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| Image source: http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/moviemom/2014/04/the-amazing-spider-man-2.html |
“Soon, everyone in the city is going to know how it feels to live in my world, a world without power, a world without mercy, a world without Spider-Man.”
Those words, uttered by the villain Electro (Jamie Foxx) in the latest Spider-Man film, sum up the tone of most of the movie. The stakes are higher. The personal repercussions are greater.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has a running time of 142 minutes, but the film swings along at a great pace. It is a thrilling cocktail of action, romance, drama and humour. The plot is a complicated one with many things happening at the same time. Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is continually trying to find a way to balance his vigilante lifestyle with his personal life.
He is back together with girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), but he is still haunted by his promise to her dead father to stay away from her. This starts an on-again-off-again relationship with Gwen. But, as Gwen is quick to point out, she refuses to let Peter make any decisions for her.
Still desperate to find out the secrets about his parents, Peter digs further into OsCorp, where he reconnects with childhood friend Harry Osborne (Dane DeHaan). More information is unearthed about what happened with Peter’s parents.
But, after an unfortunate accident at OsCorp, villain Electro surfaces and he is angry, especially with Spider-Man. The titular hero is soon faced with three villains, including Electro, who are all out to kill him.
Garfield and Stone have amazing on-screen chemistry that could stem from their off-screen relationship. Stone’s Gwen plays a central role in the film’s events, but beyond that, she and Garfield’s Peter shine in any scenes they share. Their chemistry roots the film and is part of the reason it is kept entertaining.
The villains are convincing and realistic in the way they are portrayed. They come off as worthy adversaries for Spider-Man.
The movie’s take on Harry is fresh and distinct from previous Spider-Man films. It proves to be a vitalizing take on a character that was depicted previously by James Franco.
Visually, this movie is fantastic.
The special effects immerse viewers in the scene with spectacular shots.
As Spider-Man jumps off a roof and down several stories, the audience is taken along with him. When Electro lights up New York City, viewers experience that firsthand. The pyrotechnics and visual effects are astoundingly good.
There is a lot going on in the film, however. Dealing with three villains, there isn’t a lot of room for in-depth character development and yet, we see enough developments to find the villains frightening, angry and believable.
Everything is woven together into an entertaining and dramatic web. Peter realizes being Spider-Man might just take a larger personal toll than he could’ve anticipated. The film also provides a good lead-in for another sequel that will hit theatres in a few years.
All in all, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is an entertaining and wonderful film, filled with action, heartbreak, emotional rollercoasters and an ending that will intrigue anyone for another film.
And for any X-Men fans, make sure to stay to mid-credits as there is a scene not to be missed.
*** This review also appeared in the May 21, 2014 edition of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald weekly paper, FYi
Awesome! :)
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