Movie Review – The Amazing Spiderman 2

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I realize that The Amazing Spiderman 2 came out weeks ago, and that one should post movie reviews before or shortly after they come out, but when you live in a small town, first-run movies are pretty rare. You can bet when Mockingjay Part 1 and Insurgent premier I’ll be waiting in line for the first midnight showing in the next town over, but for everything else you’ll have to wait to hear my illustrious opinion!

It’s a miracle, really, that we even have a theater in my teeny, tiny town. Population 1669 as of 2012, we don’t exactly have all the amenities that other towns have. No McDonalds, no major grocery store, no STARBUCKS! That last one was a huge adjustment when we moved here. So to have a small movie theater that has been fully renovated and a digital projector system installed, is nothing short of amazing! And now that we’re back to the word amazing . . .

We start out with the usual, “I love you, but we can’t be together because it’s too dangerous.” That’s fine. It’s part of the Spiderman story, or any superhero story, but I felt the writers, directors and actors played this very well. Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is haunted by Gwen Stacey’s (Emma Stone) father, seeing his reproachful gaze everywhere he goes. We feel Peter’s conflict and pain. We know how badly he wants to be with her, but can’t reconcile himself to her father’s death or the fact he is potentially putting the woman he loves in danger. This sets up our ongoing romantic conflict for the story, now let’s get to the villains.

Electro (Jamie Foxx) starts out as geeky Max Dillon, our resident door mat. Though this trope has been played time and again in super hero movies (Poison Ivy, Cat Woman) Jamie Foxx did a decent job of showcasing his neurosis and fan obsession with Spiderman. Tired of being invisible and feeling betrayed after his life-altering accident, Max—now Electro—decides to make everyone pay. Okay, maybe a little weak, but once Electro is in full-power mode, he’s a compelling villain with a sympathetic back story the viewer can relate to. Not to mention special effects. Wow!

Pic from: http://comicsalliance.com/the-amazing-spider-man-2-rise-of-electro-trailer-jamie-foxx/

Harry Osborn (Dane Dehaan), has a creepy vibe that sets him apart from the part previously played by James Franco. Don’t get me wrong, I love James, but Dehaan brings something new to the part being both sympathetic in his miserable childhood and terminal illness, while still throwing off a strange repulsive/attractive aurora I can’t quite explain. There is one scene where his eyes simply captured me:

Pic from: http://amazingspiderman.wikia.com/wiki/File:Harry-Osborn.jpg

That wasn’t it, but it’s close. I guess he’s just another in the line of Marvel villains that draw us in to a love/hate relationship with their vulnerability, good looks and our inability to find their badness unattractive.(Thanks a lot Tom Hiddleston!)

Pic from: http://mblostma.tumblr.com/post/22746140328/you-know-the-actor-who-plays-loki-has-blonde

*sigh* Where was I? Oh, yes, villains. With two villains we have plenty of action, emotional drama playing out in all corners, conflict in every way imaginable, and of course Peter researches his father’s past and why his parents abandoned him in the first place. Between all these problems, I just wanted to give poor Spiderman a hug. Man this guy suffers! But then . . .

I don’t want to give any spoilers, but let’s just say I didn’t see it coming. This movie was excellent. Definitely up there with all the other Marvel flicks and worth the price of admission. Which, by the way, is a lot cheaper in my theater too. There are so many good things about my town!

My Review: 4/5 stars

Oh, and stay for the credits for a sneak peek at the next X-Men movie. J-Law is amazing!