But what am I doing? This is a celebratory occassion. Because I have viewed Spider-Man 2! And the looooooong terrible wait for the release of this movie was well worth it. Rivaling only the expectations not held since Lord of the Rings, this movie could have been crushed beneath the weight. But with Herculean strength it arises and even surpasses the occassion.
What better way could this movie open than with the incredible and amazing, EYE-POPPING work by Alex Ross. I will forever be a fan of Alex Ross, and the more work he does for movies the better off this planet will be!!
First and foremost Sam Raimi is at the top ofhis game. Although it has been argued by Clay and Tinskin, that it is not Sam being at the top of his game, but rather Sam having a budget!! And I agree. No long concerned with the restraints that come from what he can and cannot afford to do. Those confines are gone. What was so obviously Sony Studios holding in the reigns with him from the first one, they have unleashed his visual flare and allowed him to make a movie the way he's seen it and what sets him apart from every other director. This is the movie you get when you get a talented director with love for the material satchels full of money.
Most complimenatry about this sequel is that it is not just "MORE OF THE SAME!" By which it is not the first Spider-Man on speed. It is a continuation of the story, but also an evolution. Evolution of the story, and evolution of the characters. Namely Peter Parker. Played this time around, brilliantly, by Tobey Maguire. The Peter Parker in the first movie was played safely. No real daring or character commitment from Tobey first time around. The "Loser that could never get a break" was just, a "loser." Nothing much more than that. But with this go, Maguire delves into the torture it must be to have to seperate yourself from the ones you love because you don't want them to get hurt. Parker spells this out for us in a heart wrenching scene anyway, when he tries to explain to Mary Jane that because of his dual identity the two of them can never be together because he might endanger her. Of course the villians always seem to find MJ and put her through hell anyway . . . . . So in reality Peter COULD tell her and absolutley nothing would change! She would still be in the SAME AMOUNT OF DANGER MORON! GO TELL HER HOW YOU FEEL! RUN OVER THERE RIGHT NOW DOUCHE BAG!! Jeez.
Mary Jane however, her character has not evolved much since the first one. Her career has certainly taken off, as she is now a Broadway Star, and a perfume billboard model. But her desperation to not be alone, and to attatch to romances that are hot and heavy but ultimatley brief and un-fulfilling still command her destiny. Thus, she attatches to the son of Peter's boss, John Jamesson; Astronaut.
Now as to what sort of space program they have in Sam Raimi's universe, it must be a very lenient acceptance committee. For lack of a better word, this man is a "dolt", and I've never had a reason to say that word before. Laying on MJ's couch and speaking to her, you can just hear the struggle he goes through to keep back the sentence finishing "DUH!!!" that obviously haunted him his entire high school career. At one point, looking for a thrill MJ tries kissing him upside down. While she finds no electricity in the moment he clearly states, "WOW! I'm on da' moon!" I think a more intelligent line for him to say, and one that comes closer to home for him is, "John only pawn, in game of life."
And while this movie doesn't screech to a halt whenever MJ is on screen like the first film, it's still obvious to see that Kirsten Dunst's portrayal hasn't evolved much. She's still saggy eyed, and I have deffinitly nailed down her acting style. It's the same she used in Interview with the Vampire when she was a kid, and it's the same one she's using now. Whenever something important is being said, or told to her, she cocks her head to the right. And looks at each and every pore on the person she's looking at's face. You can see her eyes jump all over the person's face. Unfortunatley, there is no bra-less rain scene either, so that is also going against us my fellow nerds.
Thank God in Heaven in all His majesty that J.K. Simmons returned to play J. Jonah Jameson. This man exudes sweats comedic timing and is the best choice I could probably think of to play Jameson. Fortunatley he also gets tons more screentime than the first time. And the writing for him is absolutley genius. Almost as funny as he is, is the ever present Ted Raimi. Brother to Sam, who so clearly states, "Spider-Man was the only one who could take on Octavius." To which Jameson's reply is a simple Eye-Roll.
New to the Spider-Man world is Alfred Molina. Who'se history is seeped in huge hits, and terrible flops. Including Raiders of the Lost Ark, Boogie-Nights, and the dreaded Dudley Do-Right! WHY ALFRED!! But he is not one to be stopped. He is amazing as Doctor Otto Octavius. Who'se break-through in science is the creation and maintenance of cold fusion. And it all unfolds in a press conference in which he reveals how he plans to contain the energy. With four giant tentacled "smart" arms. That connect directly into his spine. But also need a neural inhibitor to make sure the arms that are impervious to magnetism and heat are controlled by him and him alone. Well . . . . Wait a minute! What about those arms? Those are more interesting than the cold fusion! Surely the army can think of SOMETHING to do with those things. When was the press conference for those?
