Spider-Man 2

Directed by: Sam Raimi

Spiderman/Peter Parker: Tobey Macguire
Mary Jane Watson: Kirsten Dunst
Harry Osbourne: James Franco
Dr. Otto Octavius: Alfred Molina


This movie is one of the ones I like to call a standard setter. It places a bar, and movies from this point forward will have to match or exceed it in order to meet the high standards set here. One of the first reasons is that director Sam Raimi understands the value of motion. This movie moves well. Both in plotline, and visually. You feel like you're swinging through New York City with Spiderman and when Peter falls, you fall right along with him.

This movie picks up with Peter Parker struggling to make ends meet as he hustles to two jobs along with college. Add to that being a superhero, and you can imagine our favorite web-slinger doesn't have much in the way of freetime. That's where some hurt feelings come in from his long time crush Mary Jane, and his good friend Harry. They feel like they've been left on the side. If only they knew! Not long into the movie, I found myself thinking that as I anguished for the sad state of Peter's life. He's doing the right thing every day, but he's losing what he wants. Not fair really. The superhero should get the happy life...right? But this is one of the messages Raimi hammers home with believable clarity. Doing the right thing isn't always easy. But it is ALWAYS worth it.

We also revist Aunt May, who is struggling to survive after the death of her beloved husband Ben at the hands of a robber. We see Peter try to help when and as he can, but he helps the most when he simply tells the truth. A truth that he's held onto for years. It hurts his Aunt, but she respects him for it. Another worthwhile message.

Now then, every good superhero movie needs a villain. And this one comes not long after Peter meets the brilliant Otto Octavius. On the edge of a discovery for the ages, something goes terribly wrong and Otto is transformed into Doc Ock. Molina is brilliantly brazen in both parts. The arrogance of Otto and the madness of Ock are handed in with such formidable power that you can't always seperate the two. Ock was born of tragedy, and in the end you're reminded that while he caused so much destruction he is still a human man who has suffered his own pain.

All in all, the acting throughout the movie is first rate. Tobey Macguire, who had to gain about twenty pounds of muscle because of how slim he had to be for "Seabiscuit", works hard to make Peter a believable character. You like Peter, you cheer when he succeeds and you feel for him when he fails. Dunst and Franco also bring back the wonderful qualities of the first movie...with Dunst making MJ a far more interesting character for me in this go-round. She's independent, and strong and unafraid to speak her mind.

My only word of caution here is the violence. While there's nothing gory, there is a lot of it. Styled as "comic book action", it does put you on the edge of your seat. A character does die, but again its in such a way that there's nothing repulsive about it.

All in all, Spider-Man 2 makes for some serious movie going fun. And it brings forward a superhero message thats worthwhile for everyone. Even if you can't climb a wall.

-Jenn Untch

Liberty, Missouri
indigojenn@earthlink.net
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