Extremely satisfying!

Rating: 10/10 (7 May 2014)

'THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2': Five Stars (Out of Five)
Big budget sequel to 2012's 'THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN' (which is a reboot to director Sam Raimi's film trilogy, released in 2002 through 2007). It's once again directed by Marc Webb and stars Andrew Garfield as the popular Marvel Comics character. Garfield's real life girlfriend Emma Stone also returns as Peter Parker's main squeeze Gwen Stacey. Scenes were shot introducing Shailene Woodley as his other main love interest, from the comics, Mary Jane Watson (but they were cut in a decision to save that character for a later film). Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan and Paul Giamatti all play new villains in the movie and Sally Field, Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz return as members of the Parker family. The screenplay was written this time around by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner and James Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt also co-wrote the last Spider-Man movie and Krutzman and Orci are known for co-writing lots of popular sci-fi flicks (like the first two installments in the 'STAR TREK' reboot series and 'TRANSFORMERS' franchise). This installment is meant to setup not only two more planned sequels (in the next four years) but two spinoffs as well ('VENOM' and 'SINISTER SIX'). I found it to be immensely entertaining and (being a huge fan of the characters) extremely satisfying as well!
As the film opens Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man (Garfield), is taking down a Russian mobster known as Aleksei Sytsevich (Giamatti). In the process he rescues a nerdy and extremely insecure OsCorp electrical engineer, named Max Dillon (Foxx), who becomes a huge fan of his for it. This is all on his way to his own high school graduation, in which he misses his girlfriend Gwen Stacy's (Stone) speech. Due to his constant guilt, over a promise he made her dead father (Denis Leary), Gwen brakes up with him. Parker then continues to fight crime while stalking Gwen, dealing with his Aunt May (Field) constantly pestering him and further investigating what really happened to his parents. At the same time Max has an accident at OsCorp that turns him into an electrically charged supervillain and Peter's old friend Harry Osborn (DeHaan) returns to Manhattan to see his dying father (Chris Cooper). Things get really messy when Harry learns that Spider-Man's blood might be the only thing that can save him from his father's same fate.
The movie has received a lot of mediocre to negative reviews from critics but has mostly been praised by comic book fans of the character. I never read the comics regularly but I've always been a big fan of the superhero (due to his relatability) and this movie is everything I would want from a Spider-Man flick (I've heard that it's the most faithful of the entire franchise as well). I thought the filmmakers did a really good job of developing each character (as well as their drama) and all the actors are great in their roles. Giamatti's villain isn't developed at all but he's not supposed to be (he's just introduced as setup for a later installment/spin off). Foxx does something comedic with his role, at first, (that's kind of reminiscent to what his former fellow castmate on 'IN LIVING COLOR', Jim Carrey, did in 'BATMAN FOREVER') but he turns into a really frightening and equally sympathetic bad guy as well. DeHaan continues to bare a striking resemblance to Leonardo DiCaprio and he shows a lot of talent while doing so. It's Garfield that really shines though; he is the perfect Peter Parker/Spider-Man and he and Stone do have awesome chemistry together. Webb's direction is cool, the script is clever and well thought out and the action scenes and visual effects are to die for! I really loved Raimi's first two 'SPIDER-MAN' movies but Webb's films (so far) are equally as impressive. I can't see why any fan of the character or film franchise wouldn't be more than thrilled with this installment. Screw the critics!
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