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Ever since I was a little girl, I knew who Spider-man was. He was the first superhero I was introduced to, and he truly was my hero.
However, skip a few years later to 2002, and the Spidey who would one day save me from a burning building, turned into Tobey Maguire, who I wanted to push off that tower.
Then, in 2012, the awful Spider-man series was rebooted! Spider-man was finally going to get the franchise he deserved, with Marc Webb in the director’s chair and upgraded visual effects. The end result wasn’t terrible … but I’m still questioning its purpose. What is so ‘amazing’ about Spider-man?
Unfortunately, the second instalment to the series doesn’t answer that question either. In fact, viewers will leave the theatre with more questions unanswered. Can Electro breathe under water? And where did he get his ridiculous outfit?
The movie is 142 minutes of flashy computer-generated effects tempered by human suffering. It’s better than its predecessor, but the script appears to be targeting a teenage audience. Luckily, action fans can sit tight and enjoy the ride too because there’s plenty in this film.
It begins by going back in time and gives the audience an insight into the fate of Peter Parker’s parents. Scientist, Richard Parker, records a video to explain his disappearance before he and his wife board a plane that is hijacked and crashes.
Skip to present day and his son, Peter (Andrew Garfield), is still fighting crime as Spider-man. He’s finally got the gist of leading a double life and tries to live as normal a life as possible with his everyday responsibilities.
At his high school graduation, Peter, who is still in a relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) must keep his promise to her late father to protect her by ending their romantic relationship.
Just when he thinks things couldn’t get any more complicated, his childhood friend, Harry Osborne (Dan DeHaan) returns to Manhattan to find his father, the CEO of OsCorp, terminally ill with a hereditary disease. That’s right, his father dies and Harry takes over his empire.
An electrician at OsCorp, Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx), who is enthralled with Spider-man, accidentally falls into a tank filled with genetically-modified electric eels. After being attacked, he transforms into Electro and wreaks havoc on the city.
When Peter tries to find a way to help Max, he must research his father’s old methods, allowing him to learn more about his parents and uncover the truth behind OsCorp.
Harry, who is now developing symptoms of his father’s disease, is fired as CEO after Max’s accident and makes a deal with Electro to help him back inside the OsCorp building. There he finds a costume and equipment that was made by his father. He also finds venom from spiders, which he thinks will help him with his illness, but when he takes it, he transforms into the Green Goblin.
There’s a big shocker in this movie, and some will thank the Green Goblin for what he had to do to seek revenge, whereas others will cry.
This film is jam-packed with villains and subplots. Peter is trying to cope with the truth about his parents, whilst also having to manage his love life with Gwen after she announces she’s moving to the UK, and also saving the city from the numerous numbers of villains. It’s a lot for Peter to take on and especially for the audience to understand.
Garfield and Stone are great as both Peter and Gwen. Their on-screen chemistry is so strong that it helps makes their love for each other believable, even forgiving the cheesy flavour of romance. The audience are given a more in-depth look into both their characters, which allows for some very emotional scenes together.
Harry is a difficult role to play, as the transformation into a villain is so fast and sudden. DeHaan did an excellent job with a very strong performance. Foxx was also a great choice as Electro and showed a more fun and electrifying side to the film.
Overall, this film is 20 minutes too long and doesn’t offer anything new or different. However, if you enjoyed the Amazing Spider-Man, then you’ll definitely find this an interesting watch. Let’s just hope the third film is even better.
