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Spider-Man 2 2004 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Sam Raimi
PG-13, 127 min. (stylized action violence) |
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Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris, Elizabeth Banks, J.K. Simmons, Donna Murphy, Vanessa Ferlito, Bruce Campbell
Producers: Avi Arad, Laura Ziskin
Screenplay: Alvin Sargent
Cinematography: Bill Pope
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Released: 6.30.04 (Wide) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
Spider-Man 2 is a shocking turn of events for the comic book superhero genre. For once, a summer blockbuster
has focused itself upon the geniune conlicted nature of all superhero figures, much as the comic books themselves espoused
years ago. Simply put, this is the best superhero film ever made; better than any Superman or Batman rendition.
The first film, Spider-Man,
was an effective if not fully satisfying foundation upon which to build. Spider-Man's origins were explained and his first
showdown with a notorious villain was a special effects extravaganza. But here director Sam Raimi (in his finest film to date)
has pulled in the reigns so to speak, fashioning an impressive screenplay (by Alvin Sargent) into a nuanced, relaxed yet
tightly focused examination of a superhero who not only doubts himself but the world around him. It seems that Hollywood
has finally found the winning formula for the genre.
The film has much in common with another superhero sequel, Superman 2, as Clark Kent also tossed aside his
powers in favor of a common life, compelled by the love of good woman. Just as Kent felt the unreasonable burden of
a continuous savior complex, so does Peter Parker, a college kid trying to balance academics, financial responsibility, and
a yearning desire for his soulmate. Raimi and his collaborators have wisely avoided the melodramatics that could have
quickly sunk such a promising premise, instead framing each scene through Parker's exhausted eyes. The viewer can
sense early on that Parker cannot continue down a path that demands the service of two masters. Which will he choose?
Although it's fairly obvious he must remain Spider-Man, the film creates an uncertainty in the minds of viewers anyway.
Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Although New York City loves him,
his own employer, The Daily Bugle, calls him a "menace." He's fired from his job delivering pizzas, is about to be
evicted from his apartment, and has noticed that his web-spinning ability has become unreliable. Nevertheless, he's determined to move forward in his
life, but is still haunted by the decision to protect his great love, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst), from the enemies that would use
her against him. Mary Jane has also moved on, despite a few more attempts at forcing a proclamation of love from
Parker, and becomes engaged to an astronaut (Daniel Gillies), thereby forcing Parker's hand. Meanwhile, Peter's
best friend, Harry Osborne (James Franco), has taken over for his departed father's company and invested in
Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), a scientist who has discovered a way to harness fusion with the assistance of four
intimidating mechanical arms - until things go terrible wrong. An accident has permanently fused the arms into his spinal
column, turning him into a madman (Dr. Octopus) determined to rebuild his failed experiment. Now Parker must confront
his fears and accept his responsibility as protector of the innocent.
The craftsmanship that is quickly evident in Spider-Man 2 relies on three independently strong storylines. The
first centers on Parker's journey from self-doubt to self-acceptance; the second revolves around the unrequited love
between Parker and Mary Jane; and the third involves the impact that tragedy has upon its victims - in this case both
Dr. Octavius and Harry. Since Raimi treats each section of the film with equal importance, when they all converge in
a spectacular climax, the strength of the characters and the viewer's investment in them assures a unique experience.
Parker's self-realization, his pronouncement of love for Mary Jane, and the film's sympathetic view of its villain and Harry
all contain satisfying resolutions. Raimi must be given the lion's share of the credit, because only an adept hand for these
complicated, intricate, multi-layered storylines will assure success. Few films have offered the kind of resonance that Spider-Man 2
provides; it excels in terms of vision, scope, and relevance within its story.
Although the various character studies on hand dominate the film, there are some impressive action sequences to satisfy
the genre. Spider-Man and Dr. Octopus engage in several battles - from the side and top of tall buildings to a fast-moving
train, their struggle is competently constructed and portrayed. The CGI on display doesn't distract, instead it adds to the
presence of the characters and becomes an intregal part of the film. Dr. Octopus' mechanical arms seem to be characters
themselves, whispering evil thoughts into Octavius' altered mind; they are as unsettling as they are deadly. Observing
Raimi construct these action scenes with such confidence and command of the material is inspiring, specifically during the L-train
sequence, which sees a ferocious battle that shows intelligence when Spider-Man's identity is revealed to the passengers, who
in turn confront Dr. Octopus. In a lesser film this sort of pandering wouldn't work, but here, because of its heartfelt
portrayal, the scene takes on added significance.
Spider-Man 2 is the perfect amalgamation of storyline, characters, special effects, and cinematography. All the
aspects of the superhero genre have been combined to great effect throughout the film; there are several scenes that
utilize them all at once. The result is nothing short of astonishing, and the accumulative effect builds to one of the better
climaxes in recent memory. The transitions and seamless interaction of Spider-Man and his surroundings (New York)
are a testament to the strength of the film, and Raimi understands when and how to push the specific elements in relation
to the scene at hand. If only George Lucas would take a cue here and integrate Raimi's efficient direction into his
special effects heavy Star Wars prequels.
It's just amazing the difference that good material has on both the director and actors of a film. It makes everyone's job
easier, especially for the director, who can allow the story to unfold with ease through actors that relish such opportunity.
The performances here are measured and resonant without going over-the-top. Maguire has elevated his work from the first
film to provide Parker with the type of angst and desperation that is necessary for the film to work. Dunst gives a relaxed
yet assured effort as the nearly teary-eyed Mary Jane. Franco has certainly turned up the heat on his character, setting
the foundation for the anger and resentment that will fuel Harry in future films. And Molina offers a counterpoint to Willem
Dafoe's bombastic Green Goblin; he eschews histrionics in favor of gravitas and reasoned actions. Finally, supporting turns
by J.K. Simmons (in arguably the film's best performance) as the loud, obnoxious editor of The Daily Bugle, and
Rosemary Harris as Aunt May, who gets extended play here, are wonderful editions to an already strong cast. There
are also cameos from Dafoe and Bruce Campbell (a Raimi mainstay) that provide the finishing touches.
There's a scene in Spider-Man 2 that summarizes its witty and intelligent presence. Parker has refocused himself
to revive his superpowers, runs atop a building and jumps, confident that his web-spinning ability has returned. It has not,
and he crashes down onto a couple of cars, rising slowly and grasping his back and complaining of the pain. Besides
the obvious reference to Maguire's well-publicized back problems (which almost kept him out of the film), the scene
encapsulates what the film is about - a superhero whose real battle is within his own psyche. Similarly, Spider-Man 2
fights its way through years of cliché-riddled genre mimickry, emerging victorious and the new standard-bearer for the
quintessential superhero film.
© 2004 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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