Andrew Garfield IS Spider-Man

Rating: 7/10 (29 April 2014)

Quickie Review:
In this sequel Spider-Man struggles between his superhero obligations and desires as Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield). Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx), a lonely electrician turns into Electro following a freak accident, and Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) in pursuit of curing himself of a disease turns himself into the infamous Green Goblin. Spider-Man now confronts far superior foes that not only threaten his city but also the ones he loves. This sequel has many things right such as Andrew Garfield's embodiment of Spider-Man, his interactions with the supporting cast, the action packed fight sequences, etc. Despite all the positives, the focus on multiple villains prevents this film from being one of the best superhero movies to just being a good movie.
Full Review:
There is a lot to love about this movie that I thought was done better than all other Spider-Man films before. The very first shot of the film is Spider-Man web slinging through New York City, and you can see how exhilarating it is to fly and swing like him between skyscrapers (especially in 3D). That plays into the action scenes as well, which are very well choreographed and gorgeous to see. The character interactions between Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and the rest of the characters such as Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), and Aunt May (Sally Field), are very natural and truly heartfelt. Credit for that should also be given to director Marc Webb, as he has always been great at showcasing these personal interactions in all his movies. The one thing that nobody will argue is that Andrew Garfield has solidified himself as the definitive Spider-Man and Peter Parker in this film. From his quick wit, movement, and teasing of the villains, to even small things like getting excited by a little kid's science project, it is just perfect. He doesn't just portray the character, he embodies it. Andrew Garfield is Spider-Man.
Yes, there is a lot to love, but the few things that did irked me, I really did hate. The brunt of that hate goes towards the use of multiple villains. The marketing for this film shows that there are three villains Rhino (Paul Giamatti), Electro (Jamie Foxx), and Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan). The reason all these villains are placed there is simple: setup for the next films of the franchise. Rhino is literally there for 3 mins, you have seen all his scenes in the trailers. Same goes for Green Goblin, as he is just shoehorned into a fight scene. So that leaves Electro as the main villain of the movie, one of the most uninteresting one-dimensional villains in comic book movie history. I can't blame Jamie Foxx for that because that is what the character is even in the comic books, someone who has been neglected his whole life and just wants to feel needed and loved. What I would have liked is to completely remove Electro and just focus on Harry Osborn/Green Goblin. As I mentioned before Harry and Peter have great chemistry and if their friendship and differences was fleshed out more, it would have made for a more compelling villain. Honestly, the Green Goblin as he is in this movie, even with his little screen time, had more gravity and significance than the main villain Electro.
I know I went on bit of a rant on the villains, but it is just something I need to address. I don't use the word "love" lightly, so when I say there are things that I loved about this movie I truly mean it is excellent. It is because of these positives that I recommend watching this movie. You will have an enjoyable time despite some of the things that were disappointing.