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The first Spiderman was great, which is a lot to live up to, but the second movie doesn’t disappoint. It even beat the first in 2004 by surpassing its record for biggest opening day ever. All the great elements from the first are back. First, the action is visually spectacular. With Doc Ock’s four tentacles there are more choices; One tentacle could be grabbing an innocent person while one could be punching Spider-Man in the face while the others are helping him climb a building. The action is exciting getting to see what the Doctor can do with his “arms.” The drama is high as well with emotionally charged exchanges, surprising developments, and the public’s apparent disdain for Spider-Man. The effects of the action sequences are top notch with there being no shortage of variety or ass kicking. There is turmoil and angst as Peter Parker wrestles with guilt over his uncle’s death, wanting to lead a normal life, and his increasingly strained relationship with Harry. And there’s also that sense of humor. In one scene a man is waiting for the elevator when it opens to reveal Spider-Man inside. They go on to have an awkward conversation where the guy compliments Spider-Man’s outfit who says that it gets itchy… and rides up the crotch. This is funny because Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man costume had to be adapted to allow for comfortable bathroom access. In another scene J. Jonah Jameson says “Guy named Otto Octavius winds up with eight limbs. What are the odds?” And in another scene while things are really going wrong for Peter they play the song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head.”

A few things make a return from the first film. First off all the major players are all back, except for Willem Dafoe obviously. He is replaced by Alfred Molina who is awesome as Doc Ock. Stan Lee makes another cameo playing his exact same role; He once again pulled someone out of harm’s way. Another cameo scene had been shot but the footage was later found to be unusable. Doc Ock is also another character that has Jekyll and Hyde mentalities only instead of seeming to talk to another person he switched from being doubtful about his plans, to determined to make them a reality at all costs.

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There were some additional similarities to the first film in the second. Spider-Man saves a girl from a burning building, only this time it’s actually a girl and not the villain. A scene uses the shot of Spider-Man’s eyesight being blurry and clear as he raises and lowers his glasses. Only this time instead of discovering his powers he’s gaining them back and deciding to go back to being Spider-Man, which is bad ass. Especially with the little details of dropping his glasses which fall to the ground and break, and then balling his hands into a no nonsense fist. The “talking to himself in the mirror scene” of the Green Goblin’s in the first movie makes a comeback, only this time it’s Norman talking to his son Harry instead of himself.

There was such a romantic scene towards the beginning of the film where Peter is using a payphone to talk to Mary Jane who is upset with him for missing her play. He’s trying but fails to share how he feels with her and she eventually hangs up. Then he goes on to spill his guts and say everything that’s in his heart that he should have said to her as if she were still on the line. Now that’s some nice heart wrenching stuff right there. There is a great scene that shows off Doc Ock’s tentacles when he is on the operating room table. The doctors are about to start sawing into his tentacles when one of them goes missing, shortly before the “eye” of one is seen in a reflection… shortly before the surgeons are savagely and brutally attacked. Doc Ock is blindfolded and face down on the operating table when this happens. Another connection between his eyes and his “arm’s eyes” is shown in a different part of the movie where the camera is behind him. He quickly turns his head to the side, looking over his shoulder at the exact moment one of the “eyes” of the tentacles is looking in that direction as well. The funniest part of the film is when Aunt May is moving and Peter exclaims “Hey. Where are all my comic books???” and she replies “Those dreadful things? I gave those away.” The most gripping scene is when the powerful Spider-Man passes out and begins to fall off the train tracks and the people that he saved, the people who he thought hated him, saved him back. You see him begin to fall as their hands snake around from behind him and pull him into the train.

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The first two Spider-Man films are great for different reasons. They use the same formula and the same things you love while having their own individual plots dealing with different issues and unique exciting villains. Plainly put, Doc Ock is bad ass. Period. If you haven’t seen this film yet, do so.

The Movie Lady
themovielady@comicattack.net