One of the very BEST sequels in movie history!!

Rating: Null/10 (2 July 2004)

As sequels go, let's be quite frank: 9 times out of 10, they suck big time. And with superhero movies, they usually get it pretty close...but still they miss the mark (I've heard that Daredevil was a major bomb, and after Batman 2, things got really lame). Spider-Man, however, was a terrific movie, and Spider-Man 2 is just as good, if not better, than the first one. For one, we can actually identify with Peter Parker. He is, after all, just a normal kid who's suddenly given these incredible powers and is realizing the many consequences it can have on his life. We feel for him as he struggles to respect his responsibilities as Spider-Man while also trying to live a semblance of a normal life as Peter Parker. With Batman, Bruce Wayne was a millionaire, so money was never a problem.
Also, we never got very much insight into his deeper feelings, or how being Batman affected his personal life. The X-Men were never really "normal" to begin with, so identifying with them is even harder. And the only time we see the angst of Superman is in the WB's hit series, Smallville. So yes, we completely sympathize with Peter--he loses jobs because of his duties as Spider-Man, which also cause friction between him and MJ, him and Harry Osborn and even, to some degree, him and his Aunt. We feel what he feels at one point: IT"S NOT WORTH IT BEING SPIDER-MAN ANYMORE! After all, New York has survived for decades at the hands of the boys in blue, long before Spider-Man's human counterpart was ever born. And it is through the wisdom and the love of his Aunt that we, along with Peter, are reminded of the magnificent effect that Spider-Man has not only on New York but all of us. Doctor Octavius is a man who, upon meeting him, we really like and warm up to; he's not a bad guy at all. He means well, but when the fusion experiment goes awry and it wreaks havoc on his mind, he is a force to be reckoned with...and feared.
All in all, this is without a doubt one of the BEST superhero franchises ever made, and certainly one of the BEST sequels, as well. ***WARNING!! IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN SPIDER-MAN 2 YET, READ NO FURTHER!*** For those who have seen S-M2, I'd like to say that I thought it was really awesome how some of the traditional rules are utterly shattered: Numero Uno being that the superhero can NEVER, EVER let his secret identity be discovered by those closest to him (or her). Not only does Harry discover his best friend's secret, but so does MJ...and despite Peter's caution that they can never be together, she chooses to take the risks.
Watching Smallville on WB, there've been countless times I've wanted to scream at Clark, "Just tell Lana the truth! Put your trust in her!!" Of course, I always found Chloe far more attractive than Lana...but anyway, I also really liked the fact that at the end, Dr. Octavius salvaged enough of the good in himself to sacrifice himself and his beloved project to undo the danger he's posed to New York and put an end to the menace his mechanical arms have become. In addition, not only do we get to breathe a sigh of relief as Peter's finally able to let MJ in on his secret (although unintentionally), but he also wins her over. Superman could never be with Lois...Batman is an eternal bachelor...even the WB's Charmed ones have a tough time with their love lifes. All told, it's a GREAT movie that's setting new standards and going where other superhero movies have not dared to.