Review of Spider-Man 2 (2004) by Ryan H — 11 Jul 2017

This movie is one of my fondest highlights during the summer of 2004.

I enjoyed the first 'Spider-Man' movie so much during Christmas 2002, that I just couldn't wait to see `Spider-Man 2'. And I couldn't wait to actually watch it in the cinemas when it came out in July 2004. I wanted to know what would happen to Peter as he takes on his responsibilities as Spider-Man, and what would happen with Mary Jane, Harry and Aunt May. I was really excited when I found out who was going to be big villain of the second movie - Doctor Octopus (better known as `Doc Ock'). It was a period of two years I had to endure before getting to the cinema to see Spidey back in full form on the big screen. Again this movie stars Tobey Maguire in the top role as Spider-Man, as well as Kirsten Dunst, James Franco and Alfred Molina playing the tentacle menace, Doc Ock.

In the week leading up to seeing `Spider-Man 2', I was on a work experience placement in Cardiff at a computer shop. It was my first work experience, and I have to say it wasn't a pleasant and good one. It was the first time for me in a working environment, and I didn't like my employer and the atmosphere I was in, making it bad and depressing for the whole week. I felt like Peter Parker who had to endure problems with work and life in general. It was like getting told off and dismissed by Mr Aziz the pizza store owner of Joe's Pizza at the beginning of this movie. The work experience put me in perspective of what `Spider-Man 2' was about. I was eager to get the week of work over and done with to watch `Spidey 2' in the cinemas, and thankfully I had the pleasure of cheering up myself with all the media and marketing campaigns for the movie. I heard news and songs on the work's radio about the movie, reading through the move magazine previews, and also purchased the CD album of `Spider-Man' which I enjoyed listening to and the songs and music from the movie were amazing! I got through that week, and on the Saturday I went to see the movie at the cinema with my parents. When I came out, I was really happy with watching the movie. `Spider-Man 2' is a true masterpiece!

This again like the first movie is a 2-disc special edition DVD.

`Spider-Man 2''s story is based on a comic book issue #50 from the `Amazing Spider-Man' series, bearing the title `Spider-Man, No More' (which coincidentally featured the first appearance of Kingpin). The story is about Peter Parker having enough of being Spider-Man as his life is crammed packed with his dual roles as a young man and a crime-fighting superhero. He's had enough of his web-slinging and the gifts he's been given, that he decides `enough is enough'. He wants a life for himself. A life of his own. With that, he decides to give up being Spider-Man. `I'm Spider-Man, No More!' So he throws his costume and mask away in the `trash' can, and leaves his life as Spider-Man forever. That is the basis of the story that was made for `Spider-Man 2', and is a classic approach thought up originally by Stan Lee.

Two years have passed since the first `Spider-Man' movie, and Peter Parker has been the web-slinging superhero for quite some time now. But it's not an easy ride. For one thing, Peter is struggling to balance his two lives together with everything he does in terms of work and personal life. He has two jobs, one is a freelance photographer for taking pictures of himself as Spider-Man at the Daily Bugle; and the other is working as a pizza delivery boy at Joe's Pizza which he gets fired for immediately at the beginning of the movie. He also is going to college studying science at Dr Connor's class. But he's always turning up late and messes things up because of his responsibilities as Spider-Man. He also has the difficult challenge of keeping a secret of what happened to Harry's father at the end of the first movie, and there's a bitterness between the two of them. And of course, there's Peter's love life as he's reunited with Mary Jane, the girl of his dreams, but finds it hard to keep his feelings to himself since he can't tell anything to her about how he feels for her since he doesn't want MJ to get hurt because of Spider-Man. Peter also has trouble with his obligations to his Aunt May since she's behind with the bills and she's still suffering from the loss of Uncle Ben and wants to know who was responsible for his death. It's all too much for Peter, and he decides to give up his responsibilities as Spider-Man and live a normal life as he wants to.

Tobey Maguire returns to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man. He's really into the role of Peter, understanding the character and what he goes through in this movie. Tobey gives a honest and true performance as Peter. I can really relate to Peter when Tobey's playing him. Peter in this story is torn between two lives and is unhappy with how he's keeping to his responsibilities as Spider-Man, but failing miserably with other things that are important to him such as Aunt May, Mary Jane, Harry, school and life in general. I like how Tobey portrays Peter's story on screen, as it's so believable and you real feel for him through what he's going through with getting fired, missing classes and having to let down the ones he loves like MJ. He becomes unreliable despite being heroic as Spider-Man, since he keeps missing MJ's performances in the theatre and he's distraught when he's losing MJ to another man who she intends to marry. Peter's distraught with this news of MJ getting married, and is the factor that prompts him to give up being Spider-Man since he wants to be with MJ so much. I wanted Peter to get MJ back and stop being Spider-Man for that, but knowing he has this obligation to Uncle Ben who died because of his irresponsibility. Tobey gives a fine performance as Peter/Spidey, and makes him likeable and relatable throughout.

