Spider-Man 2 (2004) Movie Review

  When it came to my initial childhood upbringing on the character Spider-Man, I was a very passive fan and didn't really form any attachment to him the same way I did with other iconic superheroes I grew up with. I certainly appreciated his iconic status, his cool presence and I even watched the fondly remembered 90's cartoon series, but I never viewed myself as a true "fan boy" of the character. 

Even when Sam Rami's classic 2002 "Spider-Man" movie first came out, I didn't see it in the theater and wasn't immediately drawn to it. All that changed in 2004 when my cousins and I saw the theatrical sequel to Sam Rami's hit ... "Spider-Man 2". From that point on, Spider-Man became one of my all-time favorite superheroes. My first draw to this movie was the villain Doctor Octopus, who was my favorite foe from the cartoon show, and he even stared in this awesome little advertisement for Universal Studios, in which he and Spider-Man battled on the wing of an airplane (and featured on the old VHS of “Babe: Pig in the City”). It was great and got me excited to see them battle in a real movie. Needless to say, both the villain and the action lived up to my expectations, but it was the emotional focus on the characters, and the themes of the film that went above and beyond anything I had expected.

  The movie begins with a gorgeous opening credit sequence, featuring hand drawn paintings that recap all the events of the first movie. Again, I personally saw this movie before the first film, and this opening helped clue me in on everything I needed to know. A year has passed since Spider-Man defeated the sinister Green Goblin in the first movie, and now the city is safer than ever. Unfortunately, while the city prospers, Spider-Man’s alter ego Peter Parker gets noting for it in return.

Actually, it’s worse than that, Peter Parker gets shunned for it. He can’t hold onto a job, he’s failing classes, and all of his family, friends, co-workers and even his landlord see him as just a plain lazy bum. It’s not for a lack of trying ... he just can’t be everywhere at once. It’s just a tragic thing that’s happening to our hero, and it’s a very human situation I’ve never really seen before in a superhero film. With all the internal stress and conflict building up inside, Spider-Man suddenly starts losing his powers periodically. I really like that his failing powers are psychosomatic, as it makes this a story about the person behind the mask. With his life getting more and more complicated, Peter Parker throws away his costume and refuses to be Spider-Man anymore. As a result, Peters life finally starts shaping up again, but now it’s the city that’s suffering for it. I feel that the classic line of “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility” is showcased better here than in any other incarnation of Spider-Man, as we do see his struggle between his life, and the safety of his city. Eventually the movie gives us a side plot involving a super villain with a dooms day machine, which fits just fine in a comic book adaption of this sort, but the focus is still on the human condition of our hero.

 The first Spider-Man movie was all about building the superpowers, but the sequel is all about the struggle of a regular, everyday guy with those powers. The arching theme of “Spider-Man 2” is sacrifice ... it’s about giving up what matters to us in-order to accomplish something meaningful to the world at large. 

There’s a beautiful scene in which Aunt May gives this heartfelt speech on what characterizes regular everyday people as heroes, and it really gets to me every time I hear it. While the themes and morals of the movie are all very inspiring, and the film also boasts a great deal of drama that makes me feel for the characters. There’s a touching moment in which Peter has this inner dream sequence of him talking with his late Uncle and stating that he’s never going to be Spider-Man again. Moments like this get me more invested than any amount of flashy spectacle can achieve. We also have Peter Parker finally confessing to his aunt that he’s responsible for the death of his Uncle Ben from the last film, which was like an Oscar worthy moment that didn’t rely on obviously sad music, and just stuck with the solid performances from our two actors. Also carrying over from the first film is the death of the wicked Green Goblin, who was revealed to be the father of Peters best friend Harry Osborn. Now Peter has to deal with the guilt of taking his father away from his best friend. Harry himself is desperate to take his vengeance on Spider-Man, which lays the foundation for more intriguing character conflict. 

 While this movie achieves honors for its dramatic moments, it's thoughtful character beats and mature themes ... it’s still a campy comic book movie at the end of the day, but those elements are done great too. Case in point, I was set to like the villain Doctor Octopus, but I left the film viewing him as one of my new, all-time favorite super villains I’ve seen in a comic book movie. Unlike the Green Goblin, the Doctor finds himself dominated by an evil influence to continue his work and see his dream to fruition.

In fact, the doctor aims to accomplish something meaningful, he just can't see past his machine as a failure. Because of this, it not just a random dooms day device for the hero to destroy. Alfred Molina nails the role of Doctor Octopus in every respect, as he looks the part, and channels the duality of the villain with perfection. Even with his sympathetic merits, the foe still has an exciting presence with his four mechanical arms, a sense of menace and dark sarcasm. One of his best moments is the hospital scene, in which his monstrous side really takes over, and the poor doctors feel the extent of his wrath. I also love the practical effects of his mechanical arms, as in many shots those arms are real props, and the CGI is only used when needed. Even the relationship between the hero and the villain was handled perfectly. I liked how the doctor was Peters professional mentor, which gave them just enough of a connection before they slip into their costumes.

  On a side note, this movie was nominated for both Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing and even won the Academy Award for Best Special Effects, which is great. It’s always a treat when a film of this sort gets Oscar recognition. While the effects dazzle, they don't overstay their spectacle either, as it's just the right amount. I really admire the filmmakers for taking a step back from all the special effects and giving us a more character focused film. 

