Rating of
4/4
Now... let's see who's behind the mask.
Beyond Chaos - wrote on 06/12/10
In 2002, Sam Raimi made a Saturday morning cartoon.
In 2007, Sam Raimi made an unabashed piece of s***.
In 2004, Sam Raimi made an actual film with a story.
I could really relate to Peter Parker's plight when I saw Spider-Man 2 theatrically. During that time, I was lazy and always late; disappointing my professors and yes, even employers. I was brilliant but couldn't quite pull it together. It's nice to be reminded of an actual personal connection I had to a superhero character.
I'm tempted to make an erectile dysfunction joke about Toby Maguire losing his powers but that isn't the right metaphor so I won't.
Spider-Man 2 has uncommonly witty, intentionally funny dialogue for the comic book movie genre. Here are some of my favorite exchanges:
Peter: "I've been reading poetry lately."
Mary Jane: "Whatever that means."
Miss Brant: "Sir, your wife's on the line, she said she lost her checkbook."
J. Jonah Jameson: "Thanks for the good news!"
And of course, anything from Mr. Ditkovich, the humorous, debt-obsessed Russian landlord for Peter's apartment building:
Ditkovich: "Rent!"
Peter: "Hi."
Ditkovich: "Hi? What's hi? Can I spend it?"
Ditkovich: "If promises were crackers, my daughter would be fat."
A happy, glasses-wearing, 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' montage is infinitely better than Spider-Man 3's jackass, emo-hair Saturday Night Fever montage.
High points: Alex Ross' spectacular opening title design, Ditkovich and his family (including a cameo by Louis Lombardi aka Edgar Stiles from 24), an Evil Dead-style hospital massacre, Alfred Molina, J.K. Simmons, Doc Ock lighting a cigar with one of his tentacles, the lakeside climax and "Go get 'em, tiger".
Low points: James Franco's acting, Aunt May's 30-minute monologue, little "Henry" the plot device, a mask-less Spider-Man saving dozens of saintly train passengers (in a Crucifix pose) who promise to keep his secret safe.
This superior sequel ends on a curiously dark, almost chilling music cue and a worried look on Kirsten Dunst's face that left me feeling a bit uneasy.
