Of all the superheroes in existence, there has been none I have enjoyed as much as Spider-Man. I think it has one of the most profound influences on my life as in regards to pop culture. I loved the cartoons, I loved the halloween costume I wore. I did enjoyed the Sam Raimi trilogy for what it was. Yet the Raimi trilogy didn't really do everything I wanted it too. So far, the reboot franchise from Marc Webb has shown stronger potential. There are certainly marketing problems which may stem from a hubris in the expected box office results, and people complain that they feel like they've seen the movie before actually seeing it. Believe me when I say that there is more to be seen in the final product, but at the same time, more to be desired.
In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, we find Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy as they are about to graduate from High School and the events thereafter. Peter is struggling with the promise that he made to Gwen's father to stay away, and at the same time trying to solve the mystery his parent's disappearance. Soon however, he is also forced to deal with the emergence of a new menace in the form of Electro, and the reappearance of his old friend Harry Osborn.
Let me apologize first and foremost, for it is hard (for me at least) to talk about what the film does and doesn't get right without comparing it to the original Sam Raimi series. As much as I'd like to analyze it on purely it's own merits (which I'll do as much as possible), there is so much more I can do by side-by-side comparison.
There are easily some strong points that immediately come to mind after my initial viewing. The acting is top-notch (which I'll talk about towards the end, as usual). The visuals are fully formed, and take advantage of what Spider-Man, Electro, and Green Goblin can do. The close-ups, the slow motion panning, the strong imagery we see in the fight scenes showcase the potential of these super-humans in ways that we really haven't seen before. They could easily rely on the tried and true average web slinging effects, but here we actually dive in and witness it from fresh, and bold perspectives which make the film quite unique.
Next, we come to the music from Hans Zimmer and Pharrell Williams. (Yes, that Pharrell. And yes, I'm Happy). It really helped to underscore the plot as well as well as the characters. Especially the character of Max Dillon/Electro. This is clearly a man with some serious issues, even before he gains his powers. The strong, brooding score helps to beautifully illustrate the extent of his mental anguish. I've never really paid too much attention to the music before, but Zimmer and Pharrell use it almost as a dialogue-less narrator to move the story along.
At last, we come to the plot. There's simply too much of it, yet it also makes you want more. It's got a lot of threads to follow, and when we reach the ends of them, it's either not as satisfying, or it's simply not finished. To it's credit, they tie some things together and if you go with it, there are some great moments. However, they also try to conquer too much ground in one film. It's part of the post Avengers effect, in which the studio is looking to set up a multi-branched franchise. I am very much looking forward to what they are setting up, but I also want to see a story in itself. I did enjoy the story, I just wanted a smoother one.
Andrew Garfield is the Superior Spider-Man. (No comic book readers, not in that way.) He is much stronger in the role than Tobey Maguire was. Maguire was good. But Garfield simply does more with the character. Mainly, he is closer to the comics. He is actually having fun with the role. He isn't mopey or sour, he is wise-cracking and having a great time. More than that, he possesses the strength to play the darker parts of the character organically whilst playing a full range.
Emma Stone is also refreshing as Gwen Stacey. She isn't a damsel in distress, she's strong. She has the range, she has the quirks. But best of all is her superb chemistry with her off-screen boyfriend Andrew Garfield. Their romance is so real, that it just works wonders to both of them.
Jamie Foxx is unfortunately given a rather cheesy backstory, but he is able to turn it into something worthwhile. This is an unfortunate guy we're introduced too. He is like an injured puppy, you feel for him. All the way through, Foxx gives us someone we're sorry for, but also that we know has to be stopped.
Dane DeHaan is streets ahead of James Franco in his role of Harry Osborn. Once again, no disrespect to Franco, but DeHaan's take on the character is full of more complexity and resentment that feels appropriate to who Osborn is. Franco had the potential, but he never really went deep and let us really feel that anguish of living in his father's shadow. DeHaan meanwhile has an almost blood boiling level of passion and desire, and he won't let anyone stand in his way.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has great music, acting, and visuals, but it's a little over-franchised and doesn't really whet the appetite as much as it should. But still check it out.
B-
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