FINALY!
I found the time to write my ambitious review of ”The Amazing Spider-Man 2”. I know it's a
long one, but hope you’ll wanna read it (cause I’d be lying if I said it was something I just threw together, quickly)…
MY INTRO (I FEEL IT’S NEEDED):
I have to remind my self (all_the_time) that you guys in the US aren’t getting this film until May 2’
. Another 10 days to go. It feels pretty weird to me, actually. Why? Glad you asked. – Because I my self just finished watching the movie for the third time the other night. It’s like Christmas came and went in a flash, ya know. But ”Christmas” hasn’t even come to you guys yet. It really is weird to think about, in the aftermath of things here in Europe.
I had this feeling of being a little kid, eagerly awaiting Christmas morning to come around, after a brutal 25 days of waiting for it. The feeling of having just opened my presents, getting all of those toys I wished for. Yet, right after all the unwrapping was done and the ”insanity” had left my body, I found my self sitting there in the middle of the floor with shredded paper all around me. I was honestly too tired to play with those toys - I was worn out! I’m sure some of you can remember that feeling. That’s how it felf for me, right after the first viewing of this film. I was too ”worn out” to write a review at that point. Truthfully, I haven’t felt prepared to write a review until now. My head hasn’t been prepped for it, until tonight. Actually, this is a review that has been two days in the making. Anyway, that’s the best I can explain it. You see, the first viewing was the galla-opening on the 16’th (which by the way was an amazing event! I got so many videos and pictures of the whole thing). Second time watching it was the very next day. The other night was my third viewing. I saw it with my older brother. He shed a tear near the end. I’m being absolutely serious here. So did I.
I know this is the Spoiler-thread. But I really don’t wish to spoil the film. I think it’s a shame. You think you’ve seen it all? Far from it. And I ain’t necessarily talking action here either. Just, trust me. I’ll try to write it in such a way that you won’t be spoiled about the movie - as a whole. Yet still I want you to get a true sense and understanding about just how this movie comes off in all departments. I’ll try to write it down different and exciting for you guys, instead of the typical critics writtens. I will however loosely be talking about some few lines in the film, and some smaller intimate scenes that occurs (but out of context still). It’s the sort of stuff that sticks with ME days and days after seeing it. These are things giving the movie heart and soul (something sorely missing in say, Man of Steel). But know that I will not be spoiling plot and twists for you guys. I will simply talk a bit about certain smaller scenes between characters. And I stress characters.
Know this. Could I give you fellow hypsters the movie right now - I would. I want you all to see it as quick as possible. I know you’re in agony. I know the feeling, cause the shoe is usually on the other foot here. I’m the one who’s most of the time in agony about having to wait for a film to premiere, overseas. But do read on, if you wish to read a caring review from someone who isn’t a proffesional critic. I’m just someone who wishes to comfort you, in the midst of all the downer stuff you read from a bunch of critics. I wanna do this review justice. I wanna do it wholeheartedly and with love - BUT in consistense with the truth! I’m writing this from the bottom of my heart. And even though opinions do vary to degrees, my goal here is to write something real and truthful, as good as I possibly can. So that when you see the film for your selves, you won’t think that I was just someone letting out bull. You won’t think that I was someone who never put any serious thought in to it. You’ll wanna think that I was pretty dead on right about the stuff I wrote, and that I put some serious effort in to it. Again. I know opinions do vary to degrees and that you can’t please every one. But this is what I’m HOPING to accomplish with this review of mine. Cause truthfully, I wanna be respected, and not looked down on for writing a bogus review, being so far off and not at all in line with the truth about this picture. The last thing I wanna do, is to kit my self. So remind your selves here - This is important for me to get out as right as possible.