I was delighted to see Kirsten Dunst playing Mary Jane Watson again in this movie. I'm sure it's the first time I'd seen Kirsten (and Tobey) on the big screen together as it was the first time I'd seen a Spider-Man movie in the cinema. Kirsten plays MJ on a new level. It's two years since MJ and Peter last saw each other. MJ's grown up and become more independent in her life as an actress, taking parts in plays like `The Importance of Being Earnest' (which is weird because I'd seen the movie of that play). When she sees Peter again, she's happy to see him but wants him to say something to her about how he feels. When he's reluctant to say anything, MJ finds him a mystery. Unable to take anymore of Peter's excuses, MJ decides to move on with her life and ends up getting engaged to an astronaut named John Jameson, son of J. Jonah Jameson. Kirsten's lovely as MJ in this movie, and I enjoyed watching her and how she interacts with Peter during scenes. Will Peter ever reveal to MJ how much he loves her, and will she learn who Peter Parker really is? There's a moment when MJ asks him `Do you love me or not?' and Peter's reluctant to say anything. MJ however gets kidnapped by Doc Ock during a café scene, and it's up to Peter to save her as he becomes Spider-Man again.

It was good to see James Franco as Harry Osborn again, although this time he plays a completely darker side to his character. Harry blames Spider-Man for the death of his father, Norman Osborn, and wants his head. Peter's reluctant to tell Harry anything about what happened to his father when he became the Green Goblin and how he died. Harry still can't believe Peter's defending Spider-Man and taking pictures of him. He believes Peter knows who and where Spider-Man is and is asking `How can you still take pictures of this man?' Peter wants Harry to trust him and be friends with him, but Harry can't see why Peter isn't being honest with him. During a moment at a party scene, Harry gets drunk and is utterly bitter towards Peter who accuses him for everything that has gone on in his life and refusing to tell him where Spider-Man is. Eventually he makes a deal with Doc Ock who captures him and brings Spider-Man to his father's house which now belongs to him. Harry is about kill Spidey, before he is about to take off the mask and find out who his true identity is. Will Harry learn the true identity of `Spider-Man' in the end.

Tne newest cast member to the Spider-Man series is Alfred Molina playing Dr. Otto Octavius aka Doctor Octopus aka Doc Ock. Alfred does a really good and believable interpretation of the character of Doc Ock. Octavius is a brilliant scientist working on a project involving nuclear fusion. He gets to meet Peter who's a fan of his work, and is married to his beautiful wife named Rosie. Octavius demonstrates to the public his fusion project, and he has the assistance of four mechanical arms. During the demonstration, something goes horribly wrong and Octavius gets caught up in an accident resulting in the mechanical arms fused to his body. He's taken to the hospital, but during a horror where nurses and doctors get killed during an operation, Octavius manages to get out and is soon on a spree to get his project working again, walking around like an octopus with his mechanical arms. I love Doc Ock in this movie, and I love how they did the visual effects and costume design in terms of merging the mechanical arms with a live actor playing the character. Ock's got this sense of humour which Alfred portrays very well, and is so amazing in his fights with Spider-Man, up a building or during an intense train sequence in the second half of the movie. Doc Ock's a popular Spider-Man villain and is so visual being brought to the screen, which the visual effects team, director Sam Raimi and Alfred Molina pull off very well.

Aunt May returns, played by Rosemary Harris. Rosemary does a wonderfully marvellous performance as Aunt May, who loves Peter very much and is coping with being a widow and living without Uncle Ben. I like Peter's scenes with Aunt May in the house when he's concerned about her, and there's a moment when she breaks down during one point in a scene because she misses Uncle Ben. Aunt May gets to be saved by Spider-Man when she's captured by Doc Ock during a bank robbery, and she's soon swinging with Spidey when rescued which is a brilliantly classic and lovely moment. Peter eventually reveals to Aunt May about what happened to Uncle Ben after he's given up being Spider-Man. I didn't know how she was going to take the news, but eventually the following day in the story she forgives Peter and considers him brave in telling the truth. She gives Peter words of wisdom about what it means being a hero and `giving up the things we want the most, even our dreams. Aunt May is the person who gives Peter strength and to reconsider taking his responsibilities of Spider-Man again.

