Review of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) by Redeagle24 — 11 May 2014

Just like Man of Steel, people rely too heavily on comparing it to the original set of movies instead of looking at it on it's own like they should. This is a different Peter Parker and Spider-Man than the Raimi versions just like their have been numerous incarnations of Spider-Man in the comics.

As for the movie itself, It's wonderful. Arguably, the best parts of this movie is the relationship between Peter and Gwen and his struggle to not only be Spider-Man but also his guilt over breaking his promise to Gwen's father, which is something that haunts him throughout the entire film. Andrew and Emma have some of the best chemistry you will EVER see in even the best romantic movies out there. They are perfect for each other so it makes you truly care and even understand exactly what both of them are going through. Their is so much emotional weight behind every action they take and it truly leaves an impression on you as you leave the theatre.

Spider-Man is how he is most commonly portrayed in the comics. He's fast talking, talks a lot of trash, and is quick and flashy and relies heavily on his web use. But he also displays his intelligence and even his detective skills. I also enjoyed that he doesn't always just leap straight into a fight. Sometimes he will try to talk a villain down especially if it's someone he knows like Max(Electro) or Harry.

Which brings me to villains. I will agree that Rhino is wasted in this movie. He's only at the very beginning and the very end for about 5 minutes and is only meant to set up upcoming projects. Electro is the main focus and his arc is very well handled. He's just a lonely electrical engineer that wants nothing more to be noticed by people. Gwen Stacy remembering his name after meeting him at Oscorp was like a small miracle to him and it really makes you sympathize with him because you can see just how much pain he is in.

Harry's arc is also good for the most part. It gives him to become a villain without just rehashing previous plots and in doing so, it makes him a far different Harry from the Raimi films and like Max, his plight is very understandable. Sure he was only The Goblin for 20 minutes but there was no other way to do this story. Obviously Sony wanted him in there to not only build up Oscorp's role but to also set up future projects so Webb did the best that he could to give Harry an arc so he wasn't completely pointless.

The action scenes are also quite extraordinary. Every single fight is memorable in it's own way whether it's due to his trash talking, his pure nobility in helping a little boy fight off bullies, or just the high energy action.

There are some other small sub-plots thrown in which people have called "overcrowding" but that is ridiculous. Other than Peter's parents, any sub-plot is just briefly explored and even lead to some truly touching moments between Peter and Aunt May.

All in all, I found very little wrong with this movie. It had everything a Spider-Man movie should have and then some.