Spider-Man 2 (2004) (1 Viewer)

[ThomasC]

Not in the U.S., at least. There's nothing on the official IMAX site about Spider-Man 2, so you may be seeing a 35mm print being projected onto an IMAX screen. That may have horrible results, like many witnessed with Return of the King.

 

[JonZ]

7 more hours to go....

oh, the pain...the pain....

 

[Tim Glover]

Just posted my review after our midnight screening.

Certainly lived up to the hype which is very, very rare these days. Never been a big T. Maguire fan, but he works in this film. Looking for the right word or phrase to characterize Dunst and really can't find one. To me, she is the film's foundation for me. Not sure if that is intended or not but for me she is what keeps me from losing interest or totally veering only in comic book land.

Her glances, stares, and overall screen presense provide much depth to the film.

I like this film the more I think about it and I've never read a comic book in my life. Well, only about 5 pages from one.

Chuck, sorry you have to wait. But it will be worth it.

Another thing, you can just tell the audience really connects with Peter and MJ.

Some of the aunt scenes were a bit hokey but this is true of virtually every family type moment of any superhero movie I've seen.

Looking forward to seeing this again.

 

[david stark]

An Excellent film and at least the equal of the first one. I thought the ending was a bit weak (doc ock drowning with the fusion ball) after what came before in the film.

 

[Patrick Sun]

David, no, that's not quite right:

Someone else was the Hobglobin. Harry became the second Green Goblin.

 

[Patrick Sun]

BTW, anyone else feel hurtful chest pains when Aunt May told Peter that she had thrown out his childhood comic books? That hurt.

 

[Robin Warren]

My wife and I braved the midnight showing last night. There were a lot of pasty white kids all hopped up on sugar who had made the trek from their parents basements. A lot of jumpy people whispering and chatting all around. It was quite annoying but the movie still worked for us.

Some highlights for us.

- Mrs Doc Ocks exit from the film (fairly startling)
- the sound of the fusion reaction (bass aplenty)
- operation scene (especially the pov shot from the tentacle)
- the aspect ratio was much better this time around. Seemed a lot more epic.
- MJ still looks a mess half the time. Boy she can be very attractive one moment and kick her outta the car ugly the next.
- Doc Ock was impressive. I can't imagine the work that went into that but it was incredibly seemless.

This is going to make a pile of money and deservedly so.

 

[Gruson]

Incredible movie!

I am so glad they did not change things up and kept it a lot like the first movie (characters, settings, and the score from Elfman).

I will see it again before this weekend.

One question,

At the VERY end of the film, last shot, when it shows MJ (after Spidey has done his typical swinging through the city)is there a reflection of something there?

The music when dark and I thought I saw something in a reflection...not sure though.

Anyway, GREAT movie!

5 out of 5 stars!

 

[pitchman]

(Admin note: This was excised from the Review thread. Please answers questions in the Discussion thread.)


Yep. In fact, when Peter and MJ finally meet for the first time in the comic (after a protracted series of unsuccessful setup attempts by Aunt May and Mary Jane's mother), she says,

"Face it, tiger, you just hit the jackpot!"

MJ was a more gregarious character in the comics.

 

[Robin Warren]

Hey that tiger line got applause in our theater. I thought it was perfect. And then her worried look was bang on.

 

[Patrick Sun]

BTW, I liked the way the opening credit provided a recap of the first film in comic book panels, which proved effective to get everyone up to speed, even if they didn't see the first film (a small subset of the audience, I would surmise). Plus Peter's heartful revelation of the day that Uncle Ben was killed, and how his personal animosity got the best of him, and turned his Aunt May into a widow, was also a strong scene that could have turned melodramatic in a comic book sense, but it felt very grounded and realistic, which is a strength of the characterizations in this film.

 

[Bryan Ri]

I must say, this film really struck a chord with me last night. I haven't enjoyed a movie this much since I saw Return of the King in theaters. There was a genuine connection to the main characters, and you really felt like you traveled their emotional paths throughout the film.

The cinematography in the movie was particularly good. Some of the shots looked exactly like something you'd see out of a comic book.

I agree with you Holadem, on many of your points. The movie was almost too personal, in that there wasn't much perril felt for the city (with the exception of the train sequence). And the villain was stronger this time, but maybe could have used a bit more screen time.

I loved Bruce Campbell's cameo in the movie; got the most laughs at the showing I went to. No groans for the "Go Get em Tiger".

I'm going to have to see it again to give it a better critique, but my first impression is that it's the best superhero movie I've seen. Movie of the summer in Spiderman 2! (Not a bad idea for a date movie either)

 

[Tim Glover]

Thanks for that tidbit Gary on the comics.



