ellsworth81
07-14-2004, 10:08 PM
Rarely do I ever I pay heed to the hemming and hawing of the MPAA posters that implore US consumers to acquire their movies legitimately. If the suits and executives actually watched their movies instead of their bottomlines, then they can understand how absurd the notion of forking over $9 for movie tickets truly is.
The same could be said for this apparent summer train-wreck of a movie, one of several sequels spawning from previous triumphs at the box office. As it turns out, Hollywood decided at some point in the mid 90s that the calling card of the summer blockbuster would consist of over-the-top action sequences, gobs of computer graphics, and implausibly fly-by-night protagonists.
Just when I had given up all hope for a Hollywood revival, this movie rejuvenated my faith in the film industry, redefining the once pejorative moniker "summer blockbuster". Although packing in all the usual drivel, Spiderman 2 is a curious, but unique blend of action and drama.
Not a moment to soon might I add. More than 6 months into the current year, what few decent movies lingered in my long-term memory are nothing but a faint twinkle in the endless sea of stars now. However, truth to tell, I loved the first Spiderman and had high hopes. After the theatrical debacle known as Harry Potter 3 though, I learned my lesson and emptied my mind of expectations, simply watching it for what it was.
Boy, did I like it. And like many of the other snotty critics out there, Raimi doesn't deliver a mindless cornball carnage fest, but rather a touching, albeit relatively campy story of the obstacles that the superhero within ourselves must overcome that had made a lasting impression on me.
Whether or not to attribute the freshness of the movie to Sam Raimi and his cohorts or to Stan Lee and the other crackpots at Marvel is a difficult question. While I'm no Spiderman enthusiast, I don't ever recall such emphasis upon the Peter Parker character. Perhaps I didn't read into it enough at the time or have just forgotten over time. In any case, Raimi
adds a different twist to the classic Spiderman, making it obvious (at least to me) that he
wants the focus of this movie to be upon the characters.
As expected, Raimi brings back the players from the previous installment. Tobey Maguire (
Seabiscuit, Cider House Rules) returns as our reluctant hero, Peter Parker. Joining him is
Kirsten Dunst (Mona Lisa Smile, Bring It On) as Mary Jane Watson, the girl next door, and the ever one-dimensional, pouty James Franco (Deuces Wild) as Harry Osborn. New to the cast is Alfred Molina as Dr. Octavius, the scientist-cum-supercriminal, injecting a no-nonsense kind of villainy that oozes less cheese than DaFoe's rendition of Green Goblin.
Fast forward a few years after the events of the first movie, Parker is a college student,
juggling his homework, part-time job, love pangs, and a life of crime-fighting. Soon, he
finds himself overwhelmed and unable to meet or accomodate these obligations, ultimately
resulting in a decision to hang up his Spiderman costume. With the rise of Dr. Octopus,
responsibility is thrust upon Parker again once more to stop Dr. Octopus' evil schemes and to save his love and the very world itself.
Indeed, the plot is trite even for casual viewers and relatively predictable. Even after a
jaded Parker decides to give up his Ahab-like quest for Moby Dick and quit being Spiderman for good, we know that the burden lifted from his shoulders is only a momentary respite. However, this shortcoming allows the all-too-familiar emotional turmoil to surface, drawing in the viewers with its eeriely familiar characters.
Harry Osborn, haunted by his own host of demons, unsuccessfully tries to handle the
unrealistic expectations forced upon him. Dr. Octavius wrangles with his ego and ambition,
and in Icarian fashion, his arrogance results in his own downfall. Mary Jane ironically
enough serves as Parker's foil. Suddenly, she is confident in her direction in life, and Parker's flightiness clashes severely with the love of his life. Her very presence forces action and decision out of him.
However, it is Maguire that is the keystone once again, showing just how turbulent the mind of Peter Parker could be. Coincidentally, Maguire's muted frustration serves well here. Whether or not that was intentional will perhaps forever remain a mystery, but I am just thankful that we did not have a repeat of the heinously bad Hayden Christensen/Anakin-caliber performance.
Aside from the general storyline, other notable features include the excellent CG that places Spidey all over New York City, makes an even corpulent Dr. Octopus look convincingly dangerous, and destroys signficant New York City acreage. Producers also revisit a classic action stunt in nostalgic fashion with a run-away train scene that just may have you on the edge of your seat.
