Takes A Second "Swing" For A Home Run

Rating: 10/10 (11 July 2008)

The first "Spider-Man" made my childhood dream a reality, but I never imagined that the sequel would be even better! Let me just say that I saw the first movie maybe 3-4 times on its theatrical release and "Spider-Man 2" probably 1 or 2 times more! In all honesty, "Spider-Man 2" could be said to be the greatest comic book movie ever made! Not since the original "Superman" (1978) and "Batman" (1989) has there been a superhero movie that brought its source material to life, straight from the pages of the comics like "Spider-Man 2" did. In this movie, every single element that made the first film magical was bigger and better! The Spidey suit, the CGI, the action sequences, the storytelling! Everything! Once again Tobey Maguire proved without a shadow of a doubt that he was destined to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Like "The Matrix Reloaded", this film surpasses its original, and shows effectively just what makes Spider-Man the quintessential hero that we all know and love. Alfred Molina also was the perfect choice for Spidey's next villain Doc Ock, after a superb performance by Willem Dafoe as The Green Goblin.
Sure, there will be films to come with maybe better action and special effects, but "Spider-Man 2" will always trump them because it delivers what the teeming masses have been longing for: A comic book film that stays true to its origins and takes its hero's epic tale to even greater heights.