The Amazing Spider-Man 2
9/10
Director: Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan
Plot: Oscorp unleash a number of super villains against Peter
Parker while he faces struggles in his personal life.
Spider Man seems to have had a pretty successful run since
its original, live-action trilogy (which began back in 2002 to a staggering
$821 million at the box office). Following on from this success, 2012’s The
Amazing Spider-Man proved to be the most successful reboot ever, taking in an
equally impressive $752 million and a haul of positive reviews from critics and
audiences alike.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2,
in contrast, feels like we’re actually getting somewhere
this time around. The first film was very much a copycat of the Sam Raimi
original, albeit with far grander effects and an impressive cast. Here, we
finally get to expand on Peter Parker as a character, as well as his
relationship with the marvellously likable Gwen Stacy (played by Emma Stone)
and Aunt May (played beautifully by Sally Field). Andrew Garfield proves yet
again that he is the perfect Spider Man; he succeeds in the emotionally charged
scenes well. As well as the main cast, we’re also treated to an array of
villains this time around; Jamie Foxx as Electro is far better than
anticipated. Electro’s hunger for electricity plays out so well on-screen
visually and his confrontations with Spider Man are cinematic gold! Dane DeHaan
is, however, the standout amongst the newcomers to the series. It’s no secret
that he transforms into the Green Goblin and he does so brilliantly. Though his
screen time as the green fiend is fairly short, he steals each and every moment
(the transformation scene specifically is truly gripping).
Marc Webb (the irony of this surname though…) has managed to
steer this series in the right direction. He has a real eye for the action
sequences, which must’ve been a difficult transition from his other works, such
as 500 Days of Summer. However, the effects cannot be truly admired without the
3D. 3D has been used on countless occasions to little success but when it
works, it really works. The shots of Spider Man falling through the sky will
blow you away, and the attention to detail throughout is very rare in
blockbusters such as this. Where Webb may fall slightly though is in the humour. It may well
be in the hands of the screenwriters, but it feels a little too pushed and a
little too desperate at times – it’s only a minor criticism but it does detract
from the darker themes at hand.
In Conclusion: some may argue that The Amazing Spider Man-2
is a little heavy on the CGI front – I would disagree. This sequel is a visual,
3D feast that blends fantastic villains (except the Rhino… which felt hollow
and pointless) and action sequences with a top cast. Dane Dehaan stands out overall while Andrew
Garfield and Emma Stone’s chemistry is piping hot – this is the best Spider-Man
movie to date.
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