Better than the first (although that's not saying much)

Rating: Null/10 (13 October 2004)

The story quality improves by leaps and bounds thanks to writers Michael Chabon, Alvin Sargent, Stan Lee (who wrote the issue of "Amazing Spider-Man" that this movie used as a springboard). A more loose, playful and energetic direction by Sam Raimi (with the camera occasionally becoming a character itself in this movie), a wider and more cinematic aspect ratio (you truly get the widescreen feel) and a different cinematographer all help "Spider-Man 2" get away from the boring, unreal, and static "Country Crock Spread commercial" look and feel of the original movie.
Performances are fine, with everyone generally performing better than the original (the main villain, while inspired by one of Spider-Man's lesser villains in the comics is not played as broadly as Dafoe's rendition of the "Green Goblin", which grated on my nerves with subsequent viewings and is strictly for the kiddies. Molina does justice to the character, despite limited screen time), except for Kirsten Dunst, although perhaps neither Chabon nor Sargent can effectively write female characters (and anyone who wants to point to "Ordinary People" in defense of Sargent after that last statement will automatically be directed to both Judith Guest's source novel and actress Mary Tyler Moore's performance itself). The relationship between Peter Parker and Mary Jane still remains flat and unconvincing (possibly because no one making the major creative descisions got.... in high school...oh never mind).
Elfman's score is still lousy, and I still prefer "Batman", "Batman Returns" and "Superman" and "Superman II" over this. Spider-Man 2 takes itself way too seriously with neither the crazy, Gothic, and comic imagination of Tim Burton to offset the heavy handed drama, nor an actor in a major role of Christopher Reeve's caliber who played that toughest and most one-dimensional of heroes and made him "real"-Rest in Peace, Mr. Reeve. The movie is occasionally so full of itself that its becomes laughable; the arch theatricality of scenes like Harry unmasking Spider-man and discovering-to his horror-that its Peter Parker play like a scene from Shakespeare performed by the Power Rangers. Sorry guys, there's only so far that you can go when people dress in costumes like these, and then you have to pull back and know how to crack a smile (not a self conscious wink).
Still, its better than the original, and its, generally speaking, a good movie. I give it three stars and a mild recommendation for viewers over thirty five.