The Amazing Spider-Man 2 The Amazing Spiderman 2 - User Review Thread! - SPOILERS! - Part 3

[LizardMan07]

Batman forever is a little before my time, was it a decent movie or was it a batman and robin situation?

 

[The Joker]

Batman forever is a little before my time, was it a decent movie or was it a batman and robin situation?

It's a movie that has some good scenes, and some good themes in it (Batman dealing with plaguing nightmares and images of his parents death, bonding with Dick and seeing a mirror image of himself in him after Dick loses his folks etc) but is ultimately let down by the campy over tones and hammy villains.

 

[matt47]

Watching The Amazing Spider-Man 2 fills you with a medley of emotions: awe, intrigue, heart-pounding excitement and finally, a wish for something which will not come true. More on the last few words later.

After a prologue of sorts exploring the Parker mystery, the movie zooms in on Spidey free falling while Zimmer's score booms in the background. The visuals are downright spectacular and, from the onset, the slo-mo has been used to great effect. One feels like one is actually swinging with Spidey. The coupling of the visuals and score literally gives you goose-bumps

It seems Paul Giamatti had a rollicking time playing good ol' Aleksei Sytsevich. His hammy accent and Adidas track suit gives teeth to the stereotypical sarcasm the writers were going for.

The first action sequence itself makes Spidey feel more heroic than any other superhero we have watched on the big screen. Watching him saving the citizens of New York while cracking wisecracks is a treat I had hoped to see for a long time.

Andrew Garfield is Spider-Man, period. He epitomises every trope of Spidey and seeing him rush to his graduation really sells the duality of his identity.

We progress onto Gwen's valedictorian speech. While it foreshadows a lot of things to come, the reason I loved it is because it feels like she is addressing Peter. A future love letter to inspire him everyday.

Watching Stone and Garfield act out their graduation scene and consequently their breakup helped solidify the fact that their relationship is the nucleus of this movie.

In fact, it seems that the movie is, above all, a tragic love story.

On the way, we meet Max Dillion, played amicably by Jamie Foxx. He is a lowly employee with a deep-seeded inferiority complex who just wants to be recognised for his work.

We skip forward a year and are introduced to Harry Osborn, played amicably by Dane DeHaan. The reunion sequence with him and Peter really sells the fact that these two are very similar to each other but eventually chose different paths. DeHaan feels like the Anti-Peter in a way.

Some character development is given to Dillon before he transforms into Electro. But what really establishes Max's personality is the score and the soundtrack. Like him, it is filled with an inner anger.

His journey to the Times Square is paralleled with a heartfelt sequence between Peter and Gwen. This tonal difference does not feel jarring at all. It feels organic to the theme of the movie: time. Peter and Gwen are running out of it, while Max is running out of time as himself. He is peeling away Max to become Electro.

Peter and Gwen's chemistry is really palpable in this scene. You get a sense that these are real-life characters in front of us who, even after having been dealt a cruel taste of fate, really want to be with each other.

The Times Square sequence is a joy to behold. Watching Spidey negotiate with Electro instead of attacking him head on conveys a sense of kindness and a preference for peace instead of violence in order to resolve a conflict. Indeed, the inner conflict which Max feels is illuminated by the music. It is not intrusive; it feels like an amplifier for his thoughts.

This is followed by a middle act which slows things down long enough for an epic finale. I liked Harry's degeneration into a sociopath and was especially intrigued by the Parker subplot. If the writers can manage to do that and still highlight an epic romance well, then kudos to them.

The third act of the movie is heart-breaking, to see the least. It is accentuated by the fact that Peter decides to go to England with Gwen to be with her. The Power Plant fight, according to me, is one of the best action sequences we have seen in a Spidey film.

Now, the climax. I did not want it to happen. I just didn't. I kept wishing that what most of you had clarified was false. But it was not. It came true. And the movie is the best Spidey film because of it. Having Peter suffering such a huge loss and still bouncing back from it propels this one to my second favorite superhero film of all time.