Admittedly, I watched this movie slightly differently than many others and with little frame of reference. Yet, in the end, let's not forget this is a summer movie, and you needn't rack your brain for this one like this reviewer has. A simple movie at heart with an even simpler story to tell for a simple time of the year for all the simpletons in the theater.
The same could be said for this apparent summer train-wreck of a movie, one of several sequels spawning from previous triumphs at the box office. As it turns out, Hollywood decided at some point in the mid 90s that the calling card of the summer blockbuster would consist of over-the-top action sequences, gobs of computer graphics, and implausibly fly-by-night protagonists.
Just when I had given up all hope for a Hollywood revival, this movie rejuvenated my faith in the film industry, redefining the once pejorative moniker "summer blockbuster". Although packing in all the usual drivel, Spiderman 2 is a curious, but unique blend of action and drama.
Not a moment to soon might I add. More than 6 months into the current year, what few decent movies lingered in my long-term memory are nothing but a faint twinkle in the endless sea of stars now. However, truth to tell, I loved the first Spiderman and had high hopes. After the theatrical debacle known as Harry Potter 3 though, I learned my lesson and emptied my mind of expectations, simply watching it for what it was.
Boy, did I like it. And like many of the other snotty critics out there, Raimi doesn't deliver a mindless cornball carnage fest, but rather a touching, albeit relatively campy story of the obstacles that the superhero within ourselves must overcome that had made a lasting impression on me.
Whether or not to attribute the freshness of the movie to Sam Raimi and his cohorts or to Stan Lee and the other crackpots at Marvel is a difficult question. While I'm no Spiderman enthusiast, I don't ever recall such emphasis upon the Peter Parker character. Perhaps I didn't read into it enough at the time or have just forgotten over time. In any case, Raimi
adds a different twist to the classic Spiderman, making it obvious (at least to me) that he
wants the focus of this movie to be upon the characters.
As expected, Raimi brings back the players from the previous installment. Tobey Maguire (
Seabiscuit, Cider House Rules) returns as our reluctant hero, Peter Parker. Joining him is
Kirsten Dunst (Mona Lisa Smile, Bring It On) as Mary Jane Watson, the girl next door, and the ever one-dimensional, pouty James Franco (Deuces Wild) as Harry Osborn. New to the cast is Alfred Molina as Dr. Octavius, the scientist-cum-supercriminal, injecting a no-nonsense kind of villainy that oozes less cheese than DaFoe's rendition of Green Goblin.
Fast forward a few years after the events of the first movie, Parker is a college student,
juggling his homework, part-time job, love pangs, and a life of crime-fighting. Soon, he
finds himself overwhelmed and unable to meet or accomodate these obligations, ultimately
resulting in a decision to hang up his Spiderman costume. With the rise of Dr. Octopus,
responsibility is thrust upon Parker again once more to stop Dr. Octopus' evil schemes and to save his love and the very world itself.
Indeed, the plot is trite even for casual viewers and relatively predictable. Even after a
jaded Parker decides to give up his Ahab-like quest for Moby Dick and quit being Spiderman for good, we know that the burden lifted from his shoulders is only a momentary respite. However, this shortcoming allows the all-too-familiar emotional turmoil to surface, drawing in the viewers with its eeriely familiar characters.
Harry Osborn, haunted by his own host of demons, unsuccessfully tries to handle the
unrealistic expectations forced upon him. Dr. Octavius wrangles with his ego and ambition,
and in Icarian fashion, his arrogance results in his own downfall. Mary Jane ironically
enough serves as Parker's foil. Suddenly, she is confident in her direction in life, and Parker's flightiness clashes severely with the love of his life. Her very presence forces action and decision out of him.
However, it is Maguire that is the keystone once again, showing just how turbulent the mind of Peter Parker could be. Coincidentally, Maguire's muted frustration serves well here. Whether or not that was intentional will perhaps forever remain a mystery, but I am just thankful that we did not have a repeat of the heinously bad Hayden Christensen/Anakin-caliber performance.
Aside from the general storyline, other notable features include the excellent CG that places Spidey all over New York City, makes an even corpulent Dr. Octopus look convincingly dangerous, and destroys signficant New York City acreage. Producers also revisit a classic action stunt in nostalgic fashion with a run-away train scene that just may have you on the edge of your seat.
Admittedly, I watched this movie slightly differently than many others and with little frame of reference. Yet, in the end, let's not forget this is a summer movie, and you needn't rack your brain for this one like this reviewer has. A simple movie at heart with an even simpler story to tell for a simple time of the year for all the simpletons in the theater.