Amazingly Disappointing, Spectacularly Average

Rating: 6/10 (30 June 2004)

The dialogue was often witty, the fight scenes were entertaining, the actors did their job well, and the cinematography was competent. However, the story, inconsistencies, and level to which we're asked to sustain our disbelief made for a very disappointing film.
I won't complain about Spider-Man being stronger and more invulnerable than usual. Since they're reinventing the history, anyhow, may as well make him more Super, man. The real Spider-Man's arms should have ripped out of their sockets at least twice, and there would have been more broken bones with all of that getting thrown into brick walls. But, okay, I'll accept it.
SPOILER BELOW *** BUT READ THEM, AND SAVE YOURSELF
However, if you want me to believe that a fusion reaction is magically contained by being drowned in water, you're going to need to give me some more information. Plus, tell me why the water doesn't boil. Cold fusion? Fine, but then why mention that the tentacles are impervious to heat?
Speaking of tentacles, their introduction to the spectators was met by dull stairs, despite: having no power source, each being stronger than a horse, being integrated into the wearer's nervous system, having an unprecedented artificial intelligence of their own, and being a metal impervious to heat or magnetic forces. What's going on there? Okay, they investors and spectators had come to see the fusion, right, so maybe they were in such focused anticipation, that an elephant could have stepped into the room, and they'd be bored stiff, because they'd come for the fusion, and anything else just wasn't going to raise an eyebrow.
These two flaws were disturbing and distracting enough to warrant a disappointingly average rating for Spider-Man II. There were others, but these stood out.