Review of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) by Jesse A — 31 Jan 2015

Quite a mixed bag considering the potential this series keeps setting up, but with too many subplots, a bloated runtime, and huge interference from Sony, it falls well-short of greatness or being "amazing"! The acting is flat-out phenomenal in this film from the entire cast with Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone having terrific chemistry and Dane DeHaan proving his diversity.

There are some awesome fight scenes and great use of slow-mo and the budget is definitely showing in all the high-flying, impossibly cool web-swinging bits. There is an unbelievably crushing moment that takes place at the end that I didn't see coming (having avoided trailers like the plague) and on top of an earlier scene with Aunt May, makes this by-far, the most emotional Spider-Man film we've had yet.

However, the problems are numerous and there are so many moments where you're shaking your head wondering what the filmmakers were thinking. The spider-sense is non-existant, they shoe-horn in Rhino and the Green Goblin just to set up further installments, there is way too much going on in Peter's world, Electro actually turned out pretty bland (apart from the final battle), and there are entire scenes that can be removed from the film (like the opening on the plane), and it wouldn't change a thing! This is the best incarnation of Spider-Man we've had, but he needs to find a movie that focuses on what's best for the character, and not the studio's wallets.