The problem with the third in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy was that there was just too much there. Too many villains, too many intertwining story lines. Just too much. There has been similar sentiment for THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2. It’s hard to argue the point. There’s Electro (Jamie Foxx), The Green Goblin, The Rhino (sorry, if I don’t have the name correct) and foreshadowing of more to come given what Harry Osborne keeps in his basement at OsCorp. Then there are the myriad stories. Peter and Gwen. Harry and his father. Jamie Foxx and Electro. Peter and Aunt May. Peter and his past. I had trouble seeing how it all fit together. The best of this is the dynamic between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. They sizzle together on screen (probably because they are a couple off it). Their banter is real and adorable and their storyline is most compelling. The rest is just window dressing to give us backstories on the other characters. There’s too much of it. Captain America: The Winter Soldier does it perfectly. It gives you enough meat to know each character’s story without wasting valuable screen time on minor details. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci could take a lesson from their Marvel brethren. One of the reasons for a superhero movie is to see the main character inhabiting that part of their existence. Peter Parker is clearly having a blast being Spider-Man. He’s a funny, smart aleck. But not in the same way that Tony Stark is with Iron Man. Basically, he’s a nice guy, not a dick. Come on, admit it. Stark can be a real asshole sometimes. The effects are good but not great. The 3D is ok, but seems unnecessary. I’ve heard some say that this would be a better movie without all the set pieces. That would be interesting, but it wouldn’t be a super hero movie. It would be an indie RomCom. Part of the reason these movies exist (and make so much money) is those big set pieces. These could have been executed better, but they are necessary. I went back and read my review of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and was surprised at how much I seemed to love it. I like 2, but it has its flaws and coming just weeks after the outstanding Captain America, it’s hard not to be a little disappointed. — Alan Yudman

The Amazing Spider Man 2,
Audiences 0.
Moviegoers lose!
2 times the weak script. 2 times the weak acting. 2 times the eye rolling story contrivances. You’d get much more enjoyment inhaling a can of Raid.

Stormy Curry