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Last Updated: Mar 17th, 2009 - 10:42:11
POV Review - Spider-Man 2
By Cynthia Kirkeby
Aug 20, 2006, 12:25 PST
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Point of View Review of Spider-Man 2
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| Courtesy of Sony Pictures © 2004 |
Okay, I’ll admit that I am a fan of comic books. Through the years I’ve read Superman, Spiderman, Archie & Veronica, X-men, Mythbusters, The Punisher, Classic Comics, and more. The recent batch of movies based on comics has thrilled me in some cases, and this is one of those cases. Spider-Man 2 is an all around great time at the theater.
I felt that the first Spiderman was a better film. The script was more consistent and so was the editing. In Spider-Man 2, we get a glimpse of Sam Raimi’s unique style. It seems as though it had been hiding up until now in many of his recent films. As soon as the scene in the operating room hit the screen, you could hear a ripple run through the audience. The horror fans had no trouble recognizing the unique look of Sam Raimi’s earlier work in the “Evil Dead” movies. Doc Ock’s scene sticks out as different from the rest of the movie, however, as it changes its look, feel, and tempo. The gritty feeling is perfect for the scene as Doc Ock’s arms go on a killing spree, but it would be fun to see more of his signature look throughout the rest of the film.
Doctor Octopus was excellent in Spider-Man 2. Some people seem to think that he wasn’t evil enough, but I enjoyed the fact that his humanity showed through. The tentacled arms had their own unique personality, which had Doctor Octopus talking to himself like Sybil. Alfred Molina does a superb job in the role, being menacing with a lingering touch of humanity.
This time the computer graphics are seamless. In the first Spiderman there were a couple of spots where I was pulled out of the film, because Spiderman looked too animated. This time, with a salute to the animators, we have to say that Spider-Man 2 looks excellent! The transitions between the live actors and computer-generated characters are much smoother. If you have a trained eye, you can still spot the transitions, but you have to be looking for them. This time was it was easier to suspend my disbelief and have fun in the story.
There is one scene set to Raindrop Keep Falling On My Head, which was very odd. It doesn’t fit the feel of the rest of the movie at all. Although it’s a bit funny, it’s just such a break from the rest of the film’s feeling that it interrupted the film’s continuity for me. The storyline of the movie also seemed to drift a bit in the second half, when you start to wonder if we’re going to get back to Doctor Octopus.
Overall the film was great! I felt like a kid, as I was able to enter the world of Spiderman, Dr. Octopus, and the Green Goblin. Spiderman once again swings to the rescue as a very human superhero, and Toby Maguire proves once again that his boy next-door personality is well suited to the role.
I would recommend that you bring your friends to the film and have a great time of it. Spidey once again wins our hearts as he swings across the stage risking himself for the people of the city. It would be a good idea if he actually kept his mask on next time. He took it off so many times in this film that half the people in the city probably know who he is by now.
Fun Stuff:
Visit The Official Spider-Man 2 Website for some great screensavers, wallpapers and IM icons. Macintosh users will be happy to know that they even created a screensaver for OS X users. There are also a few games to occupy your time when you’re looking for something fun.
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