Review: The not-quite-so-amazing Spider-Man 2

Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers.

When Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man was released in 2012, it was like a redemption song to the hot mess of the Sam Raimi trilogy. Finally, Spider-Man was going to get the film franchise he deserved, along the lines of what Marvel Studios has managed for Iron Man, Captain America, et al. And sure, he probably won’t get to play with the rest at the Marvel Cinematic Universe anytime soon (Spider Man and the X-men movie rights are held by different studios) but at least he’s onscreen, and, most importantly, he feels like Spider-Man.

Andrew Garfield plays a good Spider-Man, probably because he plays a good Peter Parker. He doesn’t become someone else when he puts on the Spidey suit; he is simply Spider-Man: a high school kid who gets the enhanced abilities of a spider, and who chooses to use his powers to help people. The first part of that sentence is important to the first film: he was in high school. Webb, known for his young indie romance 500 Days of Summer, made it pretty easy to why Garfield’s Peter would be into Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy, and vice-versa. Young love in high school? It worked, in The Amazing Spider-Man.

Flash forward to the now, the sequel, the graduation out of high school. Peter is still very much into Gwen, but he carries the age-old moral dilemma of a superhero and his ladylove: by being together, as Peter has been explicitly warned in the prequel by Gwen’s police captain father (played by Denis Leary), she is in danger. The father’s death has not deterred him from appearing to Peter and staring him down with an expression not unlike the one many a father has given his daughter’s boyfriend, only this is more terrifying because he’s actually dead. Peter sees him everywhere, and is persuaded to take up the issue with Gwen again, who finally breaks up with him for it. So far, so good.

Then, against the backdrop of a rapidly confusing soundtrack (Hans Zimmer + dubstep + a smattering of indie hipster tunes?) they are drawn together again, only for Gwen to tell him that she is slated for a move to London. Then they get back together, unable to deny the still-strong attraction, probably stoked by their tackling of the mysteries involving emerging supervillain Electro (Jamie Foxx) and troubled Oscorp heir Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan). There is a heady sweetness to Peter and Gwen’s reunion overlooking the New York skyline, wherein Spider-Man has intercepted her on the way to the airport to tell her his feelings — (because in the sum total of years spent together in high school and college he still hasn’t let her know, I guess) — where they have a moment of bliss and make plans to be together.

It’s all so sweet that you can guess the film’s intention all along: Captain Stacy was right, and Gwen is in danger. She dies. The relationship this time around isn’t less convincing as much as it is mired in a drama designed to give Spider-Man his due angst as a superhero. (At least it wasn’t a love triangle?).

In the meantime, there is more of the film’s may plot points to consider: what was the deal with Peter’s parents leaving him with his Aunt and Uncle? (Pseudo-corporate espionage for the greater good). How did the film’s primary villain Electro come to be? (An underdog electrical engineer with an unhealthy Spider-Man obsession gets into an accident at Oscorp that gives him all known superpowers related to electricity). What’s with the return of Peter’s childhood friend, the Oscorp heir Harry Osborn, who is inexplicably also Peter’s ‘best friend’ despite having been away and out of contact since they were eight? (He is literally out for Spider-Man’s blood so he can cure an illness passed on to him by the senior Osborn). (A disease inherent to wealthy corporate heirs with mad scientist fathers, one assumes).

If anything was amazing in this film, it would probably be the effects. Visually the film gives a satisfying superhero action, balanced with comic book-worthy banter and personality. Good stunts are a must in a superhero movie, and in this one Spider-Man gets it pretty good. It’s a fun watch. And individually, the characters are great. Garfield’s Spider-Man is just right, and Stone’s portrayal of Gwen Stacy is as dignified as you could be as a character slated for death, and even Foxx’ Electro had the potential to be really interesting. And individual scenes between characters have an appeal, a kind of screen chemistry that just works.

But all of it comes together a little loosely strung, a little unfocused, somewhat like the film’s soundtrack did — as though several things were thrown together well enough to form a plot, but was ultimately none too rewarding as a story. The plot points, like the characters, felt like a mildly interesting juggling act — the skill is impressive, but redundant. And when The Amazing Spider-Man 2 neither gives you much to think about nor inspires much of a desire to see it again, you have to admit it falls short of amazing.

(And a last word on Gwen Stacy: Gwen Stacy’s fate was sealed a long time ago. Her demise is actually an iconic moment in comic book history, never mind controversial. It bothers me a little that Webb went with it, because the disturbing trend in these films is that the girl always dies so that the hero can go on to mourn in glorious combat, but ultimately I can see how a director might want to use it as the film’s Great Moment. The problem, though, is the cheap emotional manipulation that passed for storytelling. By the time we get to the moment where she is violently killed, we’re supposed to bear in mind her last words to Peter, the hand-waving line by which we’re not supposed to blame him for anything, but to feel sorry for him for everything: “This is my choice.” No, Gwen, I don’t think you ever had a choice, not in the world of the not-so-amazing Spider-Man. But I think it would have been more amazing if you had made it to London.)