THE OPENING:
This film opens up over two parts, actually. Call it a ”two-parter”, if you will. It doesn’t waste time on a Spiderman opening credit sequence, like in Raimi’s films, or even something as short as what is seen in Webb’s first film. It makes every bit of effort to fill those 2:22 hours worth of running time with actual footage/film. Right from the split second opening of the Sony/Tri-Star/MARVEL logos, Zimmers score comes in to play in a slow, yet still intensifying manner. We fade up inside of a mechanical something, tick-tocking, as the camera zooms out of it revealing it to be a wrist-watch. It’s Richard Parker, looking at it knowing time is short. I won’t say any more about that. Just that it gets intense, and that this first part of the opening act ends big and loud, signing out with a big ”BOOM” shutting down the screen, going black. A few seconds of silence goes by. Now we open up to the 2’
energetic part of this opening-galore. The Spidey symbol fills the screen (NO title-card is ever seen. Just the symbol). Zimmers amazingly badass spidey theme blasts through the theater speakers, instantly starting off loud, hot & heavy. Spidey is in free-fall, and I’ll say no more about that. I do however want to give you guys some comfort right here though. I know that some critics obviously felt that this transisiton in tone was pretty rapid and the style of tone between the two set-openings feels a bit off. I never ever felt this way. I thought it worked so damn good. I was smiling from ear to ear, while shoving popcorn in my mouth. The feel of these two openings are separate things, but still works great as a whole. You get where it all started, and you get where we find our selves in the second part. You get the more ”lightweight feel” of the second opening sequence, and it makes perfect sense for it to be the way that it is. The things happening on screen, in it self, is not cheesy. It’s stylished and a joy to watch. However, over-the-top irritating villain dialect/presence and some lines from a pre-Rhino, could come off as a tad too much ”cheese”, for some. But there really is something to be said about difference in taste. I’ll elaborate on villain characteristics later.
WHAT FOLLOWS:
After an overall great opening in both departments, things winds down for a short bit, to make room for our main characters to charm us, and for things to breath (smart move). But seriously, fellas. I don’t want to go through this movie, step by step, talking about the story in detail and so on. I just wanna comfort you, saying that the story IS indeed there - And it’s a good one! (I don’t care what the critics say). The execution of it all is also great (at least 85-90% or something of the whole way). The underlying themes at play are quite powerful, important, and, well, ”Operatic” (Webb spoke the truth here). And yes, I did find it reaching those places of ”epicness”. And the word ”epic” is definitely thrown around all too loosely in todays world of movies. The epic feel however, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s found within the big action sequences, only. Epicness can, in a weird way be present in the pure ”feel” of certain smaller sequences as well. Like Harvey/Rachel/Bruce talking around the dining table in the restaurant during TDK (you should know what I mean here). Also, there’s major character developments within Amazing-2. In terms of villain plots, it’s not the most sophisticated or original. But it works and it’s effective. Why? The reasons are several (Harry, for me, being the most prominent in that department. More on that later) But mainly, it’s simply because you get the villains. You get their motivations. It’s simple and direct. There are no blurry lines here, ones the villains go down that dark path. It’s the same as with Star Wars. Light or Dark. And in Amazing-2 you understand completely why. And even though their plots ain’t nothing new or especially creative, I couldn’t care less. And it doesn’t have to be more than it is anyways. I ain’t saying this to kit my self (already stated this as being the last thing I want to do!) No. I’m saying this because it’s the truth. It works. It wouldn’t have made this movie better if the villain plots were more twisted than they are. No need for it. Cause what this film is all about, is what the characters are feeling, and all about their relations and bonds between one another, from left to right. Everything has become exstremely clear for me after my third viewing. And guys. By no_means is this a messy Spider-Man 3 film. Not in script and not on film. It may look that way, but don’t worry. Everything flows pretty damn good almost the whole way through. It’s cohesive for the absolute biggest portions, and Webb tells his story with care. There’s a lot going on in many aspects. The script may be ”busy”. But it’s busy in a good way. I think those critics stating otherwise should go bury a bone, really. I’m not seeing a problem there. Nothing it needs to be trashed for. This is still solid storytelling.
