Spiderman 2 - the best of its kind...

[dd74]

Earlier this week I saw Spiderman 2. I have to say it was far better than I expected. Possibly because there was much more character development in this than Superman and our own Warner Bros. (yawn) Batman efforts.

To be sure, there is action in the movie - and it is by far some of the best I've seen in a long time. However, what remained interesting was how the action was dwarfed by the character story. I counted maybe three substantial fight scenes in the movie. Otherwise, characterization took up the lion's share of the film.

I imagine the reason this film was as well plotted and layered with character development was because Michael Chabon had a hand in the original story for the movie. I guess one or two studio execs had the knowledge to finally involve a real comic book fan in the screenplay instead of some "I'll write anything" Hollywood hack. Oh, and it also doesn't hurt that Michael Chabon is also a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist - that too must add something to the film.

Anyway, for those who need a break from left-bent 400-pound produced docu-dramas, I highly suggest Spiderman 2.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I liked it a lot. A whole lot. But I swear, had there been one more second of Toby McGuire's red-rimmed teary-eyed soulful gazes at the camera and I would have gone out and killed someone.

Someone missed the memo that Spidey is a wise-ass, not a crybaby.

The hospital scene was classic Raimi, though. Genius!

[dd74]

Well, actually, he's more of a guy who blew it because he didn't go for the girl. When we saw it, it sounded like the whole theater was crying.

[bob tilton]

okay - glad someone started this post. I FREAKIN' LOVED IT!!! they successfully brought spider-man to the silver screen in full dimension. WELL DONE!!!
the movies really takes some liberties with the character(s) and stories but were all justifiable in bringing a 40 year character into the modern world, genetic spider vs radioactive, MJ being substituted for gwen stacey, organic web shooters vs mechanical devices, etc. all were very acceptable.
i also enjoyed how they portrayed his strength, speed and agility. afterall, spidey is 5' 10" with the ability to jump 35' feet straight into the air and lift 10 tons (marvel universe). acrobatic scenes were outstanding especially swinging through new york. he really took a beating in both movies.
all in all, as a spidey geek i walked away very pleased and can't wait until they make the next one. looking forward to the next villians. if they really wanted to make ME happy he would make an appearance in the black suit. "PWIP" - ah... this is the sound of spider-man's web shooters in the black suit. "thwip" in the red/blue suit with mechanical web shooters. yes i already said it...i am a spider-man geek.

[Leader]

Excellent movie, but, like almost all big studio offerings, it easily could have been (and should have been) 25 minutes shorter. Peter Parker's having a tough time making his life work...okay, we get it (we got it the second time you showed it to us)...let's move the story along.

[vash]

i need to see this film! arrrggghhhh. i mean, pffffffwwwtttppp!

[motion]

It was GREAT! Not a movie for the ages, but good, clean entertainment. Casting McGuire was brilliant. He's perfect for the role.

[84porsche]

Damn good movie, much better than the first. It was the first movie where everything the movie watcher wanted to happen actually happened. I won't give away the movie but well worth the money.

[Bill Douglas]

I grew up on Spiderman, I never liked that Superman ****, so I'm looking forward to Spiderman 2 but I'm presently training my girlfriend up on Spiderman 1 so she can get the full benefit out of the new movie. A nice addition would have been for Kirsten Dunst to get them out.

[motion]

They don't get out, but she's got the nips going again.

[Bill Douglas]

Nice.

[dd74]

Why do you think James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, Kal-El (Superman), and Rambo are so horribly boring? Could it be they're one-dimensional. The Bond movie where he gets married was still one of the better ones as far as character - because it was out of character for Bond to get married.

WB TV Animation once featured Kal-El in an alternate universe where he worked for Lex Luthor and ran Metropolis like pre WWII Germany - an excellent episode as it completely took the fan for a loop. Superman was more or less Gestapo.

Sherlock Holmes' saving grace was his coke habit. In fact, if you think of it, wouldn't Harvey Keitel's anti-hero cop in "The Bad Lieutenant" be a rather good modern day Sherlock Holmes?

Holmes = addict; Keitel/lieutenant = addict.

Mix that in with about a century's worth of societal decay and corruption, and viola! A good guy victimized by his own habits and job, and finally turned bad...very bad.

Here's another: "The Enforcer" Great flick because for once Dirty Harry has a glimmer of a non-cop-like relationship because in the end, he does like Tyne Daily's character; the ending once she meets her fate may be Harry-like, but hey, a LAWS rocket could have its romance too.

The point is to make the superhero less "super" and with that, less predictable.

[blogic]

diggin - spiderman2

..................but have you seen napolean dynomite?

[vash]

when did bond get married?

and just saw spiderman2, it was fantastic.

[UconnTim97]

Just saw it tonight. Good movie, I enjoyed it more than the first one...

[epbrown]

Originally posted by vash
when did bond get married?

Her Majesty's Secret Service, iirc. Mrs. Bond doesn't survive the experience (or the movie).

Emanuel

[911pcars]

I took my son and his friends to see it the other day. Pretty good; better than SM 1. Maybe it's just me, but he was jerking around MJ so often with the "I love you, I love you not" routine, I thought she was going to go ballistic the last time he said, "Err, sorry I can't".... and I was rooting for her to strangle him.

Sherwood