Spider-Man 2 (2004)
AKA: The Amazing Spider-Man (2003) and Spiderman 2 (2004) [different spelling]
2/3 rankings
Directed By: Sam Raimi
Written By: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Michael Chabon, Alvin Sargent,
Steve Ditko and Stan Lee (characters)
Executive Produced By: Stan Lee
Tagline(s): The Spider Will Return, The Spider Returns, Get caught in a
second web of danger, This summer a man will face his destiny. A hero will
be revealed, Go for a Second Spin!
| Starring: | |
| Tobey Maguire | Peter Parker/Spider-Man |
| Kirsten Dunst | Mary "MJ" Jane Watson |
| James Franco | Harry Osborne |
| Alfred Molina | Dr. Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus/Doc Ock |
| Rosemary Harris | Aunt May Parker |
| J.K. Simmons | J. Jonah Jameson |
| Dylan Baker | Dr. Curt Connors |
| Elizabeth Banks | Betty Brant |
| Bruce Campbell | Snooty Usher |
| Stan Lee | Cameo |
| Cool Line(s): | |
| J. Jonah Jameson | I'll give you $150 for it! |
| Spider-Man | $300. |
| J. Jonah Jameson | That's outrageous! Done. |
| ... | ... |
| J. Jonah Jameson (when wedding called off) | Call Debra. |
| Mrs. Jameson | The Caterer? |
| J. Jonah Jameson | Tell her not to open the caviar. |
| ... | ... |
| J. Jonah Jameson | Parker! You're fired! |
| Receptionist | The Planetarium. |
| J. Jonah Jameson | Wait! You're unfired! Come here. |
| ... | ... |
| Betty Brant | Sir, your wife called. She said she lost your cheque book. |
| J. Jonah Jameson | Thanks for the good news! |
| ... | ... |
| J. Jonah Jameson | Guy named Otto Octavius with 8 limbs. What are the odds? |
Summary: Peter Parker is attending Empire State University under Dr. Curt Connors. Dr. Otto Octavius becomes a "mad scientist" when his four mechanical arms become grafted to his body in a freak lab accident. Harry Osborne seeks revenge on Spider-Man for the death of his father (the Green Goblin). And John Jameson (J. Jonah Jameson's astronaut son) is introduced as Mary Jane's new boyfriend.
Review: The plot of Spider-Man 2 is largely based on The Amazing Spider-Man #50, "Spider-Man No More," wherein Peter Parker gives up crime-fighting and throws his costume into an alley garbage can in a famous/infamous panel from the history of the comic book. Although this movie has excellent special effects, spectacular stunts, and fantastic CGI work, it doesn't know what it wants to be. In trying to set up all the references and inside jokes for hardcore comic book fans, and for future films in the series, it strays too much from the story it is trying to tell today. As a result, you leave the theatre not knowing exactly what you just saw. Did you just finish watching an action adventure movie with long stretches of boring dialog? Or did you just see an excellent drama movie interspersed with unexplained scenes of violence? This is its fault, its curse.
To Purchase: Spider-Man 2 (2004) on
DVD, Spider-Man 2 Soundtrack on CD, Spider-Man 2 The Book in Paperback, Spider-Man 2 The Game for Play Station 2,
or Spider-Man 2 Official Strategy Guide in
Paperback.
Please Note
Special Features: Pop-Up Trivia, Bloopers, Music Videos, Two Disks, Preview Video Game, Documentaries, and Movie Commentaries.
Others in the Series: Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Copyright (c) 2004, 2005, 2008 A. Ryan Robbins. All Rights Reserved.