As one who grew up reading comic books, I've loved watching the superheroes come to life on the big screen. Unfortunately, most of them haven't fared that well; many have tried but few have succeeded. The Superman films captured the spirit of the comics, but they took too many liberties with uperman's powers. Tim Burton's Batman movies championed style and substance, but the sequels by Joel Schumacher, whatever. It really wasn't until 2000's adaptation of the X-Men when filmmakers successfully balanced first-rate action with drama.
Then in 2002, one of the most popular superheroes of all time finally graced the silver screen. It took that long to secure film rights for Spider-Man with the cooperation of creator Stan Lee, as well as to believably re-create the stunts and acrobatics of the world's favorite webslinger through computer-generated special effects. It was worth the time and effort—Spider-Man ended up grossing $820 million worldwide and became the fifth highest grossing film in U.S. history.Many would also say that it was the best comic-book adaptation ever, and if there were any doubts of that, Spider-Man 2 puts them to rest.
The beauty of this film is that it is not simply a sequel, designed to upstage its predecessor with "bigger and better." True to its comic roots, it's a continuation of the Spider-Man saga, following up from where the first film's origin story left off. This is wonderfully captured in Spider-Man 2's opening credits, which uses graphic novel styled artwork to create a visual overture, jogging the viewer's memory of key events from the first film: mild-mannered student Peter Parker getting bitten by a radioactive spider, the death of his uncle, the famed upside-down smooch with girl-next-door Mary Jane Watson, Spider-Man's defeat of the Green Goblin, and more.
Spider-Man 2 begins two years later, showing us what's become of the key characters in that time. Think it's easy being a superhero, not if you have a conscience. Anonymous crime fighting doesn't pay the bills, and Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is struggling to make ends meet by working two part-time jobs. Besides working as a freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle, taking pictures of "that menace" Spider-Man, he's working another gig which I won't spoil for the viewer—suffice to say, it's one in which Spidey powers can come in handy. Parker's desperate for money because the bank is close to foreclosing on his dear Aunt May's house. Unfortunately, his grades at the local university are slipping, the second job doesn't work out, and Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson isn't making life any easier.
On top of that, Parker's relationships are falling apart. His best friend Harry (James Franco) still blames Spider-Man for the death of his father, corporate scientist Norman Osborn (aka The Green Goblin). As stress builds for Harry in trying to run his father's company, he begins to increasingly blame Spider-Man for his troubles, never suspecting his true identity. Meanwhile, longtime crush Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) still has feelings for Parker, but he continues to push her away in order to protect her from his dangerous life. As Spider-Man, he believes he is unable to keep promises to her or guarantee her safety. Tired of waiting for him to express his feelings, she's seriously considering a relationship with Jameson's astronaut son.
Spidey battles Doc Ock (short for Doctor Octopus) a visually stunning creation. The fight scenes are vital to the movie's action and maybe the best comic recreations yet, but they're not the heart of the film. This is really about the nature of heroism, making the choice to either use one's gifts for the benefit of mankind or to ignore them and let someone else worry about the world's problems. Must Parker forever heed his uncle's advice ("With great power comes great responsibility"), or can he pursue his dreams and still do what's right? Can he do both?
Kudos to director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man, Evil Dead) for making a film that is entertaining from practically every angle. The special effects are somewhat improved from the first movie, giving viewers a more seamless distinction between fantasy and reality; though you can tell that many of the effects are computer generated, you'd expect Spider-Man to move with the fluid agility of animation. This is not a wall-to-wall action movie, but the thrills are there without dumbing down the story or resorting to extreme violence.
It's also a very touching and dramatic film, and I think most will also be surprised at how genuinely funny it is. There are scenes with Spidey in an elevator and at the local Laundromat that are played to great comedic effect. Longtime Raimi actor Bruce Campbell also makes another Spider-Man cameo, this time as the world's most annoying theater usher. And J.K. Simmons (The Ladykillers) as Jameson steals nearly every scene he's in, perfectly capturing the news editor's manic egotism and belligerence. The filmmakers have wisely given him more screen time for this film, and they could use him even more for the next.
Grade A+
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