. Kafka, which feels like something straight out of the Schumacher wheelhouse. It even starts similarly, with a great actor (Tommy Lee Jones for FOREVER, Paul Giamatti here) phoning it in as a one-note moustache-twirler snarling and bellowing nefarious threats straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon, before segueing into a caricature nerdy loser who abruptly shifts from idolising the hero into despising him due to a dubious slight. It was Jim Carrey in FOREVER, here it's Jamie Foxx.
Now, Foxx is charismatic with the right role, but Electro was not the right role. Once he gets his powers, there is the most perfunctory of attempts to play the sympathy card before we have him turn evil and murderous because... ummm.... that's what the movie's plot requires him to do. And before you know it he's blasting out groanworthy electricity-based puns and declaring "I'M ELECTRO!" (also said in the film: "I'M THE RHINO!" - not one for subtlety, these baddies), and by the time we got to him trying to apparently murder Spider-Man with dubstep, I'd checked out. Elsewhere on the antagonist spectrum, the talented Dane DeHaan tries his best with the Harry Osborn role, and plays a sense of justifiable grievance more credibly than Foxx's Electro gets the chance to, but once he gets on that glider and starts cackling and arching his eyebrows (No "I'M THE GREEN GOBLIN!" line, sadly), his hard work is largely undone. I've never been the biggest Green Goblin fan even in the comics, no matter how hard they've tried to convince us he's Spidey's greatest foe, and with us now having 3 out of 5 films where Spider-Man is having to leap around that glider in fight scenes, it's really feeling worn out.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is saved from complete mediocrity by the inherent likeability of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and a handful of emotionally affecting scenes peppered throughout - one near the end packs a particularly powerful punch. But for the most part, this is a letdown. It feels flabby and scattershot, poorly-paced and with writing all over the shop, and by an hour and a half in I found myself constantly looking at my watch wondering when it would be over. Oh, and just as they did with the first film they give away the final moments of the film in the bloody trailer! Quite the opposite from leaving this film more eagerly anticipating the glut of Spideyverse films that are to follow, this left me with my enthusiasm dampened for all of them.
Did the studio make him make the movie more "spectacular"? He has said he made it this way as opposed to first one, so you feel more connected to Spider-man. When it will have the exact opposite effect. Just make everything more distant and less real.
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) right from the beginning. The whole scene is just so much fun, dynamic, and I like how it ties
