The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (SPOILERS)

[Pharozonk]

The movie really isn't good. The cast and direction are solid, but the script and dialogue are just god awful in some spots.

[Drz]

My review!

Marc Webb returns to his Amazing Spider-Man world with a fluid sequel continuing the story, with the Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) & Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) relationship going through the ups & downs. What makes Amazing Spider-Man 2 stand out is that we have these two excellent actors with such great, believable sexual chemistry. It expands the concept of superhero movies & gives us a movie that focuses on youth’s passionate love.

Spider-Man’s charm comes not only because of his cool powers, good costume & a great villain gallery, it’s downright the fact that he is such a human being and a real hero. Spider-Man’s spirit is performance with great detail, from within the action sequences through saving human lives to montage scenes of everyday assisting: saving a young child from school bullies, helping people, etc. Spider-Man takes great notice on the people and his surroundings, using his clever quips to encourage people in today’s cruel, narcissistic world where no one truly gives a damn about anyone but themselves. Peter Parker, while abandoned as a child, was still raised in a home of loving & appreciatory parents thanks to Uncle Ben & Aunt May (Sally Field).

This is why the villains of our story, Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) & Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) are his opposites. Max is a lonely person who suffers from it, delusional that fame would bring him joy & lacking any proper social skills. He is a brilliant minded scientist being taken for granted. Harry Osborn is the prodigal son of the great Norman Osborn, but all he’s done since 16 is drink scotch, date models and waste his father’s money because Norman doesn’t even love him. They both suffer loneliness, because the world hasn’t shown them tenderness. There’s a great chemistry between the actors; they’re both miserable, but also creepy. However, I do want to nitpick about a certain villain character: Dr. Kafka (Marton Csokas). Who on earth thought a “German mad scientist” was needed for a Spider-Man movie? Why is there a doctor with such a ridiculous name? Why does it have to be a mad scientist who speaks with an awful German accent & listens loudly to Strauss? C’mon now, this was some awful stain on the movie.

The combat sequences are a spectacle; they’re not choreographed action beats of fists & kicks, but a beautiful acrobatic demonstration of the total imagination that only a character such as Spider-Man can achieve. It’s very pleasurable to look at, with Electro sporting a very kick-ass theme song composed by Hans Zimmer, the Magnificent Six, Pharrell Williams & Johnny Marr. The Point-of-view shots of Spider-Man web-slinging & slow motion demonstrations of his spider-sense tingling danger are truly visual entertainment that does justice to the character.

Marc Webb’s story spins webs of new stories, but the way things ended for the Amazing Spider-Man 2, I am more keenly interested in the announced spin-off movie the Sinister Six than I am for Spider-Man 3.

[Mr. Mastermind]

The movie really isn't good. The cast and direction are solid, but the script and dialogue are just god awful in some spots.

Electro was the weak link in the cast, but no one could have made that script work for his character.

[Pharozonk]

Electro was the weak link in the cast, but no one could have made that script work for his character.

Part of me feels bad for Jamie Foxx since he was clearly trying his best, but had nothing to work with and his character was more creepy and disturbing than he was sympathetic.

On the topic of Harry Osborn, it was clear Webb was trying to set him up as a sympathetic supporting character who we would be saddened to see becoming a villain. However, he's such an unlikable whiny bitch that nobody cares about him.

[Mr. Mastermind]

I'd say that Harry was one of the best parts of the film until he became the Goblin.

The film's villain plot and team up was just rushed. The only thing separating the GG's role in this from that of Venom's in SM3 was that we'll see him come back in sequels.

[CliffHanger2]

I actually thought Electro and Harry were too sympathetic. There was nobody too really play the bad guy except Oscorp. Which really suffered no consequences in the end.

They went a little hard on the back and forth tear jerky stuff. Which kind of took away from any emotional impact of Gwens death. Eh, not a feel good movie. I think the weakest part was the ending.

[kalorama]

I'd say that Harry was one of the best parts of the film until he became the Goblin.

The film's villain plot and team up was just rushed.

Agreed. The character pieces between Peter and Gwen, Peter and May, Peter and Harry, and Harry and Norman were all quite good, but action beats were generally underwhelming, and Electro was a total null. He was worse than Malekith in Dark World.

The only thing separating the GG's role in this from that of Venom's in SM3 was that we'll see him come back in sequels.

I though Goblin was more akin to Two-Face in Dark Knight. The lead up to the character's transformation started off well, but they rushed through the final phase to squeeze him into this movie when they should have just used this one as a build up and done the full switch to villain mode for the next one. Because, absent all the years of complicated history and emotional entanglements between Peter and the Osborns, Green Goblin is actually not that interesting a villain. They should have invested more time in the up front relationship building.

I actually thought Electro and Harry were too sympathetic. There was nobody too really play the bad guy except Oscorp. Which really suffered no consequences in the end.

That was my major complaint about Raimi's movies, that none of the villains were truly, inherently bad; they were all victims of circumstance, more or less. And now it seems like Webb is following that same path. Can Sony use the Kingpin? Because these movies really need a dose of "bad guy who enjoys being a bad guy."

[CliffHanger2]

That was my major complaint about Raimi's movies, that none of the villains were truly, inherently bad; they were all victims of circumstance, more or less. And now it seems like Webb is following that same path. Can Sony use the Kingpin? Because these movies really need a dose of "bad guy who enjoys being a bad guy."

I mean im saying though. Electro was this social misfit/ genius who had his designs stolen by oscorp. He's imprisoned and tortured. Goes crazy for it and hes a badguy? I just didnt buy it. Harry either up until he drops Gwen. But yeah some real villians would add some tension and raise the stakes.