I wish for you guys to see it all with your own eyes. And there’s a lot to be seen. Nothing will really hit home for you before this movie is executed in front of your eyes, from begining to end. And it might not even be for the reasons you’ve build up in your minds already. Chew on that.
THE CHARACTERS & THE ACTORS PLAYING THEM:
What I do wanna elaborate on, is stuff like the characters and the actors. And I wanna start with the smallest of characters and than go from there.
Paul Giamatti/ Aleksei aka. Rhino:
Seriously. There really isn’t much to his character. He’s definitely just a very short introduction. Personally, I found him too over the top. I found him quite irritating. But he does feel & and act like a stupid Rhino, so there is that. But he’s such a small player in this film, that they could easily not have included him. A little rewrite to the script and this would’ve been possible. They didn’t even need him for the end, to get this very important and prominent message across (another epic factor that follows). This whole thing could’ve been done without the appearence of Rhino all together, for sure. But hey, that’s just ME. Others might really dig his short guest appearence ☺
Felicity Jones/ Felicia Hardy:
Her appearances are short, but they are good enough to give a mention, I think. She’s Harry’s assistant, and is just about the only person in his staff who seems to give a **** about him. I didn’t know her as an actress before this, but I liked her. If she were to become Black Cat in a later installment, I think she could do good.
Sally Field/ Aunt May:
She’s just great. What a great May. She plays the part with such warmth. She loves Peter so damn much, and means to protect him in every way possible. And she’s far from dumb. There are certain scenes in this film that implies she already knows Peter is Spider-Man. It comes across pretty damn strong at one point. He’s all she’s got. Her and Andrew shares a scene together during the final half of the film, where she breaks down in front of Peter. Tears emerges in the corners of her eyes. She’s shaking all over, sitting on the edge of Peters bed, not wanting to tell him what she ”knows”, despite Peter begging her to tell him the truth. But she refuses to have him feel even more abandoned. Peter then sits down on his knees in front of May (emotions are seriously running high here). Peter gently holds his hands up gracing her cheeks, comforting her as he says: ”Aunt May. I’m your boy. And I love you so very much. YOU, are more than enough for me… You’re more than enough”. He goes on to gently leaning his forhead towards hers, while whispering to her that it’s ”ok”. He continues: ”Aunt May. It’s ok”. He’s implying that she too has the right to be sad and to feel the need of comfort. It’s so wonderful. You have to see this cohesively with the rest of the movie to understand it. But it does come off pretty powerful. And It completely summons up Sally Fields role and what she’s all about.
Jamie Foxx/ Max Dillon aka. Electro:
I’ll get the ”weak” aspects out of the way, so I can tell you about the good things, cause it is there. The weak part is definitely his beginings as Max (in more than one scene). It kinda sucks to mention Jim Carreys role in Batman Forever. But... yeah, Batman Forever. I also got a little vibe of Richard Pryors Gus Gorman character from Superman 3, in a scene or two. And I’m only talking about his Max character here, people. Well actually, also his musical theme. I do feel that Foxx goes overboard in certain aspects. In some places (mostly just two of them), it simply went a bit too much down the Schuemacher road, for me. One case taking place in his apartment. Everything from his looks to him chatting with him self, and to that damn theme of his (lol). Another case is when Max imagines (thank God for that though) that he goes off on a certain someone, because he makes fun of Spiderman. These elements just felt a tad too much out of sync with the rest of the film. But guys, it’s still short. And now I can actually somewhat laugh about it. But personally though, I would’ve toned down the goofiness of his character a bit. For some, it might work better than for others. But I do think most will feel it as being a tad too much.
