An improvement over the original

Rating: 8/10 (22 August 2006)

Much more mature than the first one, leading to a more interesting story and a better film overall. The drama surrounding Spider-Man is more fleshed out in this one, and the problems are more believable. Instead of just a cartoony action film, like the first one, this is a comic book film with a more compelling story and realistic characters, not to mention better action and a superior villain - though one not seen nearly enough. Some of the romance still needs work, though, and there are long stretches where nothing happens, scenes that would have been better served by including the villain and advancing the main plot. Still, this is an improvement over the first film, and a great movie.
Though the main plot of the movie involves Spider-Man calling it quits, there are far too many scenes where he listens to long speeches from various characters swaying him one way or another. Although at least one of those is useful, and the dialogue is better written than in the original, far too much time is spent on scenes like this. Unfortunately, it only takes time away from the villain, Doc Ock, who is much more intriguing and better realized than the Green Goblin from the first film. There are also far too many scenes between Peter and MJ, and since they all seem to dissolve into "I love you, I love you not", some of then could have been easily done away with. Indeed, what the film is most lacking in is action, which is too bad, because it's fantastic when it shows up. Though the special effects still need some work, it's a vast improvement, and the action is both exhilarating and central to the plot.
Another improvement over the first film would be in the acting department. Tobey Maguire managed to lose some of his goofiness, although it still pops up periodically, and he's more than able in serious dramatic scenes; Kirsten Dunst is still not a good actress, but she's better, and can at least attempt some serious scenes; James Franco gives pretty much a one-note performance, as an angry, brooding villain-to-be; and J.K. Simmons is as hilarious as he was the first time around. But the real stand out this time around is Alfred Molina as Doc Ock - not over-the-top like Willem Dafoe in the first one, but simultaneously evil and pitiable. The only thing disappointing about his performance is that there isn't more of it - one of the main problems with the movie. The mechanical arms are perfectly realized, and the fight scenes between him and Spidey are spectacular. His character is so interesting that it is fitting, then, when he ultimately redeems himself and saves the day, instead of Spidey.
Overall, an improvement over the first film, but still not a perfect film. It is still one of the top comic book films, but it spends far too much time on a poorly told romance and not enough on a intriguing villain. Still, the story is interesting, the action is fantastic, and the characters are believable. A nice lead in to the final (?) chapter in the trilogy.