SpiderMan 2 Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)July 6th, 2004
"Spider-Man 2" – Superhero Spins His Webs; Story Spins Its Wheels
by Homer Yen
(c) 2004
It's tough being a web-crawling superhero. Other superheroes have it easier. Batman can fund all of his Bat-Toys with the millions of dollars that his alter ego produces as the head of Wayne Enterprises. Meanwhile, Superman never needs any sleep, so he's on it 24 hours a day. But poor Spider-Man (Tobey McGuire) is just a kid blessed with a rare gift. And, with great power comes great responsibility. So, Spidey fights crime while his alter ego, Peter Parker, needs to pass his college courses and pay his rent. This requires superhuman commitment, but like the citizens that he has sworn to protect, even our hero needs to sleep. And he needs someone to love.
The heart of this film possesses more humanity than most other films about superheroes. In fact, when you watch Peter Parker shy away from his sweetheart, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) or struggle to tell Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) the circumstances revolving around his Uncle's death, it plays more like a family drama rather than an action-hero film. Always give credit to summer films that want to be more than just special effects. However, it needlessly overreaches to deliver its message. And that message is about the internal conflicts that churn within the characters.
Mary Jane is torn between her feelings for the aloof Peter Parker and for her new beau. Parker's best friend Harry (James Franco) is torn between his friendship with Peter and his hatred for Spider-Man. The villain, Dr. Octavious (Alfred Molina), struggles with his schizophrenia. Even Bugle newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) is torn between his aversion for and his respect for the crimefighter. But the duality theme is like a broken record as Peter Parker struggles between his desire to be a normal guy and his calling to safeguard the city. The film just slathers us with scenes where our hero tries to get to his appointments on time, continually disappoints Mary Jane, and is stressed out by his responsibilities. Ok, there's a spider symbol on his chest and an "L" on his forehead. Yes, we understand that Peter Parker has human frailties and is guided by basic human emotions rather than vengeance or some other dark force. But enough of the pity party.
Yet, you can't take anything away from the marvelous special effects. The advancements in technology continue to redefine reality on the big screen. This is a triumphant blend of live action and CGI animation. You never have to perform a reality check as Spider-Man and Doc Ock battle among the skyscrapers or melee atop a high-speed subway. Most beguiling are those cybernetic arms attached to the villain. They take on an eerie life of their own whether they're gripping concrete as he ascends buildings or whether they're swaying ominously like cobras before lashing out.
In the end, the action is impressive and entertaining, but "Spider-Man 2" seemed a bit cluttered in its exposition. The excessive introspection seemed to weigh down the film, making the 2-hour film seem longer than it actually is. If it could have been condensed, the entire package would have felt tighter, more dramatic, more thrilling, and more rewarding.
Grade: C+
S: 1 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 2 out of 3
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