What a way to kick of the summer blockbuster season; The Amazing Spider Man 2 is finally here!
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My wife went out of town this weekend so I decided to treat myself to seeing The Amazing Spider Man 2 and I was not disappointed. It comes as the sequel to the 2012 reboot of the series which saw Andrew Garfield dawn the red and blue spandex, a reboot that in many opinions outdid earlier adaptations. I count myself among those and am even more pleased with the new director and cast after seeing this new film in the series.
As with the first Amazing Spider Man, number two has a delightful blend of super hero action tied in with comic relief, which is the Spider Man of the 90’s comics and cartoons that I grew up with. Spidey is supposed to be a fun hero to follow around the city; not always too serious but able to dawn that mask when needed. It was also nice to see the writers delve further into the psyche of Peter Parker and give us a real human to connect to onscreen, something that can be missed in some comic book movie adaptations. In my eyes Andrew Garfield still fits perfectly in his second go round, he is awkward enough to be believable as a nerdy young man still learning about life and love but more than capable as a hero when needed.
The Amazing Spider Man 2 showcases some spectacular special effects, particularly in the scenes featuring the villain Electro played by Jamie Foxx. His screen time always has a very different feel than much of the rest of the movie that draws us into the seriousness of the moment. Electro’s appearances are noted with a distinctive visual tone and a soundtrack with heavy dubstep elements, which suit the power he has quite well. Modern CGI is what it took to bring this baddie to life and Foxx’s performance certainly brings it home.
Over the past few years Marvel has gotten an excellent handle on catering to a wide variety of viewers and it shows true here. For the particularly keen viewer there are subtle nods towards an expanded universe as well as a pretty blatant set up for sequels at the end, which has become the recipe for success with Marvel. Along with this there is also plenty for hardcore followers of the comics to notice but you could walk in not knowing who Spider Man is and still enjoy the film.
Sitting in the theater I was reminded of wearing pajamas and eating cereal on a Saturday morning watching Spiderman save the city once again. I am so glad that film making techniques have progressed to where they are today because it is letting me experience my childhood heroes in beautiful new ways; the way I always saw them in my imagination as a kid. I was caught up in the movie in the ways I expect from a good super hero flick and was glad I took the time to see it.
Bottom line; if you liked the first one that came out in 2012 go see The Amazing Spider Man 2, you won’t regret it.
