Terrific Casting of Villain = Great Movie

Rating: 10/10 (3 July 2004)

I'm usually not one to knock anyone's movie preferences (with the exception of anyone who likes "House of 1000 Corpses", I won't name names), so I wasn't shocked or upset to find some harsh reviews for this movie. And though I didn't agree with these reviews, there was one in particular that set me off. The Green Goblin was played very well by Willem Dafoe in the first movie; however, Alfred Molina blows that performance out of the water.
*SPOILER* I sympathized with Octavious and the loss of his wife (despite the fact he was primarily to blame, I mean, come on, he wasn't trying to kill her), something I couldn't do had another actor been in this role, especially after hearing some of the names being considered for the roll. Molina is either a terrific villain and wonderfully likable character in his films, and this role displayed the best of both sides of this actor. But I can't help it if when I see Dafoe, I think, "That guy is one creepy looking bastard". He doesn't have that pre-villain likeability that Molina brought to his role, something I think James Franco should have down if the directors choose that direction and is desperately needed for any well-rounded villain. So, to that reviewer who didn't like Molina's performance, you need to find something else in the movie to dump on.