But unless we're all here to just see "Science"! this is highly uninteresting. What we are here to see is the birth of Doctor Octopuss! And boy does Raimi deliver. The smart arms come to life for the first time and attack everything in their reach. In true Raimi like fashion. This is pure grade 100% Raimi! Much like the way Evil Dead was filmed.
And all I can think about during this entire scene when the arms are killing doctors and hospital nurses and Techs, was, "Goddamn!!! Why woesn't that nurse wearing a mask?"
And then comes the surgical chainsaw. I need to ask my OR Director on Monday if there really is such thing as a "Surgical Chainsaw!" Because I've yet to see one. How long does it take THAT thing to become sterilized? Jeeze!
Rosemary Harris is back as Aunt May and it even better than her first go. Deeply tortured and haunted by the loss of her husband. She has me on the edge of breaking down into tears every time she was on screen. And her confrontation with Doc Ock is one of the biggest "GOT YA'S!!!" Raimi has ever done!
But the most impressive of those returning is James Franco being Harry Osborn. Son of Norman Osborn AKA the Green Goblin. Bitterly hating Spider-Man for taking his father from him, and darkly resenting his best friend Peter for choosing to protect Spider-Man rather than give him to Harry for revenge. He is viscious towards the end. And his seething resent for Peter manifests during a party. And only in the end of the movie do we see how far he's ready to go!
What was also great about this movie, is that even though Doc Ock was the opposition, he wasn't really a villian. The nasty things he did were only to accomplish his goals and to set right the loss of his scientific research. Every deed had a deep seeded motive. Not just to "Destory and cause panic! AAAAAAHHH!!!" That was accomplished by Green Goblin, and I'm very thankful that even though it's part of the same world it's not just the same story.
I do have a sort of mixed feeling now. I love and loath Raimi for leaving so many open windows for future Spider-Man villians! Because now I REALLY can't wait for Spider-Man 3!!!
In this one movie alone, we get Peter's professor Doc Connors. The brilliant professor who'se lost arm leaves him attempting experiments with lizard DNA in order to regrow it. Which ultimatley makes him become The Lizard.
Then there's Harry Osborn. Who'se ultimate fate is to follow in his father's footsteps.
Last but not least is John Jameson. Who'se space shuttle it is that crash lands on earth, bringing back with him the symbiot that will ultimatley become one of Spider-Man's greatest enemies. VENOM!!!! The possibilities are ENDLESS!!!!!
Tinskin would never forgive me if I left out the music. Which is Danny Elfman in peak condition. The music, as soon as it plays is pure Elfman. You can pick it out with your fingers in your ears. The best song deffinitly in the whole movie is Doc Ock's theme. Which is very stalking, and very mechanical. Very scientific like. It's like the Jaws music. When you hear it, you know that he's coming at ya'! Doc Ock's theme is just amazing.
FINAL ANALYSIS!
It was Aunt May in the movie who said it best. "People need heroes. They line up to see them, standing hours in the rain just to watch them. Teaching them to just hang on, for 1 more second."
And Aunt May couldn't be more right. We waited in line for 4 hours to see Spider-Man swing through New York. Not the longest I've ever waited, but still a pretty long wait.
Being hailed as quite possibly the best comic book movie ever! Better than Unbreakable, and the X-Men series. For Corona it is likened unto Superman 2. The same heart strings, and the same sacrafices. Best Comic Book movie ever?
Truthbringer's Official Response?
YUP!!!
It has stolen the crown that X2 held only 1 year ago. But Spider-Man has snatched the crown away from Bryan Singer. Thankfully, through the grape-vine, Bryan Singer has decided to out-do Sam Raimi when he makes X3. Oh man, if this becomes a fight to see who can make the best comic book movie I could really aszzhgjnqnghf. . . Sorry. Drool on the keyboard.
The only thing left for this movie to do is to mop the floor with Shrek 2. PLEASE!!!! My predictions rely on it!!!
Back to the 3rd Annual Summer Film Follies Fest.
Back to the Main Page.