Product: Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Rating: 5.0
Oh hell. I'll give it five.
The first sequel to out and out blow away its predecessor, Spider-Man 2 is a joyous, sometimes poignant, and never boring--not even close to boring--tale of redemption, adventure, sacrifice, and ordinary people coping with extraordinary events. But more than that, it is a triumphant return to the spirit of Marvel's comics--indeed, it is, in the very best sense, the high art of Marvel's best comics brought to life.Don't get me wrong. It isn't that deep--but it's more than deep enough, with some moments of honesty and depth that were surprising and satisfying. Tobey Maguire is the perfect Spider-Man--likable, funny, and much more complex than the average superhero. The movie puts him at the lowest point imaginable. Just when you think his life couldn't get worse, it gets dramatically worse. And so we get to watch this young man lift himself up by his costume and face extraordinary tests of will and self-sacrifice, all of which is done in a light enough way that you never feel preached to or torn out of the story. All of it is pulled together by a great villain--Doc Ock, more than brought to life by Alfred Molina--extraordinary battles, and a romantic quadrangle that waits until the very last moment to reveal a satisfying, yet touching resolution.Bring on Venom!