Rating of
2/4
Yea it's the 2nd "amazing" one (SPOILERS!!!!!!)
Indyfreak - wrote on 08/25/14
If you remember the part in the trailer where Rhino is charging Spider-Man and he swings that manhole covering at Rhino? That's the closing shot! I shit you not!
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 continues the current trend in comic book movies concerning world-building, Easter eggs. and sequel-baiting but at the same time it wants to tell a story about teen romance, corporate espionage, and whatever Sally Field has to say when she appears on-camera.
I'll confess that the 100+ trailers and tv spots did have me excited because of all the references to the Sinister Six, the disappearance of Spider-Man's parents, and how there was obviously so much more action. And there is! It opens up with a strangely moving plane crash sequence seemingly taken out of a Bond film. However while the action sequences are all very well-done (and are very colorful btw) the rest of the movie is trying too hard to be bigger than the first ASM movie while still engaging in world-building for future installments.
As a result, it's another blockbuster that clocks at over two and a half hours (why must it be so long) but ironically you have to wonder what was so important for the running time? All they had to do was explain that Oscorp is planning the Secret Six to take down Spider-Man for (insert reason). That's it. Instead we spend at least 20 minutes set within Oscorp with Harry Osborn trying get his company back cuz they kill off Norman Osborn as soon as he appears. Thanks movie! Aside from that we also have most of the story not dedicated to the three villains (Electro, Green Goblin, Rhino) who are given inadequate development despite the 2.5 hour running time but to a surprisingly shallow dispute between Gwen Stacey and Spider-Man over her leaving for England for a scholarship! Is this a superhero movie or a soap opera? Thanks movie!
Despite this, I'll concede that I enjoyed it when it does become a Spider-Man movie again. Ya know, with web-slinging, daring heroics, cackling villains, and the like. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are fantastic together. What worked in the first one between them is downright adorable. Dane Dehaan is decent as Harry Osborn but his transformation into Goblin is so corny while Jamie Foxx is just embarassing as Electro. Granted his powers are very cool and when he's villainous, he's menacing but usually he's this indecisive wimp whom I suppose I was supposed to sympathize with. I loved Paul Giamatti's appearance as the Rhino better than either Goblin or Electro combined and he's onscreen for less than 10 minutes! Oh and the end pissed me off to no end.
There's a good movie hidden inside all the subplots, the Easter eggs, and the self-conscious silliness but it's frustrating that I have to devote half of my time to finding it at all.
