The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Director: Marc Webb
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx
Length: 142 mins
Country: USA
What do we want from our superhero movies these days? Is it the dark, brooding tones of Nolan’s Batman series? Or the bright, energetic, ultra-co-ordinated films from Marvel’s studios? Or is it something more like Man of Steel? Sorry, I apologise. Nobody wants another Man of Steel.
The Amazing Spider-Man made a strong debut for a series which many believed shouldn’t have been rebooted so soon after the trainwreck/cult classic that was Spider-Man 3. The sequel, the unimaginatively named The Amazing Spider-Man 2 takes what its immediate predecessor achieved and makes it even better. The sassy Spider-Man that fans loved from the comic books is back in full action, casually insulting cops and monsters alike. Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy remains an impressive and likeable love interest whose scientific knowledge proves invaluable to Peter more than once. Although many people still have a strong affinity to Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield continues carefully carving out an alternative yet equally appealing characterisation. And as always, any mention of Uncle Ben will instantly bring a lump to any audience member’s throat.
The first thing that must be mentioned is the use of graphics and 3D. I am proud to announce that this is the first superhero movie to fully make use of the graphics and CGI available, yet use it in a way which keeps it completely relevant to the narrative direction. Yes, there are set-pieces, especially some fantastic ones using slow-motion, but rather than being an extravagant display of what post-production houses can produce nowadays, it feels as if every frame has been carefully considered, and nothing is included which doesn’t bring extra value to the film as a whole. As a result, I would definitely advise paying for the 3D this time around, as it beautifully enhances the action sequences.
The sassy Spider-Man that fans loved from the comic books is back in full action, casually insulting cops and monsters alike.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 also smoothly dodges a potential bullet which destroyed Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3: the use of multiple villains. There are two main antagonists in the film, but fortunately the existence of both and their relationship to each-other are crucial parts of the narrative. As a result, the audience isn’t left with the feeling that the film didn’t come about from some studio exec screaming “Bigger! Better!” whilst throwing money at returning director Marc Webb. Admittedly unnecessary is a third antagonist brought in near the end, which most likely only appears to solidify the establishment of the inevitable following film. Other than that, this film thankfully avoids becoming the steaming pile of mess that was Raimi’s third effort.
Dane de Haan as Harry Osborn takes the same method that Garfield did in the first film in that he is nothing like a carbon copy of James Franco’s Osborn, and clearly has no desire to be. His Osborn is isolated, unpredictable and potentially dangerous from the moment we first lay eyes on him, and as he will almost certainly appear in the next instalment of the franchise, I look forward to seeing far more of him. He is evidently a skilled actor and his scenes allow him to make use of his wide-ranging talents. Jamie Foxx, on the other hand, sadly appears to have drawn a short straw. His characterisation is wonderful, making Max Dillon (for the love of god, please remember his name) a character that the audience can simultaneously be fond of and be terrified by. It is very unfortunate that most of Foxx’s acting is obscured by heavy use of CGI, and whilst you can sense that a tremendous performance is being given underneath the layers of computer effects, it is mostly lost in the final image which appearson screen.
All in all, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a good superhero film, and easily one of the strongest solo hero films in recent years. It really was a breath of fresh air to see computer- based effects finally being put to good use and for once, I don’t think audiences will feel cheated if they pay out to view it in 3D. With the Garfield/de Haan duo set to helm the third instalment, let’s hope that success of the rebooted Spidey-franchise keeps on climbing.
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