[Rogue Star]

I heard there was a Stark-related easter egg in the movie. Is this true?

[Guy1]

That was my major complaint about Raimi's movies, that none of the villains were truly, inherently bad; they were all victims of circumstance, more or less. And now it seems like Webb is following that same path. Can Sony use the Kingpin? Because these movies really need a dose of "bad guy who enjoys being a bad guy."

Fisk shows up in the ASM2 Video Game.

[ironman2978]

I mean im saying though. Electro was this social misfit/ genius who had his designs stolen by oscorp. He's imprisoned and tortured. Goes crazy for it and hes a badguy? I just didnt buy it. Harry either up until he drops Gwen. But yeah some real villians would add some tension and raise the stakes.

I think Rhino and Venom despite short appearances are bad guys who enjoyed bad(although in Rhino is one who is going to make multiple appearances and is enjoyable as a campy villain). Electro in 3 appearances is a more sympathetic villain driven crazy(also including Spectacular Spider-Man and the 2003 MTV cartoon as well and sort of the comics when talking about his past) although I think in the case of Jamie's Electro who already had mental problems and an inferiority complex and an obsession of sorts(MTV Electro was popularity and Sally, TSSM Electro as Greg Weisman said " he's insisting that until he is cured, he IS Electro and not Max. He doesn't (in his way) want the two confused." before he became more or less Doc Ock's lackey) all it took was the little reaction to drive him insane although I hope he plays a more darker serious version of Electro and might be the first sympathetic villain who doesn't necessarily want or tries to redeem himself(Norman realizes he wasn't the most attentive father and apologizes to Harry for that and pleads with Spider-Man not to tell Harry about his secret before he dies, Doc Ock sacrifices himself in order to save the city, Sandman makes peace with Spider-Man before disappearing, Harry sacrifices himself to save Spidey, Lizard when cured tries to help Peter back up on Oscorp tower) and might actually come back in the sequel along with Harry and Rhino.

[kalorama]

What about the scenes missing from the trailers. Two specifically are when you hear Norman say "We have plans for you, Peter Parker". That could be a key scene, the two were never on screen together yet. I'm sure he isn't dead.

That, plus it's unlikely they hired Chris Cooper for two minutes of screen time.

How did he survive into his 60's, but Harry acted like he'd be dead in a week?

I was wondering the same thing. Although, during his speech, Norman made reference to "everything I've done to stay alive." Presumably he used some of the experimental treatments they'd been developing at Oscorp on himself. Some of them may have worked well enough t slow the progression of the disease, but not stop it. Plus, Harry's a 20 year old kid. Like Gwen said in her speech, at that age everybody thinks they're immortal; death is something of an abstract concept. I imagine most of Harry's desperation simply came from being forced to confront the idea of his own death as a concrete reality.

[kalorama]

I think Rhino and Venom despite short appearances are bad guys who enjoyed bad(although in Rhino is one who is going to make multiple appearances and is enjoyable as a campy villain). Electro in 3 appearances is a more sympathetic villain driven crazy(also including Spectacular Spider-Man and the 2003 MTV cartoon as well and sort of the comics when talking about his past) although I think in the case of Jamie's Electro who already had mental problems and an inferiority complex and an obsession of sorts(MTV Electro was popularity and Sally, TSSM Electro as Greg Weisman said " he's insisting that until he is cured, he IS Electro and not Max. He doesn't (in his way) want the two confused." before he became more or less Doc Ock's lackey) all it took was the little reaction to drive him insane although I hope he plays a more darker serious version of Electro and might be the first sympathetic villain who doesn't necessarily want or tries to redeem himself(Norman realizes he wasn't the most attentive father and apologizes to Harry for that and pleads with Spider-Man not to tell Harry about his secret before he dies, Doc Ock sacrifices himself in order to save the city, Sandman makes peace with Spider-Man before disappearing, Harry sacrifices himself to save Spidey, Lizard when cured tries to help Peter back up on Oscorp tower) and might actually come back in the sequel along with Harry and Rhino.

Rhino was really nothing more than a comic relief cameo, not a real character. As far as Electro goes, he falls into the same category as most of the previous villains in that it wasn't until after he got powers that he turned "bad." And that's fine in some cases, because power can corrupt. (It also makes them a pointed contrast to Peter, who gained power and became a better person for it.) But, on some levels, it sort of limits them, because (at least how most of them have been portrayed) that undercurrent of humanity/compassion remains as a leavening agent. Electro wasn't really "evil" so much as he was kind of sad and maladjusted. He was almost childlike. I'd just like to see some villains with the kind of calculating ruthlessness that comes from a long history of experience at giving the middle finger to the conventions and rules of society.

[Sean Whitmore]

I liked it. Some parts of it, I liked quite a bit. Overall it was fine, if that's not too damning with faint praise.

But then, all the Spidey movies have been mixed bag. If one could rewrite time and space, they could probably create some damn-near perfect ones by putting Garfield's and Stone's Spider-Man and Gwen into the more classic setup of the Raimi movies.

[Sean Whitmore]

I was wondering the same thing. Although, during his speech, Norman made reference to "everything I've done to stay alive." Presumably he used some of the experimental treatments they'd been developing at Oscorp on himself. Some of them may have worked well enough t slow the progression of the disease, but not stop it.

My friend and I were spit-balling ideas as we left the theater, and one of them is that maybe the disease wasn't really genetic. Maybe Norman infected Harry with it, and then let himself be put in a deep freeze or something while an understandably-motivated Harry took over obsessing about finding a cure.