Agreed Patrick. That was nice.

Let me also clarify the "groan" comments. I may have used the wrong phrase. It drew a noise from the crowd. Not a laughter or outright groan either but kind of a "uhhhh" moment. It was fine though. Didn't pull me out of the film and it was a sweet moment from MJ.

Other members are stating how personal the film felt and I also agree with that. Wasn't expecting that.

The portrayal of Harry was somewhat one dimensional but from the very, very little I know of Spiderman, his role will get much more complicated and intense.

 

[SteveGon]

I'd like to be as enthusiastic about Spider-Man 2 as so many others (and I wanted to), but for me it falls short of being a great movie due to Raimi's tendency to go over the top. This ain't the Evil Dead, Sam.

Spidey being passed along like Christ by the train passengers. Mary Jane fleeing her nuptials in her wedding dress. (I do admire her decision, though it was probably a bad idea to jilt the Man Wolf) The Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head sequence (humorous, but it calls too much attention to itself).

And the CGI Spider-Man still looks a bit too cartoony for my tastes.

Fortunately the good outweighs the bad: Doc Ock is a cool villain, the action sequences were thrilling (especially Doc and Spidey playing catch with Aunt May, though you have to wonder how she withstood the pounding), Ock's mechanical arms slaughtering the medical staff, the Dr. Strange reference, J.K. Simmons' pitch perfect performance as Jonah Jameson. Most importantly though, the spirit of the books is intact.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I wasn't put off by James Franco's performance in this film as I was in the first film. Franco has filled out or bulked up a little in these past 2 years, and at least he was trying to give Harry some emotional weight to his pain.

Also, I could probably go all the rest of my life without needing to see Alfred Molina shirtless again.

 

[Kevin Porter]

I am in the minority. "Highlights" for me.

-A 30 pound 3 year old helping pull a 22 year old, 200 pound guy. Now I understand that this is a comic book movie and such and there has to be a suspension of disbelief but COME ON!! It was pretty funny when he was hanging there and he basically throws her across the room. I had a good laugh there.
-"If you punch me, do I not bleed?!" That had me rolling in the aisle.
-The last 1/4 of the train sequence.
I actually mouthed the next "And me" the next character said. David Koepp is a Shakespearean master of dialogue compared to Alvin Sargent. And the whole unmasked Spidey crowd surfing thing had me trying my best not to laugh because no one else was. I expected some of them to whip out their lighters and wave them in the air to a languid rendition of the Spider Man theme.
-Aunt May grabbing onto the angel statue with her umbrella. Again, an unintentional laugh out loud moment. That whole Aunt May sequence was pretty funny anyway. That old lady sure can roll with the best of the superheroes.
Had I wrote the movie, I would have had her have a heart attack midway or at the end of the scene. I imagined that scenario and, you guessed it, I started laughing.
-The "I'm back! I'm back!" and "My back! My back!" Oh hee hee hee ha ha. It's funny because it rhymes!! Although I do have to give credit to the guy who had the idea for the car alarm thing at the end.
-Characters inexplicably talking to themselves to provide the clumsiest exposition ever.
-James Franco. Does anyone else smell an Oscar?!?! This has to be one of the most hilarious over-the-top performances I've seen in a long time. I expected his last line to be "I'll get that Spider-Man if it's the last thing I dooooo!!!!" This kid does not know how to control his face and when I'm not laughing at him, I'm cringing.

Well if you haven't been able to tell yet, I'm a real the-glass-is-half-full kind of guy. I really liked the themes and the story of this movie but the execution was a bit of a train wreck for me. Nothing rang true for me and apparently, I'm the only one. So to all that disagree (A.K.A. the entire internet community) let the flaming begin or defend my quibbles and tell me what I didn't get.

 

[Tim Glover]

Me too. I was thinking the same thing. The guy obviously doesn't have an ab machine...but who needs one with 4 extra arms.

 

[Holadem]

I think it's refreshing that NORMAL looking people are featured in such a way in a hollywood blockbuster.

--
H

 

[John Doran]

with the possible exception of the little girl helping peter up, it's not that you didn't "get" anything - it just didn't resonate with you, is all. i mean, you clearly understood what the writers and director were aiming at in each of the moments you describe - you just think that they failed. and that's fair.

what you found laughable i found moving. or riveting. or whatever.

different strokes....

 

[John Doran]

i couldn't agree more; i think it would have been utterly disastrous to have made doc-oc all muscular and lean and stuff.