Spider-Man 2 Review (2004)
For many, Spider-Man 2 is considered not only the best Spider-Man movie but the best comic book movie of all-time. Buckle up because it’s going to go downhill for a few reviews after this one!
Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire return for the AMAZING sequel. Pun may or may not be intended here *thwip*. This movie picks up right where the last one left off. It’s hard to be Peter Parker but it sure is fun being Spider-Man and Raimi puts Peter Parker through the ringer in this movie. This isn’t a cash grab movie, it’s a movie with a great story that teaches how hard it can be growing up. This movie has heart and it is the best telling of Peter Parker that has ever hit the silver screen. Pre-No Way Home of course.
We pick up with the web-head in this movie in a pretty bad place. He’s a college kid delivering pizza when we start off. Of course, pizza time does not last very long because he is late to deliver and he gets fired. His best friend Harry is starting to turn on him because he won’t fess up to what happened between Norman and Spider-Man in the first movie and MJ has given up on him. It’s just too hard trying to be great at being Spider-Man and Peter Parker. It’s so hard that once MJ says yes to marry another man, his powers start to fade.
For the sequel, Raimi tapped Alfred Molina for the role of Otto Octavius and it was the perfect casting. Octavius serves as a mentor for Peter and is such a likeable character in this movie. Even when he turns bad, it’s hard to not root for him because the story is so well written and his motives are understood. His life work is ruined due to a miscalculation, his wife dies at the presentation where it all goes wrong and Spider-Man is the one who pulls the plug on him before he can correct the problem, therefore starting their rivalry.
As Spider-Man begins to lose his powers, he finally gives up and we get to see the iconic Spider-Man no more shot where he throws in the towel. This movie is full of heart and great fight scenes but what it does best, is show how much grit Peter Parker has. His entire world falls apart, he gives up, which shows his human side but ultimately he comes back better than ever. Running into the burning building to save the child, with no powers is exactly who Peter Parker is. He’s the little guy that wants to save the neighborhood. No task is too big or small for him when it comes to doing the right thing, with or without powers. Uncle Ben would be proud.
What I liked:
Alfred Molina as Doc Ock. The perfect casting for the role. He’s likeable as a mentor, the horror aspects (what Raimi does best) that is presented in this movie with the scenes of trying to remove his arms were very enjoyable. The iconic train scene fight and of course, the ending. Otto Octavius is an intelligent man that went to the dark side due to a miscalculation of his project but he redeems himself in the end. I think this was the right direction for this character. “I will not die a monster”
J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson = even more perfect than in Spider-Man. His quick smart mouth responses and very little care for anyone around him makes for enjoyable scenes.
Spider-Man giving up. I think this really shows how hard it is to be Spider-Man while also just showing how hard it can be growing up. His Aunt is losing their house due to money, his friends are turning on him, his love life is in shambles and he can’t balance a job and school while trying to figure out who he wants to be in life. Sound familiar? Seems like a relatable thing for most 20 year old’s in the world. I do love the dream sequence of talking to Uncle Ben as well where it shows us his guilt and responsibility he still feels to be Spider-Man. Although it is a hard decision, he gives up being the hero.
The CGI in the movie was way better than the first. It offers some iconic movie shots that still hold up today, almost 20 years later.
The train scene!!! Maskless Peter Parker stopping the train with everything he has is one of if not the greatest Spider-Man scenes ever. He gives everything he has to save the people of New York and in return, they keep his secret. That wouldn’t work today though if he was mask less in New York. “WORLDSTAR” *snapchat sounds*
Aunt May’s Speech about being a hero. Peter had philosophers raising him. It’s such a well written scene and Rosemary Harris delivers. I also believe that she knows Peter is going through a hard time and needs to hear it. I believe there’s a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams. This scene and quote I believe sums up the message of this movie and what it’s like to be Spider-Man and I don’t feel like any superhero movie since has delivered a scene with as much weight as this one and when it comes to having the conversation on how hard it is to do the right thing.
What I didn’t like:
I feel like they passed up the perfect opportunity to introduce Venom. John Jameson coming back from space to propose to Mary Jane was the perfect opportunity to tease venom rather than just let him fall from the sky in the next movie.
Cheesy dialogue. It’s not awful but it’s there.
What are his webs attaching to? The scene at the end of the movie where him and Mary Jane float away as Doc Ock drowns his man made sun. I’ll just assume a helicopter flew by.
Overall thoughts:
This movie hit on everything it needed to for a Peter Parker story and I hope in future MCU installments, we see heart like this movie offered because it has lacked lately. Spider-Man 2 is the blueprint of how to make a Spider-Man movie.
5 out of 5 stars.
I hope you enjoyed this review because it’s going downhill after this since Sony decides to get greedy for the next few movies. Next time, we will review emo Parker’s dance moves.
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