A true gem -- the year's best and my new favorite superhero movie

Rating: 9/10 (15 July 2004)

Spiderman 2 - My rating: 9/10
This movie truly had it all and was very entertaining, and I don't usually enjoy overblown Hollywood productions like Spiderman 2.
WHAT WAS GREAT ABOUT THIS MOVIE: 1.) Awesome action - The special effects were incredible. This movie perfectly brings comic book fantasy to life.
2.) Plenty of laughs - This movie could be light-hearted at time, and I found myself laughing out loud on a number of occasions (I should note I was one of the few brave enough to laugh out loud at the corny humor).
3.) Characters we care about - See note below about dialogue... the characters were a little corny too, but the viewer cannot help but become emotionally invested. Very well done.
4.) Strong story - While predictable (what action hero movie isn't?), the story had enough twists and suspence to keep me interested. Good pacing too: the movie flows well from scene to scene.
IN RESPONSE TO MAJOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MOVIE: 1.) Of course the dialogue and script are trite. Ever read a comic book? (Note: Spiderman is originally a comic book character) This movie never purports itself as intelligent... and...
2.) In some respects, the superhero movie has "been done before." This movie takes the action to new levels and brings new levels of emotion to this often bland genre.
A FINAL STUPID COMMENT THAT GIVES ME LESS CREDIBILITY: Spiderman 2 or The Passion of the Christ? This movie is peppered with references to Christ and Christianity, at least I thought so... Spiderman is the symbol of self-sacrifice (like Christ) -- see if you can spot what I mean.
Ok, awesome movie, and I really mean it. 9/10