Without hyperbole a million times better than every other sequel ever made - put together! (mild spoilers)

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2004)

I haven't made a comment in ages, but this is the type of movie that can completely revitalise one's zest for film!
I'm the type to have a tendency towards critically acclaimed lower budget films and 60's/70's classics, but there's a place for films like this. It's the type of film you HAVE to see at the movies or it loses half of it's effect.
I can't believe what a good job they did on this sequel. They have kept all the best elements of the first movie, improved upon them and then amended many of it's weaknesses. Alike the first film, the pacing and structure are excellent (that's right, the 'boring' bits are necessary). In fact I became so engrossed in it that I lost sight of the impending climax, which then hit me doubly as hard. All the points of conflict occur in the right way and at the right time.
The 'in-joke' style humour also improved in this one, I love the line: "a guy called Otto Octavius ending up with eight arms, what are the odds of that!"
Also, the bit where Peter Parker reverts back into nerdiness was risky but was executed very well.
Because they upped the ante budget-wise, the action sequences are absolutely top-notch, the fight between Doc Ock and Spidey on the train has already gone down as one of my favourite all time sequences in a movie ever.
Also, the ending hit harder, like I said, it crept up on me. Spiderman 1's ending was good but very cliched and the sequelitis was almost a cop-out. This time both of those elements were handled with more subtlety and context. I'd like to say more but I'd give away too much.
I'm not sure if I completely understand the fact that so many people like something like Lord of the Rings unequivocally and are prejudiced against this. It's kind of like the difference between Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears, they're both pop, but it's cool to like Kylie and it's cool to bag Britney. Lord of the Rings is decent but it's nowhere near as tight as this. Spiderman 2 set out to achieve a lot for a two hour movie and it was very successful in doing so, whereas Lord of the Rings set out to achieve even more, did well, but didn't manage to achieve what it set out to achieve.
There is also too much prejudice against this movie just because it is a sequel. Of course some elements are going to be the same. Spiderman 2 has taken a great formula and made it even better - it was a like a video game sequel, the same thing except better and with more money thrown at it (and we all know that video game sequels are always better).
The thing is, it's a blockbuster movie, they are trying to utilise all the best blockbuster elements and they have done so very successfully, so don't believe the negative statements and don't expect it to be some kind of arthouse masterpiece, it's a million times better anyway.