The Amazing Spiderman 2 – Movie Review

Post Sam Raimi’s Spider-man trilogy, I wasn’t really convinced that we needed a reboot. Remaining true to the Marvel comic book, Raimi presented to us Tobey Maguire as the superhero who somehow managed to swing his way and make a place in the audience’s heart. Except for the unsatisfying overstuffed third installment, it was an original and good take on the superhero with a heart. Director Marc Webb’s intention must have been clear while filming ‘The Amazing Spider-man’ – make it for a slightly mature audience and if that means you have to mess around with the original plot a bit, so be it.

The second film in this series begins with a back-story. Richard and Mary Parker have no option but to leave their little son with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Charged of theft from OsCorp, both are mysteriously assassinated but not before Richard records a video message that explains what exactly transpired. Present day – Peter Parker, our friendly neighborhood Spider-man (Andrew Garfield) is doing his job well by protecting New York City and when he is not swinging on air and through streets bashing up the baddies; he romances Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) – supposedly Peter Parker’s first love-interest after which he fell for Mary Jane. Max Dillon (Jamie Fox) is an oil-combed unconfident employee at OsCorp who at first finds a friend in the superhero but later when he meets

with an accident in a tank with mutated eels, he transforms into the powerful Electro and becomes a menace for the city. Harry Osborn (DeHaan, who was fantastic in ‘Chronicle’) succeeds his dead father as the new CEO of OsCorp but has the same hereditary illness and comes to know that the only cure is Spider-man’s sample blood. He asks his childhood friend Peter Parker to bring him the superhero. Things occur and Harry becomes the Green Goblin who hates Spider-man because he failed him. The two enemies unite and our superhero has to be at rescue.

Opinions may vary but I prefer Raimi’s version of Spider-man. It was a more human take on the superhero and had dollops of humour at the right places. Webb does attempt at doing so too and gets it right on most occasions but the charm is not as good as it should be. Comparisons are inevitable. Tobey or Andrew – I’d say Tobey because he played it with a certain discomfort which Peter Parker is known to have lived with since childhood. Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy is way better than Kirsten Dunst’s Mary Jane and not just because the character is committed, confident and likeable but because the former is a much better actress. In fact, Emma Stone is the best thing about ‘The Amazing Spider-man 2’. She builds up a warm chemistry each time her guy superhero appears with her on screen. The action and visual effects do come alive on 3D but hang on… that is what 3D is meant for. It isn’t very ambitious and you have seen better action and effects in recent times, even in the other superhero flicks. But it is fun till it lasts; however, that comes at the cost of having the patience to endure nearly two hours and twenty minutes. If you have read the comic, you should guess the twist in the end.

Andrew Garfield does a fair job but somehow, you prefer him behind the mask as Spider-man because that’s when he is swinging and bashing. As Peter Parker, he fails to bring to it the earnestness Tobey Maguire succeeded at. Emma Stone is excellent as Gwen Stacy and makes a mark. Jamie Fox plays it well till he becomes Electro and he makes quite a menacing villain too. DeHaan is okay.

Watch it or not: There are some movies you wait for and no matter what the reviews are like, you have to watch it. This is one of them. Whether you are a Spidey fan or not you will be watching it. And yes – it is worth a watch for

sure.

At the Box-Office: No guesses – huge blockbuster!

• About the Author

About Abhirup Dhar

I don't watch movies... I live them! Let me introduce myself. Abhirup Dhar was born in Kolkata and is still being brought up in India. A banker by profession, he is filmy to the core and is passionate about reviewing movies and writing. He likes to live on his own… he likes to be blunt, sarcastic, famous, infamous, confident, over-confident, moody at times… he likes to be himself. He is imperfect because perfection is boring. His love for movies dates back to his childhood days when he studied in a boarding school. A three-month Winter Vacation every year… and he made sure he watched as many movies then. Parents thought it was a phase... he knew it was Passion and he knew it back then itself. The craziness to watch movies on the Big Screen began during the last two years of school when he literally bunked to town so that he could catch up with the new Hindi Movie releases. Some thought he was plain crazy. He confirmed it was Passion... yet again. The hard fact is that not always can you walk a path you are passionate about. You have expectations to fulfill and Life to be made. But Life gives you chances and you have to grab them. So... here is he... your friendly critic who will be giving you his Verdict every week so that you can decide which release is worth your moolah and which is not! See you at the Movies! Stay connected at Facebook and Twitter!