Spider-Man 2 Is a Great Sequel

Rating: 9/10 (4 May 2014)

Spider-Man was one of those films that was just a lot of fun, that never took itself too seriously, and had a tone that followed suit. The film's main protagonist had troubles, but never became so dark, that the viewer felt the tone out of place. This film takes the same approach, and delves deeper into the life of Peter Parker, with his past struggles, along with some new ones.
The movie starts out with our hero as earnest as ever, but the struggles of life, topped with being a superhero, eventually brings him down, to the point that he questions his very purpose. This is something that I found very interesting, the idea of how much can one endure, before he starts to crack. Peter is struggling in his life for multiple reasons, he can't hold a job, the love of his life is slipping away, his friendship with Harry is strained, he's failing college, and he still feel's guilt for the death of Uncle Ben. Top this off with the threat of a new villain Doc Oc.
Doc Oc, is a good villain for Spider-Man 2, not only is he a popular comic book villain, but on film he's incredible to see. The character isn't overly complex, but is deep enough (thanks to Alfred Molina) that his screen presence, isn't outmatched by his spectacle, during the more action packed moments. What really makes this film strong are the performances, namely Tobey Maguire, who carries the film on his shoulders. Now I've heard the criticisms of Tobey's take on Peter/Spider-Man, but he make's the general audience root for him, because of his underdog/mopey portrayal. True to the comics, or not, I root for this Peter/Spider-Man to succeed, and genuinely feel bad for him when things don't.
The supporting cast is also pretty good, and each character gets their moment to shine. Mary Jane, though presented at times as a bit selfish, really does show her love for Peter, and feels confused as to why a guy who supposedly loves her is never there. Aunt May helps make Peter realize the importance of Spider-Man, and Harry learns the truth about Peter, and at least in this film, appears conflicted on how to deal with his revelation. Jonah Jameson, is still the scene stealer, and has even better lines this time around.
As good as this film is, "it" like most films, has some narrative problems that do cross the viewers mind at times, but not to the point that the overall film suffers. Spider-Man 2, like it's predecessor, keeps the narrative relatively simple, but delivers it in a way that resonates with the audience, and never becomes too over the top, or convoluted. Spider-Man 2 is one the best comic book films ever, and it's certainly a sincere one, that keeps a crucial component, and thats heart.