Spider-Man 2

[Dan26]

Anyone else seen this yet? I'm sure some of you must have. This ranks right up there with Superman 2 as the best superhero sequel I've seen. The Spider-Man franchise is doing a very good job of creating believable characters, which is suprising for this sort of film. Unlike many blockbuster filsm, you find yourself actually caring for the charcters. Even the villian isn't the standard boring "most evil person in the world" type. He is a normal guy with flaws, who has the situation forced upon him.

And the ending is beautifully set up for the third film.

*trivia* Dr.Octopus was played by a guy named Alfred Molina. What very well known blockbuster film from two decades ago did he play a small part in? Everyone will know the "part" I am talking about but may not remember the actor.

 

[thehardaway]

It was alright, but X-Men 2 is still much better IMO (and my favourite superhero film)
I wasn't impressed with a few moves away from the Spider-Man comics, such as the super strength parts (trying to stop the train with his legs and busting up the sleepers, and holding up part of the building, only to throw it at the end)

 

[Blues4Life]

I saw it last night and really enjoyed it, was defineltly the best superhero sequel I've ever seen. As Dan said, the depth of the characters, both hero and villian, made them interesting and engaging.

Overall I thought it was excellent and would highly reccommend it. Gotta wait until 2007 for the third film

 

[choc_a_holic]

Hmm I'm thinking of seeing it...I heard it was much better then the first one...more action, romance..

2007!! Woah that seems like ages!!

 

[Dan26]

Come on, I want somebody to have a crack at the trivia.

 

[M29]

Originally posted by Dan26
Come on, I want somebody to have a crack at the trivia.

Can we cheat?

 

[Dan26]

Originally posted by M29
Can we cheat?

I can't stop you.

 

[Docker_Brat]

He was in Raiders of the Lost Ark IIRC.

 

[Dan26]

Originally posted by Docker_Brat
He was in Raiders of the Lost Ark IIRC.

Yes.

The scene at the beginning where Indy was in that big cave getting chased by the giant boulder. He was with another guy, who betrayed him. That guy was Alfred Molina. His best known line was when Indy had the idol in his hand and Molina has the whip, and Indy told him to give him the whip. Molina replied, "you give me the idol, I give you the whip."

Molina took off with the idol, and the whip, leaving Indy to die, but of course he recovered and on his way out found Molina dead from a booby trap. And that was Alfred Molina's 15 minutes of fame before Spider-Man 2.

 

[Zombie]

I thought it was an absolute piece of crap, worst film I've seen this year. It's supposed to be an action/superhero movie but it is just plain boring.

 

[mattyc2422]

Kirsten Dunst.

 

[SonOfScray]

Very good film, probably better than the first Spiderman film. The progression in Spidey's fighting and webslinging skills was a nice touch and was well aided by some stunning effects. The story has been developed well and I can see plenty of future Spiderman films in the works.

 

[choc_a_holic]

How many more Spiderman movies could they make!?!

 

[Mattlowry]

I heard its very average compared to the first. The first one got like 4 and 5 star ratings this one is geting 5/10s and 3/5 stars and things like that..

 

[beckybiglands]

Originally posted by choc_a_holic
How many more Spiderman movies could they make!?!

They made 5 superman movies

 

[Jerome]

Originally posted by mattyc2422
Kirsten Dunst.

Gotta garee with that.

I loved this film. Funny, sweet and with some great action scenes. It reminded me a bit of Superman two, but Spidey 2 is a much smarter movie. I really enjoyed the character development in this film.

 

[choc_a_holic]

Originally posted by beckybiglands
They made 5 superman movies

Sheesh

 

[CURVE]

A Huge waste of money, as Boring as hell, and surely they can find a more attractive actress (and better) than Kirsten Dunst. She is terrible.

 

[Lensen]

I absolutely loved it, but probably due to me liking romance type movies more than action type movies.

Important to note if you're planning on seeing it - its a love story, with a little bit of action. It's not a stereotypical blockbuster superhero movie at all.

9/10.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Enjoyed the movie overall but found the whole Spiderman vs normal person psycho drama to be all over the place. Lost powers when he was happy to be Spiderman, lost them more because he didn't want to be Spiderman anymore, then gained powers back while he still didn't want to be Spiderman.

Was good though and Dr Octopus was a cool villain.

 

[Z_K]

Dunno about this one.

Dunst is very meh IMO. Gotta have a genuinely hot chick if they can't act.

The fight scenes were great.

Pretty average. Not a waste of cash.

 

[choc_a_holic]

Dr Octopus? Is that seriously the bad guys name?
Woah! Quite orginal.

 

[rubberman]

The storyline was crap. Acted as well as it could have been for the storyline. The action sequences were good on the big screen.

 

[TheBloods]

Here's a review from a pretty decent reviewer:

*** (out of 4)

Spider-Man 2 has all the elements of a good, but not great, superhero motion picture. While lacking the tragic grandeur that made last year's Hulk such a unique experience, Spider-Man 2 fills the void with solid character development, self-referential humor, effects-enhanced action, and (unfortunately) talky pop psychology. A worthy sequel to the 2002 blockbuster, Spider-Man 2 will deposit fans somewhere on the satisfaction spectrum between quietly pleased and overjoyed. Although not as economical with its scenes as the first Spider-Man, this film nevertheless advances the leftover threads from its predecessor, tells its own self-contained tale, and dangles enough bait to hint at where Spider-Man 3 will be heading.

