"Amazing Spider-Man 2" swings into better territory than its predecessor

Rating: 7/10 (1 May 2014)

When Sony decided for a quick reboot of the "Spider-Man" franchise back in 2012, the reactions fell into two camps: one which viewed the production as a shameless cash-grab way for the studio to retain the film rights to the character and the other being intrigued and relieved by new blood being brought in after Tobey Maguire and company's lackluster third outing.
"The Amazing Spider-Man" was a reasonable success critically and commercially, and Sony quickly targeted the 2014 summer movie season to begin with its sequel. This second installment starts where the first left off. Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is still on the hunt for answers to what happened to his parents, while trying to balance the new superhero gig and a complicated relationship with Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone).
As with round one, the real highlights are in the puppy love bits between Garfield and Stone. The two have a quirky chemistry that's bolstered by the offbeat humor both bring to their respective roles. Garfield in particular shines in the most trying of moments for his character that require more tears than webbing.
Of course, no love story can come off perfectly. A new array of baddies are on the hunt for our hero, including Electro (Jamie Foxx) and younger Green Goblin in the form of Peter's old buddy Harry Osborn (Dane DeHann). Foxx's Electro comes off as a tad too goofy to ever be taken as a threat, but DeHann's Osborn is a real seat-shaker, perfectly pitched as a true creep with overwhelming power.
There are plenty of twists and turns along the way, with a genuine stunner in the final moments that will lead to some dropped jaws. The question remains, though: after seeing this latest film in Sony's prized series, which camp is more justified in its reasoning?
While the studio is undeniably banking on the webslinger's worldwide popularity to coast to the $1 billion-mark in box office receipts, director Marc Webb is at least continuing to do his best to bring a youthful, dynamic version of Marvel's biggest hero to the silver screen. There's just enough new drama to keep audiences engaged in what turn Peter will make next.
That being said, at nearly two-and-a-half hours long, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" can still drag from time to time, ironically more in the action than the lower key segments. Proving to be a true contrast to most other films in the superhero genre, it's those romantic moments between Peter and Gwen we crave, and the CGI blasts can often feel in the way of that joy.
It's an upgrade over the first film for sure, and Webb makes sure to dangle some carrots in front of us at the conclusion for future films. While it certainly has its faults, the wall-crawler's latest is an admirable start to the summer movie season for its stellar performances more than its loud effects.