Another new cast member in this movie is Donna Murphy playing Rosie Octavius, Doc Ock's wife at the beginning of the movie. This is the first time I'd seen Donna in a movie, before I went on to finally discover her in a Star Trek film called `Star Trek: Insurrection'. Rosie Octavius is this sweet and loving wife of Dr Otto Octavius, who supports and helps her husband in the things he does a scientist. When Peter has lunch with both Dr Octavius and his wife, he really like them and how they have this loving relationship as it something he aspires to with MJ. Sadly during the demonstration Octavius performs with his mechanical arms, Rosie dies as a consequence and is a such a shock and horrific thing for Octavius to see before he gets electrocuted and the four arms weld onto him from the accident.

J. Jonah Jameson returns to the movie, played again wonderfully by J.K. Simmons who's got the character absolutely spot on! His first line to Peter is, `You're fired! Parker, hello! You're fired!'. Jameson always seems to be firing Peter Parker at the Daily Bugle, but is always rehiring him since he does really good pictures of Spider-Man (even though he says they `stink') and is always needing him for something urgent like a gala ball or party scene. J.K. Simmons is really funny as Jameson and I always enjoy scenes when he appears throughout the movie, whether it's interacting with Parker or members of his staff at the Bugle. He keeps dismissing his secretary Miss Brant by saying `Not now!' and pretty soon afterwards `Still not now!' I love that scene when he and Hoffman are deciding what to call Dr. Octavius when he gets his extra four arms and Jameson comes up with Doctor Octopus before settling on 'Doc Ock' and he thinks he's a genius. They were at one point going to call him Dr. Strange which is pretty good. But guess what! It's taken! Jameson brings the comic relief to the movie of `Spider-Man' which is very reassuring and makes the movie a classic. I can't imagine anyone else playing Jameson than J.K. Simmons, and Stan Lee certainly loves the actor who plays him.

Jameson's son, John also appears in this movie, played by Daniel Giles. John in this movie, is the man who MJ is engaged to marry. John's a national hero and astronaut who journeys to the moon and plays `football' apparently. John is the man that Peter Parker isn't. He's successful and adorable and possibly the perfect man for MJ to marry. Perhaps too perfect. We don't know much about him, other than that he's engaged to Mary Jane. MJ has been going out with John for some time before getting engaged, since Peter isn't around. But MJ isn't sure whether to marry John or not, as she still has feelings for Peter.

Sam Raimi does it again with magnificent triumph as the director of this film. I'm really pleased with the way Raimi directs this film with such passion and thought. There's a balance of Spider-Man fandom as well as sense of real life throughout this film which I really like. He brings the action and comedy aspects to the film very well. He also gets to bring a sense of horror into the film as he does with that Doc Ock hospital scene where everyone's screaming their heads off. He also directs the Peter Parker/Mary Jane love story with such delicacy and it's told in a beautiful way that I'm pleased with.

The sets for this film are also spectacular. I love the Ock laboratory scene both on land and out on an island where the climatic battle between Spidey and Doc Ock takes place. Also it's great revisiting the Daily Bugle which has been redressed and redecorated i.e. Jameson's office since it was destroyed by the Green Goblin. The bank robbery set ups and the dinner party scene where MJ and John Jameson announce their engagement is pretty impressive, as well as returning to Aunt May's home bringing a sense of familiarity about it.

The special effects throughout including Doc Ock's tentacles are truly spectacular. John Dystra returns to his role as visual effects supervisor and again makes the fight scenes and web-slinging of Spidey truly spectacular that's better than before in the first movie. This movie features the use of the Spydercam that's used to film shots of Spider-Man swinging through the city between tower blocks and skyscrapers, and it's very impressive indeed.

The special features on this DVD include the following. On Disc 1, there are two commentaries. There's a cast and crew commentary, featuring Sam Raimi (director) and Tobey Maguire; and Avid Arad (producer) and Grant Curtis (co-producer). There's also a Technical Commentary that includes the special effects team. There's `Spidey Sense 2' which is an information commentary of factoids containing trivia and comments about the movie. There are four web-i-sodes that focus on certain aspects of the movie includes `Costume Design'; `Comic Con Q&A' on Doc Ock that took place during the San Diego Comic Con in 2003; `J. Jonah Jameson' and `Peter Parker and Mary Jane'. There's a music video of `Ordinary' by T.