The movie - at least the first half - is a little light on action and heavy on talk. This is not an inherently bad thing, except that a lot of the dialogue relates to Peter Parker's soul-searching: should he sacrifice his inner desires for the greater good of mankind (cue his dead uncle's pronouncement: "With great power comes great responsibility") or give up crime fighting to become an ordinary guy, pursue his dreams, and get the girl. This material would work better if it wasn't re-hashing ground that was effectively covered in the first film. Although it's useful for character-building, there's a little too much of it, and it threatens to bog down the proceedings. Fortunately, the second hour, which contains all three major action sequences, is better paced, leading to a rousing climax that works on multiple emotional levels. There are a trio of endings, all of which satisfy in their own ways.

Spider-Man 2 picks up a couple of years after the conclusion of the original Spider-Man. By this time, the costumed alter-ego of geeky Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) has become a New York City legend. Despite being decried by the Daily Bugle as a "menace," Spidey (as he is affectionately known) is as big a hero to some as he is a villain to others. In staying true to his calling as a crime fighter, Peter must stay away from the girl of his dreams. Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) loves Peter, and Peter loves her, but he can never let her know, because he's afraid his enemies would use that information against them. So he pines in silence, and she becomes engaged to an astronaut. Meanwhile, a brilliant physicist named Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), who is working for Peter's best friend, Harry Osborne (James Franco), has mastered a way to generate a controlled fusion reaction that can provide enough energy to fuel an entire city. Using mechanical arms grafted into his spinal column, he begins to manipulate the mini-sun he creates, but things go disastrously wrong. When the dust has settled, Dock Ock is no longer the man he was - he's insane and obsessed, and determined to rid Manhattan of Spider-Man. But, like Clark Kent in Superman 2, Peter has decided to abandon his powers so he can love a woman - and just at the time when the world most needs him.

One could argue that Spider-Man's most compelling and dangerous comic book adversary is Doctor Octopus, and Alfred Molina develops the villain into something more than just another mad genius. He's certainly more intimidating than Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin. With his four mechanical arms (to go along with two natural arms and two legs), Doc Ock matches (or exceeds) Spidey when it comes to brains, brawn, and reflexes. Stripped of a conscience and set adrift in a current of amorality, Octavius represents one of the most dangerous screen interpretations of a comic book bad guy to date. And Molina finds the right balance between being too low-key and chewing on the scenery.

Tobey Maguire is back as the web-crawler and Kirsten Dunst makes her second appearance as his One True Love. James Franco shows a marked improvement in his acting as the conflicted Harry, whose desire to fill his father's shoes is matched only by his hatred of Spider-Man. The return of so many familiar faces (including Cliff Robertson as Uncle Ben and Dafoe as the Goblin in cameos) assures a strong sense of continuity with the first film. If there's an acting standout, however, it's not any of the major players. Instead, it's J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, the publisher of the Daily Bugle. Simmons was one of Spider-Man's small pleasures. Here, in an expanded role, he dominates every scene he's in with his perfect timing and his drill sergeant-like delivery of dialogue. Simmons not only embodies the Jameson from the comic books, he enhances the character.

Spider-Man 2 is essentially three movies rolled into one: a traditional superhero story, a coming-of-age tale, and a romance. The third element, which is likely to find more favor with 13-year old girls than with 13-year old boys, isn't just an extraneous element. It's crucial to the development of both the plot and the characters, and it is better resolved than in the first film. Then there's the humor. One of Spider-Man 2's strengths is that it doesn't fear occasionally lightening up. So we get a lady singing the theme song from the animated "Spider-Man" TV series ("Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can…"), Spidey taking an elevator and complaining that his costume is too tight in the crotch, Bruce Campbell playing a snooty usher, and Peter Parker displaying an aghast expression when learning that Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) gave away his comic book collection.

The special effects are, on the whole, a little less successful than in the previous outing - probably because there are more of them. At times, especially during some of the complex battle maneuvers or when he's slinging his way high above Manhattan, it's pretty obvious that Spider-Man is computer generated. The key to CGI is not to overuse the technique. Spider-Man flirted with the line. Spider-Man 2 crosses it, although barely, and not in a way that it becomes a serious detriment. And there are some marvelous scenes, such as when Spider-Man tries to stop an out-of-control train, or when Peter Parker leaps atop Mary Jane to keep her from harm's way. (That may be the most impressive sequence in the entire movie, and it's in the trailers.)

Spider-Man 2 is about 20 minutes too long. Although Sam Raimi's direction is generally solid (and, in some scenes, flawless), the film's middle act has instances when it seems repetitive and exposition-heavy. The strength of the climax and denouement almost renders such concerns moot, but they cannot be completely dismissed, since they prevent this film from ascending to the pinnacle of superhero movies. Nevertheless, even though it does not eclipse Superman, Hulk, or even X-Men 2, Spider-Man 2 proves that this series has plenty of juice left. As long as this creative team remains in place, I look forward to more adventures with my friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.



http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/master.html

 

[Joel]

Saw it the other night. I liked it.