I never got to watch the first Amazing Spider- Man movie from a couple of years ago. Frankly, I couldn’t be arsed. The Sam Raimi Spider- Man films were recent in my mind and I have no patience for all these endless Hollywood reboots and remakes of well- loved properties. No one needs that many superhero movies in their life. I just don’t care.
I did enjoy several of the recent Marvel Universe movies, but that had a lot to do with their directors. Joss Whedon, Brian Singer and Shane Black did a great job with what could have been another corporate gig and the respective movies are witty and joyous in a way that transcends blockbuster fatigue.
Anyway, despite all my bitching, I have to admit that Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider- Man 2 is delightful. This time round, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) has to deal with two new supervillain threats, along with relationship trouble with his girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). This is classic Spidey territory, balancing the grand comic fireworks (spectacular action, wonky science, New York as a character and a playground) with the human element (misunderstood villains, Peter being an all- around nice guy and the whole “with great power comes great responsibility” thing). All this mostly works due to Webb’s functional but snappy direction and- crucially- because Garfield and Stone have great chemistry together. Garfield is impossible to dislike and Stone is kind and whip smart, and his equal in every way. All of which is pretty refreshing in a movie of this type.
Elsewhere, Jamie Foxx makes us sympathise with Electro, a decent, nerdy guy who doesn’t deserve what happens to him (eh, basically being transformed to a giant blue battery thing). I was less thrilled with Dane DeHaan’s Harry Osborn, who is basically portrayed as a bitter, entitled little shit, but he too has his reasons. To be fair though, Osborn has always had a tendency to come across as an emo whiner in the big screen. James Franco’s version was pretty insufferable as well.
Sally Field, Paul Giamatti, Chris Cooper, Dennis Leary and Colm Feore (playing an unctuous bad guy as usual) add class to the proceedings and the whole thing is a lot of fun. Crucial aspects of Parker’s and Osborn’s backstory have been changed in a way that would be irritating, if the tone of the film didn’t capture the giddy spirit of the comics so well. It is of course overlong, as blockbusters always are these days and the 3D looks fantastic when Spidey slingshots around New York but unnecessary in the quieter scenes. But I can’t complain too much. If you like Peter Parker, you’ll probably enjoy the film a lot. It’s just that I am looking forward to X- Men: Days of Future Past so much more than this.
PS 1: I would find Stan Lee’s customary guest appearances a lot cuter if Marvel bothered to respect the other creators of its’ mythology. By paying Jack Kirby’s heirs for example.
PS 2: I want a Doctor Strange movie already!
(-Dimitris Kontogiannis-)