The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Today I would like to commemorate the end of finals and the end of the 2013-14 school year by reviewing this year's second Marvel summer blockbuster The Amazing Spider-Man 2(ASM2)! Ok to start off, I really enjoyed this movie. I know what's wrong with it, but there's much that's right with it also, so let's go with that first.

I heard that they changed the costume colors back to the traditional bright red and blue for ASM2 which is good in my book.

ASM2 picks back up with Peter Parker's (once again played excellently by Andrew Garfield) galavanting adventures as Spider-Man. As we join him this time around, a couple years have passed and he's now graduating from college, a freelance photographer, and much more comfortable and confident Spider-Man. It's his relationships with the two ladies in his life that are on the rocks as he battles his conscience in his on and off relationship with Gwen Stacy (played expertly by Emma Stone), and as he tries to keep his super-heroing hidden while helping provide for Aunt May (played by the ever-inspiring Sally Field). Meanwhile, there's the house of Oscorp which isn't a happy household either. Harry Osborne (played by Dane DeHaan, who I am not familiar with and was aiite) returns from abroad to his dying father and the only inheritance (besides Oscorp) is the same terminal disease his father is dying from (talk about a strained relationship). Then there is the "main villain" (yes I am using the expression loosely for a reason and not just to look witty and cool) ever neglected Max Dillon who eventually becomes Electro (played and sometimes overplayed by Jamie Foxx) by means of Oscorp's neglect. Both houses Osborn and Parker are on uneasy footing and they intersect violently at Peter/Spider-Man who also discovers some deep and dark secrets about his parents and their connections to Oscorp.

Great chemistry between these two, which shouldn't be surprising since they're dating for reals.

Did you think my explanation of the story (without giving away too much) was a bit much? Well that's because there's SOOO much going on in this movie. Max/Electro just wants people to acknowledge his existence, Harry Osborn is resentful to his late father for giving him a terminal disease, Gwen just wants a straight answer out of Peter about their relationship, Aunt May wants Peter to acknowledge her as what he has left instead of always searching for what's missing (his parents), and somehow Peter (sometimes as Spider-Man) has to deal with all of these relational threads. Maybe Spider-Man is a commentary about relationships in general. We're all spiders who have woven a intricate web of relationships around us, and the bigger and more intricate the web of relationships get, the harder it is to maintain and keep track of. Eventually, something gets away from you and you end up disappointing others and yourself. Perhaps the fact that Peter has these super powers and still can keep track of everything going on around him is a reminder to us that even superheroes aren't perfect. You gotta give yourself a break every once in awhile and hang on to those around you who understand and cut you some slack from time to time also.

How much longer can Peter keep his secret from Aunt May?

Anyways, the action scenes amaze balls (which really in a Marvel summer blockbuster goes without saying). The fights between lightning fast Electro and Spidey sense Spider-Man are slowed down at just the right times for effect and are executed brilliantly. The visuals are awesome; literally there is something to be in awe of. Especially Electro and Spidey's first fight in Times Square, the film makers really show why Spider-Man is New York City and why New York City is Spider-Man.

Spider-Man saving one of New York City's finest, while Electro stares in the background.

Did they overpack the movie? Yes and no. Electro...never had the deepest animosity for Spider-Man so it's hard to really put him as the focal point of the movie. Doctor Octopus or Green Goblin, now those guys and Spider-Man have history. But Max is not so strong character wise which is why at times Jamie Foxx kinda oversells Max's social awkwardness, and they have to bring other villains in, and leave loose ends for the sinister six in the next movie. So yes they did overpack, but unlike the third installment of the last trilogy, with much better reason and purpose.

So watch the movie~! It was way fun, and in my opinion better than the first movie. And the ending...wow the ending, it's a doozy.

What did you think of the movie? Comment below!

Blessings~!