Suffers from the cancer that is Kevin Feigeism...

Rating: 2/10 (5 September 2014)

'Amazing Spider-Man 2' has some moments that work. I'll give it that. The problem is is that there is so much going on here. Marc Webb is juggling so many balls and it eventually comes to a point where they all fall on him. People are expecting bigger comic book films these days. The 'Amazing Spider Man 2' is nothing but a product placement for sequels that haven't been conceived yet. This is the cancer of the comic book film and it isn't likely to go away anytime soon. 'Amazing Spider-Man 2' just might be the worst example.
I think any criticism of this film will inevitably lead to criticism of pulp culture by it's self. Sequels have to be earned. There is such a thing as quality over quantity. Every conceivable wink at the camera or easter egg that could be fit in here is. The irony of this is that we aren't supposed to be able to notice these things. I don't care about seeing Doc Ock's tentacles on a wall. I want to be drawn into a story with characters and all this film can offer me are set pieces.
I will say that there is potential here in some ways and that's more than I can say about a few other comic book films. I think if Webb had chosen to focus on juggling one storyline and expanding it into a fully conceived picture than we could have had something here. The film just wants to do too much because it cares about setting up a sequel. The Green Goblin and Norman Osbourne take is original and I could conceivably see it making an interesting film. I actually like what they do with the character of Harry because he serves as a very personal and very similar antagonist to Spider-Man here. Both men live in the shadows of shady fathers and are inheriting their gifts/curses. This is a starting point for a movie. Likewise had the film chosen to only be about Electro I think it could have worked too. Jamie Foxx's initial awkwardness before he becomes evil is kind of touching. Had the film given Foxx more time to develop his descent into madness then I think he would have been more than capable of creating a memorable comic book villain.
The problem is because there is so much to cover here no storyline is fully developed. The characters all feel rushed and it is especially noticeable in their motivations. All the conflicts of the film feel so inorganic and as if they are there merely because it brings the loosely fitted pieces together. In the end it makes Spidey look arrogant. The inciting incident that sets Electro against Spider-Man is so ridiculous. Electro is attacked by the cops and he asks Spider-Man to talk him down. How is it to see Spider-Man so quickly and rashly get into a battle with him? It's just goofy and ruins any chance of me identifying with Spider-Man.
The love story of the film feels forced and kind of creepy to be frank. I think Emma Stone is perfectly serviceable as Gwen Stacy. In fact I think why I can save this film from a bomb rating is because Gwen Stacy has fire here and she repels against being merely Peter's property that Spider-Man has to save. When combined together though the two characters just seem completely phony. The dialogue between them shows the general uncomfortable nature of showing men and women together in these comic book films. You have a scene where Garfield's Peter Parker admits to following Stacy around and the film makers stage it as if it is cute.
There's passion here but it's passion for money. The film leaves the characters vague and almost air headed. The only time they come to life is when they remind us that 'Amazing Spider-Man 3' is coming.