The directing was top notch, the actors were brilliant and the action felt justified and not extended. We got just the right amount of it.

At 2hrs 20 mins, you do not feel the length. Please guys, watch this movie. You will not be disappointed.

9/10

Spot on man. Thank you for putting what I thought into words!

 

[LizardMan07]

It's a movie that has some good scenes, and some good themes in it (Batman dealing with plaguing nightmares and images of his parents death, bonding with Dick and seeing a mirror image of himself in him after Dick loses his folks etc) but is ultimately let down by the campy over tones and hammy villains.

Funnily enough, I've seen heaps of reviews that describe the amazing spiderman 2 like that, so I can see where the parallel is! Cheers for explaining that!

Is your score still a 6/10 Joker?

 

[Keyser Soze]

Thank you Keyser for delivering one of the only well reasoned, thought out mixed to negative reviews of the film I've read on these boards.

I agree with every word.
I didn't realize the Batman Forever paralells. That's an interesting catch.

Thanks for reading!

 

[CyclopsWasRight]

The movie is kind of too long. I wish they have ignored the whole Peter's parents backstory. It was taking way too much time, and seriously, I was bored with it.

I think that would've been better. They should've included it as a shirt on the Blu Ray.

And Electro. I thought it's really bad writing when one moment, he is worshipping Spiderman, and Spiderman is his hero and then later on, he hates Spiderman just because he can't remember his name?

The Forgetting his name thing is basically the straw that broke the camels back. And it wasn't just that.

Basically Max is nuts, like verging on split-personality. He imagines Spidey as his best-friend, he builds up this false relationship and history between the two of them, and when he sees Spidey again and he doesn't remember him and he looks to the crowd to see people supporting a person whom he feels has lied to and betrayed him it sets him off.

It basically takes the Syndrome/Nigma/Killian character and takes it to another level. They were rejected by the person they admired and then wanted to be that person but better and rub it in their faces. Max doesn't want to be Spider-Man he just wanted a friend and like many in real life he became obsessed with a Celebrity.

It's like anything else. If you take it as face value and just focus on "How could you forget me" then it's easy to dismiss. But if you look at all the scenes of Max and look into his character it makes sense for his character to lash out.

I found it really ridiculous that Norman couldn't figure out that there is the venom in Oscorp, and Harry just got lucky with the help of Felicia and find the venom in Oscorp.

He knew, he just wasn't fool enough to use it. Harry was impatient and desperate.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Something else that kinda annoyed me, that I forgot to mention in the review, was the "performance art" nature of the heroes and villains in the movie. The crowds would gather around for Spider-Man VS Electro or Spider-Man VS Rhino, and Spider-Man will do something heroic, and then both hero and villain will stop their fight to let Spidey look around and milk all the cheers. Similarly, the bad guy would do something, then both would stop to allow the villain to act up to the crowds booing him and shouting "YOU SUCK! YOU BIG JERK!" I don't know about you, but if a terrifying mutated guy with big-time electrical powers was on the loose in Times Square, I wouldn't be heckling him. These scenes often felt less like a high-stakes battle and more like a pro wrestling match.

And that was something else I didn't like about Electro's character, that his turn into full-blown evil comes from the crowd cheering Spider-Man and booing/insulting Electro. And all the screens on Times Square suddenly switch to Spider-Man. Felt really contrived and heavy-handed.

 

[Joeyjojo72]

Wow that really happens? Uh oh...

 

[Waldini]

... now that I think of it;

Don't you guys find it strange that everytime Spiderman is going to fight a villain in public the police make sure pedestrians can't go anywhere and "fence" the whole place up? Like they know where a villain is going to strike

 

[Enriquespy]

That is the world i wanna live in, conveniently fenced to watch superbattles.

