A disappointment compared to the first movie

Rating: 7/10 (1 July 2004)

Unfortunately, and I think most discerning folks that view this one objectively will agree, Spiderman 2 is something of a letdown. The first movie had great pacing, was able to more or less wrap the entire Spiderman origin into one tight story, had plenty of action but not superfluously so, and spent just the right amount of time on Peter Parker's ambivalence regarding the normal life/hero life dilemma. This one seems to meander, getting mired in the dilemma aspect too often and repeating the same theme over and over ad nauseum; the pacing just wasn't right. Too many things rushed into too short a space in some parts, one idea dragged out too long in others. There just wasn't enough action suitably woven into the plot the way there was in the first, and let's face it, this is a comic book movie-- action is practically paramount. There were two things I liked about this one, though. First, the fights between Doc Ock and Spiderman are really well-done, just how I'd imagine them. It was great to see that in "live action", so to speak (special effects notwithstanding). They were more involved than how I remember the fights in 1. **Slight spoiler** Second, the scene when Octavius is in the hospital after the accident is distinctly "Evil Dead-ish"-- same goofy-style camera work, and there's even a chainsaw, which has GOT to be a reference to it. Unfortunately, though, the movie also makes it quite clear that Harry Osborne is going to take up the mantle of the Green Goblin II in the third film, so that pretty much totally crushes my hopes, nay, my near-conviction that Venom HAD to be the next villain they would do. I guess they realized the backstory to that one would be way too convoluted to work into one movie. **End spoiler**
All in all, this one isn't terrible, just not really a worthy follow-up. Maybe it was the novelty of seeing the origin of Spiderman unfold before my eyes in the first one, whereas he's already established in the second, but the first one far exceeds the sequel to me.