The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Film Review (Warning: Spoilers)
First of all, I would like to warn you, true believers, that this film review contains spoilers. Do not read if you want to keep the elements of surprise in you.
Spider-Man! Although Sam Raimi didn't really fail dynamically on his version of the trilogy, I found those versions more "cartoony" with a lightweight plot that circulates within Mary Jane's Damsel-in-Distress stereotype. I was only a fan of those films simply because I'm a fan of the franchise. But let that not be the basis for my review of Marc Webb's version, The Amazing Spider-Man because believe me or not, it's by far, the best thing that happened since Marvel.
Let me start off:
Visuals
Albeit being too blah blah, the blah blah.. Okay, so no negative points for me. If there were, I wouldn't have given a rat's ass if it's "green screen's very noticeable", "CGI's shitty" or even the most famous hater commentary "Nah, it's all effects." Seriously, of course it is. And if you don't appreciate the beauty of CGI by letting your mind do the "believing" for you, then you're trying to be that hipster bigot who frantically believes that all Cannes Film Festival entries are way better than mainstream cinema. Get over it. TASM 2's visuals might be a little off for IMAX viewing, but that's it. The colors are wonderfully plated out, the cinematography is surprisingly striking (you don't have to be a freaking art major to notice), and the overall lighting adds just the right drama to the most important key points in the film.
Music/Audio
I listen to dubstep and couldn't understand why they'd enlist it as a soundtrack for TASM 2, but I'm surprised it came up pretty well with the slow motion timing and time-constrained fight scenes with Electro. It's dubstep. I know. Turn a blender on and hear dubstep. But I love it. And hey, maybe you will too if you see how much it fits the fight scenes.
Plus having your own theme song as your mobile's ringing tone? That is just badass.
Plot
The. Most. Amazing. Part. Of. Spider-Man 2. Is. This.
It's basically like watching the comic book come to life in the big screen. It plays very loyal to the original plot points of TASM in the comics, but adds its own uniqueness in relation to the arc of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The friendship of Harry and Peter, although briefly shown, tells a lot about their past. This is one of the most crucial things that they looked after and I appreciated the efforts of the filmmakers to bring it as close to the familiarity of the comic arcs.
Peter's intelligence, although being outsmarted by Gwen, is one of the most significant traits of Peter Parker that the film did not let go. This was strongly established, especially when he had troubles with Electro frying up his web shooters. That is what I love about it: It tried to explain everything that happens that would have been normally questioned by simple logic. All without sacrificing the quality of the plot delivery.
The death of Gwen Stacy is one of the most iconic deaths in comic book history. The Green Goblin was responsible for her death in almost all renditions of the arc. And indeed, TASM 2 delivered. If there's one thing that concretely turned the whole complexity around, it's her death. It changed Peter. It made him understand that he is still, after all, only human. And this is what it's like to fail as someone who fights for the good of all - at the cost of your loved ones. This sequence is the most outstanding scene I have witnessed my entire life so far in a superhero movie.
Acting
Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield (Gwen and Peter) - their chemistry is so tight, that Gwen's death affected me in a way that it affected Peter. They must have developed something that clicked for the audience without sacrificing the quality of their characters. And I'll get to more Andrew Garfield later
Dane DeeHan (Harry Osborn) - This guy nailed it. I knew it the first time I saw him in the trailer. This guy is the baddest, meanest actor to play a villain at his age. I've seen him before in Chronicle and couldn't have testified more to how great of an actor he is. He justifies the insanity of Green Goblin, much like how Willem Dafoe did, but in a darker, crazier tone.
Jamie Foxx (Electro) - Lol this guy's a freaggin' legend. I didn't like how wimpy his character is though, but Electro here is very much similar to the comic too on how he hungers for power almost constantly (because he's living energy duh) and how Peter had trouble fighting him due to his web shooters' sensitivity to electricity.
Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker) - I don't like how he portrayed Peter. He's supposed to be a wimp, although the constant crying of Andrew wouldn't count as wimpy. Peter was supposed to let small things go because when he's Spider-Man, his aggressiveness towards evil is fueled by these frustrations. What I loved about Andrew though, is how he plays Spider-Man! It's like seeing the pages of the comics being turned page by page in the big screen! He's lippy. He constantly annoys his enemies by trying to be funny. And he calls Electro "Sparkles" (just like in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions)
Conclusion
I'm not trying to be biased. I love Spider-Man and quite frankly, I'd probably love every film based on him. But after seeing The Amazing Spider-Man 2, I felt that this is exactly how it should have been made. It's dark and serious, albeit trying to lighten things up and eventually rising to a mere twist that teaches the heart of the film to the audience. The only downside for me is probably how "rushed" the ending feels like. I know it's supposed to transition for a spin-off or a comic tie-in, but it would've been better if they included it in the film.
Although, I couldn't say much anymore, but I was very entertained. And for those of you who risked reading the spoilers but haven't watched it, trust me, you'd love it.
Oh yes, you read my mind. It's a 5 out of 5.
-ino-
P.S. More Spoilers:
Things you might have missed on The Amazing Spider-Man 2! Sinister Six Saga. This is confirmed! So far, we have Rhino's appearance. But what astounds me are Vulture's Wings and Dr. Octopus' arms. Of course we already have Goblin, so that leaves Lizard, Kraven the Hunter, Electro (I doubt it), Shocker and Sandman to fill in the missing spots. Felicia Hardy. Oh yes, this bitch-a-roonie-doonie Black Cat (I hate her) is in the universe and who knows what relationship she will have with Pete. Alistair Smythe. Not what I expected him to be. He's played by B.J. Novak (from the Office) and is merely a cameo, but it seems he's not much of the science whiz I thought he'd be. For those of you who don't know, he's the one who built the Spider-Slayers and eventually became one. Scorpion. Based from the events that unfolded, Connors' "cross-species genetics research" was "cancelled." But that would explain a lot if Scorpion is to surface.
:)