 

[Daywalker89]

Something else that kinda annoyed me, that I forgot to mention in the review, was the "performance art" nature of the heroes and villains in the movie. The crowds would gather around for Spider-Man VS Electro or Spider-Man VS Rhino, and Spider-Man will do something heroic, and then both hero and villain will stop their fight to let Spidey look around and milk all the cheers. Similarly, the bad guy would do something, then both would stop to allow the villain to act up to the crowds booing him and shouting "YOU SUCK! YOU BIG JERK!" I don't know about you, but if a terrifying mutated guy with big-time electrical powers was on the loose in Times Square, I wouldn't be heckling him. These scenes often felt less like a high-stakes battle and more like a pro wrestling match.

And that was something else I didn't like about Electro's character, that his turn into full-blown evil comes from the crowd cheering Spider-Man and booing/insulting Electro. And all the screens on Times Square suddenly switch to Spider-Man. Felt really contrived and heavy-handed.

Nicely said Keyser . I HATE that type of stuff i know its a minor thing but it really narks me off, they done the same thing in SM3 aswell . MOS had the public viewing but was done in a "awe" like fashion. Like they couldn't believe this is happening. In certain cases like you just mentioned im behind the Villian.I know this sounds bad but i would of fried them to death.

 

[The Joker]

Funnily enough, I've seen heaps of reviews that describe the amazing spiderman 2 like that, so I can see where the parallel is! Cheers for explaining that!

Is your score still a 6/10 Joker?

Yes. I've seen it three times. All the details have sunk in, and I think 6/10 is how I feel about the movie overall.

 

[SpideyK]

Anyone remember what the "Osborn disease" was actually called?

I remember Norman saying it, but not what he said.

 

[Spider-Ock]

Anyone remember what the "Osborn disease" was actually called?

I remember Norman saying it, but not what he said.

Retroviral Hyperplasia

 

[JayTee]

Genetic Override Biological Lymphoma Inherited Naturally

 

[The Lizard]

And that was something else I didn't like about Electro's character, that his turn into full-blown evil comes from the crowd cheering Spider-Man and booing/insulting Electro. And all the screens on Times Square suddenly switch to Spider-Man. Felt really contrived and heavy-handed.

Yes, the handling of the villains in general was very heavy-handed and not super-creative.

But at least Electro had some interesting fighting techniques going on. His unique powers were utilized better than the Lizard's in the last movie. Lizard was mostly just portrayed as a big clumsy CGI monster trashing everything as opposed to a sleek, quick reptile that can match Spidey's agility.

However, in the new movie it did seem that Spidey was able to take a lot more electric shocks than he should have towards the end of the final battle with Electro. He was shrugging off blasts bigger than those that had killed other people outright. Spidey's tough, but not electric-proof, last I checked.

 

[The Lizard]

Genetic Override Biological Lymphoma Inherited Naturally

 

[GremlinZilla89]

Watching The Amazing Spider-Man 2 fills you with a medley of emotions: awe, intrigue, heart-pounding excitement and finally, a wish for something which will not come true. More on the last few words later.

After a prologue of sorts exploring the Parker mystery, the movie zooms in on Spidey free falling while Zimmer's score booms in the background. The visuals are downright spectacular and, from the onset, the slo-mo has been used to great effect. One feels like one is actually swinging with Spidey. The coupling of the visuals and score literally gives you goose-bumps

It seems Paul Giamatti had a rollicking time playing good ol' Aleksei Sytsevich. His hammy accent and Adidas track suit gives teeth to the stereotypical sarcasm the writers were going for.

The first action sequence itself makes Spidey feel more heroic than any other superhero we have watched on the big screen. Watching him saving the citizens of New York while cracking wisecracks is a treat I had hoped to see for a long time.

Andrew Garfield is Spider-Man, period. He epitomises every trope of Spidey and seeing him rush to his graduation really sells the duality of his identity.

We progress onto Gwen's valedictorian speech. While it foreshadows a lot of things to come, the reason I loved it is because it feels like she is addressing Peter. A future love letter to inspire him everyday.

Watching Stone and Garfield act out their graduation scene and consequently their breakup helped solidify the fact that their relationship is the nucleus of this movie.

In fact, it seems that the movie is, above all, a tragic love story.

