not great, but a step up from the first one

Rating: 7/10 (8 July 2005)

I was very under-whelmed by the first Spider-Man movie, a tepid affair with a poorly constructed story and some ridiculous script inconsistencies. So my expectations for the sequel were pretty low. But this is really a pretty good movie. The script writing is still sloppy, but it doesn't have any of the glaring problems that plagued the original.
The movie varies, but is notable for some truly shining moments. The best parts of the film are those that focus not on the action but on the humanity; there is a wonderful scene at the end of the subway sequence and a very affecting ending.
The movie has a good pace and more convincingly combines action and human elements. It is by no means a great movie, but it is a good one.