Aylmer to Zazzoo and Beyond: The Amazing Spiderman 2

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

The Amazing Spiderman 2 - Review

The Amazing Spiderman 2
(2014 - May 02)
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
2 hr. 22 min.
Rated: PG-13 | Plenty of Sci-Fi action and violence, property damage and fairly mild language ("damn," "hell," etc.) Read more
Grade: B-

We've always known that Spider-Man's most important battle has been within himself: the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man. But in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that a greater conflict lies ahead. It's great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there's no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp. (c) Columbia

Director: Marc Webb
Writers: Alex Kurtzman (screenplay), Roberto Orci (screenplay), 7 more credits
Stars: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx | See full cast and crew

I'm growing tired a bit of the flood of Marvel Comics based movie. They all start to become interchangeable just pick the super hero and insert into the same action formula.

I did watch the 3D version and there are times when it really works as he swings through the city, you get that roller-coaster sensation. I did like that.

Spiderman's perennial foe, his arch nemesis is the big bad corporation OSCORP, i.e. capitalism. The Hollywood left's 'Occupy Wall Street' propaganda is only subtly veiled here.

The Amazing Spiderman 2's story is just a third, forth, fifth or sixth helping of the same, however. If you are a die hard Spiderman fan you will still probably enjoy the latest installment of course there will always be the debate over the Tobey Maguire vs Andrew Garfield interpretations. I think I'll go with Garfield, I think he is more true to the comic book persona, a bit shy and brooding but also a 'smart alec'.

Let's not even get into the plausibility of the storyline...it's a comic book, but one has to concede that after so many sequels The Amazing Spiderman, with each installment, becomes less and less amazing. At some point we just don't care anymore.