Both the action and special effects are used sparingly, but when they're on screen, it’s some of the best action the superhero genre had to offer for its time and still looks great today. Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus's first clash at the bank and escalating to the side of a building still looks awesome and gets me thrilled. However, the films greatest action scene of all is the deeply thrilling battle on the train. After all these years, this fight still gets me pumped, and I just love how creative this whole sequence gets. We have Spider-Man getting dragged on the road, balancing himself while hanging onto the side, and ducking oncoming trains and bridges. It’s just one big feast for the eyes, and definitely one of the all-time greatest battle scenes from any superhero movie. I also love when his mask gets damaged, and he just pulls it off regardless of his identity. The scene ends on a high note as Spider-Man practically sacrifices his body to stop the out-of-control train. 

 I will say, for all this film strengths ... it certainly has its corny elements, which may be acquired taste for some viewers. Many of the extras have over the top reactions or mannerisms, and the comedy can be hit or miss. The music montage set to the song “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head” is very silly, but it’s also quite enjoyable if you can accept it as a director's quirky style.

 Some of the comedy dose work, and I especially love the opening Pizza delivery scene. The absolute best comedy comes from the newspaper manager J. Jonah Jameson, who hates Spider-Man. He’s the kind of jerk I just love to hate, and J. K. Simmons is extraordinary in the role. To be honest, I think it’s one of the all-time greatest casting choices for any comic book movie ever. Let's finally talk girlfriend ... as I feel Mary Jane is one of the more mixed elements of the film. I felt their "will they, wont they" conflicts got a little repetitive, but they do have some great moments. During the climax, Marry Jane is a damsel in distress again, but this is the only time it felt warranted because of the revelation that follows. After a thrilling rescue, Marry Jane finally see’s that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, and it’s a deeply satisfying moment to see that both her rescuer and her lover are the same person. The past two movies have built to this moment beautifully, and it’s like this great wait has been lifted when she sees the man she loves for the hero he really is.

 On that note, let’s talk about the climax, which is still my favorite finale of the whole "Spider-Man" series. Doctor Octopuses machine goes into meltdown, causing serious damage to the city, and our hero swings in for one final showdown with the villain. While the fight itself is riveting, I love that Spider-Man doesn’t defeat the bad guy though physical force. Instead, he takes off his mask, revealing his identity and has a very deep back and forth talk with his enemy, even relaying the very same morals of sacrifice that his aunt May previously told him. This helps the Doc to regain control of his arms, and in one final move, he sacrifices both his dream and his very life to destroy the machine. It’s awesome to see Doctor Octopuses, one of Spider-Mans most lethal foes make a full reformation, and I love how just before he sacrifices his life he exchanges one silent look with our hero. With zero dialogue, every “I’m sorry for what I’ve done”, and “Thank you for bringing me back” is captured perfectly in that one look, and it’s just brilliant film-making.

 Even when all the action is said and done, the movie continues to thrill as Harry gets a ghostly visit from his late father and discovers the Green Goblins lair of weapons. It’s a great scene that upon my first viewing got me thrilled for a sequel, even though I still hadn’t seen the first film yet. Now days, cliff hangers like this only exist for the sake of setting up more sequels, but this was a natural progression of the story and didn’t feel like added fluff. Once we get to the epilogue, it leads into the first, and only happy ending of the Spider-Man series thus far. Mary Jane refuses to go through with her marriage and chooses Peter Parker. Then our hero has one last epic swing through the city, and just before we cut to black, we get one last knowing look from Marry Jane that things aren’t going to be easy for them, which is a perfect book end to how the movie started ... with a close up of her face on the billboard.

  Much like its predecessor, “Spider-Man 2” has a soundtrack that’s very much a product of its time, with the main selling song being “Ordinary” performed by Train. 

Its average, but I do genuinely love the song “Vindicated” performed by Dashboard Confessional. Something about this song captures a feeling of tragedy and heroism, which fits right along with the films tone. As final note, this movie had an extended cut released called “Spider-Man 2.1”. For the common viewer, I’d just recommend sticking with the original theatrical cut, but I personally enjoy the “2.1” version a little more. The action sequences are longer, and I really like some select conversations added in. Peter and Harry have a much deeper conversation regarding how Harry wants Spider-Man dead the same way Peter wanted his Uncle Bens killer dead. Mary Jane is also given more scenes to expand her character, which is very welcome. I will say that the new comedic and silly moments added in are really bad. There’s a shockingly goofy moment with J. K. Simmons playing around in a Spider-Man costume, and the once funny scene with Spider-Man in the elevator is now replaced with an annoying fan boy who just won’t shut up. Personally, I simply ignore all that silly stuff, and still prefer the “2.1” version for it's select moments and extended battle scenes.

 It goes without saying that I think “Spider-Man 2” is one of the absolute best films in the web-heads theatrical film series by far, and it still holds ground as one of my favorite superhero movies. It’s one of the rare comic book adaptions that feels like, well ... a real movie, one that just happens to have a superhero in it.

Now of course “Spider-Man 2” still has cheesy moments to make fun of, and it’s admittedly not the most consistently entertaining superhero film, but I feel the quality elements of the film surpass any faults. It's a solid sequel that properly builds on the groundwork of its classic predecessor. While it can be debated if “Spider-Man 2” really is the best of the web-heads films ... it's certainly the instalment I look back on with the most fondness, as it's the film that really sparked my love for the character. It's one of my favorite comic book adaptations, as well as the template for how to make a near perfect Spider-Man movie.

Thanks for reading my review of the 2004 sequel “Spider-Man 2” ... and continue to enjoy the movies you Love! 


The End