Product: Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Rating: 4.0
Much better than the first film
With a more character driven plot and bigger tools at their disposal, director Sam Raimi and his crew have gone above and beyond the first Spider-Man film; crafting what some have hailed as the best comic adaptation of all time. While I don't think Spider-Man 2 deserves that tagline (that honor goes to X2: X-Men United), the film sure is something special as more depth is given to Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire, ever perfect) as he struggles between being a super hero and his love for Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) as a new foe emerges. The entire cast excels here like never before, with Alfred Molina perfect as the tragic Doctor Octopus (who is a shockingly better villain than Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin) and James Franco's Harry Osborn slowly descending into madness and vengeance as the stage is set for a third film. The only real problem with Spider-Man 2 is that at times it can get too dramatic for it's own good, but the movie manages to keep steaming along as we see Spidey get pushed to his limits like never before. It's definitely worth seeing, and even jaded web-heads will admire the film.