It may only be the beginning of May, but to movie studios that means it’s the beginning of the summer movie season. The first tent-pole release is, of course, a big budget sequel. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 continues the latest reboot of the famous comic book character. It’s a lengthy, epic tale that at times is a bit of a jumble. Regardless, the movie’s aspirations are noble and overall this effort supplies the requisite seasonal popcorn thrills for moviegoers.
Following the events of the first film, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) has plenty on his plate. He’s coping with guilt for continuing a relationship that may endanger girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) and dealing with a lack of closure regarding the mysterious disappearance of his parents. Additionally, Parker is still protecting the city from various threats. There’s lonely, milquetoast Oscorp technician Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) who suffers a work-related accident and becomes Electro. Parker also reunites with childhood friend Harry Osborne (Dane DeHaan), new heir to Oscorp who is struggling with the death of his father and terrified of a genetic disease that will slowly kill him. There are also appearances by villain Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino (Paul Giamatti) and other future antagonists including Alistair Smythe (B.J. Novak). As if that isn’t enough to fill two feature films, there’s a subplot featuring widowed Aunt May (Sally Field) struggling to make ends meet and start a new chapter of her life.
Whew, able to keep up? Yes, there are a ridiculous number of threads. It’s so overstuffed that at times the movie can’t help but get bogged down in plot exposition. But at least it’s nice to see so much attention paid to character. The heavier themes of the film (coping with tragedy and loss) help lend a bit more weight to Parker’s drama. Garfield and Stone share a lot of onscreen chemistry, and the continued wisecracking public persona of the superhero results in more snappy put-downs. Additionally, while it takes a significant amount of time for Harry Osborne to progress from sullen young man to vengeance-seeking antagonist, when he does make the turn, actor DeHaan takes full relish of the opportunity.
The action itself is appropriately amazing. There are some impressive angles of Spider-Man swinging through the streets and freefalling that work extremely well in the IMAX format and add a visceral kick to the action. The visuals employed for the character of Electro are well optimized and include dazzling point-of-view shots that reveal the city’s electrical grid. And when these characters face off against one another, it’s unquestionably exciting to watch.
However, by no means is everything perfect. In addition to the numerous characters, a few of the roles are played in a broader manner than one would expect given the story’s gloomy themes. Occasionally, it makes some of the exaggerated moments between the solemn scenes feel inappropriate. But even if using more restraint would have been advisable, this is a superhero tale and one has to expect a few overly grandiose eccentricities from the characters. At least a minor plot line that at first appears silly eventually leads to a sweetly effective and emotional pay-off during the finale.
Ultimately, this movie is a busy but surprisingly somber affair, filled with troubled, sad-sack characters. Its darker approach may seem like a reason for some to knock the film, but this critic didn’t mind the attempt at a moody, complicated superhero story. Regardless of its flaws and tonal shifts, the unique approach to the material holds the attention span throughout. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 certainly isn’t perfect, but it is a consistently intriguing and at times very entertaining summer flick.
Note: While there are reports of an extended X-Men: Days of Future Past trailer following the end credits, the critic screening didn’t include it, so you’ll have to wait and see for yourselves. As for those exclusively interested in the web-slinger, there are no extra Spider-Man related scenes after the credits. The tease for the future direction of the series is contained within the main bulk of the film.