Spidey's Destiny: Blockbuster

Rating: 9/10 (1 July 2004)

Saw the film on opening day...great fun! If you liked the original, you'll love the sequel. I've never seen a superhero movie as human as this one...the first one showed Pete's human side, but once he put on the Spidey costume, he was cool as a cucumber. In Part 2, that human frailty also shows even when Pete's in costume...he delivers pizzas, loses his powers, and often loses his mask. Very well done. As nerdy as Pete was in SM1, he's even more so in the sequel. That's not a bad thing...the director does a great job of capturing the essence of the comic books.
What was especially great about this film is that it really built upon the first. Almost everything from the first film had consequences in this one...from Pete's guilt to not stopping the robber who eventually killed Uncle Ben to Harry Osborn finding Pete standing over his dead father. And of course Pete's decision to walk away from Mary Jane at the end of SM1. All those issues and more come into play in SM2.
Sam Raimi and all those involved have crafted an excellent followup to the original SM movie. Just as Pete sought his destiny as SM, the franchise has found its destiny: Mega-Blockbuster. 10 out of 10.