Does whatever a spider can and then some!

Rating: 10/10 (23 August 2004)

Peter Parker returns again on this excellent sequel to last year's Spider-Man. The characters are more defined, the story more complicated, and the action even more satisfying. One may say of the previous movie that it was more a character-driven film than an action movie and this one equally follows suit, thankfully. For those who are familiar with the comic (I myself am a fan) will notice that much of Peter's life is filled with angst and you get see a substantial portion of that here as he juggles his social life and his superhero life. Tobey Maguire adds more depth to his acting muscles as he alternates from poignantly sad scenes to hilarious mishaps. Kirsten Dunst has a more well-defined and well-written role here as Peter's long-suffering love interest. J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson is nearly flawless and has some of the best lines ever. As for the action scenes... I've seen this movie twice now, the second time recently on IMAX. The action scenes are still pretty spectacular (it was even more apparent seeing it in an even bigger screen) and doesn't spend too much time on already-noticeable details for "maximum effect." In fact, some parts zoom by so quickly it can be tough just trying to keep up with the furious action. Sam Raimi knows how to frame it just right so the swinging among the buildings by Spider-Man looks breathtaking. What is really cool about a movie such as this is that it doesn't rely on the tried-and-true easy way of entertainment (eg. action). Every action set piece in this film feels well-earned as it is placed on a foundation of strong characterization and story. 10/10. One of the rare great sequels that outshine the original, right up there among the greats as "Toy Story 2" and "Empire Strikes Back."