But he’s not a complete miss either! While Max Dillon is definitely a Batman Foreverish, corny looking pre-villain character (lol), Foxx does indeed bring something good to the table about him. Max does work in certain aspects. Like when Gwen meets him in the elevator in the begining. That whole conversation they have is good, and Foxx is much more toned down in that sequence (thus, more real). He becomes more believable. A great deliverance from him is when Gwen comes running towards the elevator doors that are closing. Max stops them, so she can get in. She says: ”Thank You very much. Most people wouldn’t take the time to notice”. And Max replies in a very character-defined and almost offended manner: ”Yeah, well. Most people don’t notice other people”. Another scene is when Max is ordered to stay back at work on his birthday, and goes up to fix the problem that ultimately leads to his electrifying destiny. There, he quietly sings him self a birthday song right as he’s about to fix ”the problem”. He even knows it’s dangerous. He’s not an idiot in that regard. I thought scenes like these were great, and he becomes real in my eyes during parts like those. That’s why the composition of his Max Dillon scenes can feel sorta frustrating.
Here’s a little side-note about him: Maybe it’s just me. But during my third viewing, something happened in my eyes/mind regarding Max. I don’t know if it’s there, or if I just want it to be there. But listen. As overly corny as he first appeared to me, I started to suddenly see him as a very sad and truly lonely, on-the-verge-of-insanity type of character through all of that goofiness. As in, long before the first rage even ensues. All he needed was a push. A push he’s bound to get later on of course. But in some weird twisted way, even if he had never turned in to a freak-accident, this lonely man could quite possibly still had been the type of guy going over the edge, eventually. The sort of man that could snap, grapping a kitchen knife & stap you in your sleep for not wanting to be his friend. He didn’t need to go all Electro for that. I don’t know, there’s just something about him. And when looking at him in that light, he does become kinda freaky. So, as laughable as he may appear, there is something oddly artistic about his portrayal. I had to see the movie three times, to catch on to that.
As Electo, he mostly works. And when he’s brought back to Oscorp for further testings and examinations, he also has a VERY cool scene, with some dialog that made me freak out over him. He suddenly became pretty damn creepy. BAD_ASS! And the scene when Harry comes to him. Yup. It’s spot on! And the two collides with one another in the best possible way.
Emma Stone/ Gwen Stacey:
There should be no surprise here. She’s amazing. Any man could easily fall in love with this one. She’s funny, charming, beautiful, intelligent & she’s her own woman in this one. She’s strong in that regard. Her speech from graduation day says it all. That about sums her up.
Andrew Garfield/ Peter Parker aka. Spiderman:
Again. There really isn’t any huge surprise here. Cause quite frankly, this guy nails it. And he nails it hard! He’s got the whole package. Such a strong on-screen presence. Such charisma & charm. He seems so natural and carries with him a pretty unique sense of authenticity in every aspect of his portrayal. He’s just so damn likeable, it’s almost ”disgusting”.
Regarding his Peter Parker in the sequel, he definitely comes off as being more confident. Especially in the begining, where he’s basically on a roll. He thinks he can have it all. I really liked how they portrayed all of that through his character. Peter Parker is a bit more of a man in this one. He sorta ”steps it up”. For example, you feel this in a scene like the previous mentioned with Aunt May, where all of the sudden he’s the one comforting her. He also helps pay their ways with the freelancing he does for J. Jonah (and YES. The Daily Bugle chief & editor does get a mention in this film, and even exchanges mail with Peter at one point. That’s a funny one!). Peters experiences from the first film is clearly felt within this sequel. Peter still has his moments of some form of arkwardness. Mostly in early scenes with Gwen (but out of his love for her, and that’s great). But I wouldn’t exactly call this Peter a shy, hidden-in-the-shadows kind of Peter. He’s, like I mentioned, ”on a roll”. It’s all good though, and makes sense.
His Spiderman. This can be summed up pretty quickly. He nails it! Spiderman has never been more spiderman before. He’s a jokster & a wise-guy. And he’s incredibly good at it. It’s all so crisp and cool to watch! You’ll see it for your selves soon enough.
(CONTINUED IN THE POST RIGHT BELOW)
t:
I really put my heart in to it, also truly to comfort you all as good as I can. If you have a couple of 100 years, give it a read at one point 