On the way, we meet Max Dillion, played amicably by Jamie Foxx. He is a lowly employee with a deep-seeded inferiority complex who just wants to be recognised for his work.

We skip forward a year and are introduced to Harry Osborn, played amicably by Dane DeHaan. The reunion sequence with him and Peter really sells the fact that these two are very similar to each other but eventually chose different paths. DeHaan feels like the Anti-Peter in a way.

Some character development is given to Dillon before he transforms into Electro. But what really establishes Max's personality is the score and the soundtrack. Like him, it is filled with an inner anger.

His journey to the Times Square is paralleled with a heartfelt sequence between Peter and Gwen. This tonal difference does not feel jarring at all. It feels organic to the theme of the movie: time. Peter and Gwen are running out of it, while Max is running out of time as himself. He is peeling away Max to become Electro.

Peter and Gwen's chemistry is really palpable in this scene. You get a sense that these are real-life characters in front of us who, even after having been dealt a cruel taste of fate, really want to be with each other.

The Times Square sequence is a joy to behold. Watching Spidey negotiate with Electro instead of attacking him head on conveys a sense of kindness and a preference for peace instead of violence in order to resolve a conflict. Indeed, the inner conflict which Max feels is illuminated by the music. It is not intrusive; it feels like an amplifier for his thoughts.

This is followed by a middle act which slows things down long enough for an epic finale. I liked Harry's degeneration into a sociopath and was especially intrigued by the Parker subplot. If the writers can manage to do that and still highlight an epic romance well, then kudos to them.

The third act of the movie is heart-breaking, to see the least. It is accentuated by the fact that Peter decides to go to England with Gwen to be with her. The Power Plant fight, according to me, is one of the best action sequences we have seen in a Spidey film.

Now, the climax. I did not want it to happen. I just didn't. I kept wishing that what most of you had clarified was false. But it was not. It came true. And the movie is the best Spidey film because of it. Having Peter suffering such a huge loss and still bouncing back from it propels this one to my second favorite superhero film of all time.

The directing was top notch, the actors were brilliant and the action felt justified and not extended. We got just the right amount of it.

At 2hrs 20 mins, you do not feel the length. Please guys, watch this movie. You will not be disappointed.

9/10

Bravo good sir, bravo!

My thoughts exactly. What's most impressive is you really highlight why Max/Electro is a better villain than some are making him out to be. People are oversimplifying his motives because they don't like his cartoony nature. The use of score with his scenes in one of the most brilliant uses of music in a comic book movie imo.
This movie is daring in many ways I feel are being overlooked.

 

[SpideyK]

Retroviral Hyperplasia

Right, thanks.

Genetic Override Biological Lymphoma Inherited Naturally

Wait, what.

 

[Spider-Ock]

Thanks Gremlin and matt47. I actually do not care about the BO now. Having watched the movie, it seems like all my expectations for the last 2 years have been surpassed. I am really happy with how it turned out!!

 

[Spider-Ock]

Wait, what.

If you look at the first letter of the words carefully, it spells out Goblin t:

 

[spider-neil]

Thanks Gremlin and matt47. I actually do not care about the BO now. Having watched the movie, it seems like all my expectations for the last 2 years have been surpassed. I am really happy with how it turned out!!

Another couple of weeks on here will beat you down.

 

[Bullseye1]

Another couple of weeks on here will beat you down.

Best to ignore the negativity and don't allow others spoil your enjoyment.

 

[Tim_Riggins]

Good to see some positivity here, I'm getting sick & tired to read the other thread, like RT score, etc, the movie gets so much unwarranted hate, I do not understand at all the complaints.

Let's keep it going ! For Electro, I'm surprised how well his character is handled, it's a clear, simple arc, and I really enjoyed most of all Max Dillon, and how they quickly establish in minimal screentime who that guy is, it's well done.

 

[Bullseye1]

Its the same people over and over posting negativity and quoting negative reviews and praising them yet never quoting a positive one. Its hard to remain positive with so much hate.