(2004) 4.5 Jeremy Wheeler Sam Raimi raises the bar of excellence with Spider-Man 2, a highly evolved sequel that brims with superb comedy, heartfelt characters, and dazzling visuals that nail the wall-crawler's universe in a fully respectable and exciting way. With the luxury of having the origin story behind them, the filmmakers let loose with this one, all the while still staying true to the character-driven focus that made the first film so fresh and appealing. Tobey Maguire again holds the spotlight amazingly well, this time comically tortured by his director, who seems to finally be having fun with the franchise. Back is Raimi's energetic visual style, something that has been missing since his Darkman days and one thing that the original was sorely lacking. Of course, the hero always needs a villain, and this time it's Alfred Molina playing a Doc Oc that isn't over-the-top in the usual flamboyant way, but brimming with a conflicted sense of sadness mixed with maniacal purpose. His tentacles deserve credit as well, as they add little touches of flair even when they aren't throwing Spidey through walls or bashing up city streets. Kirsten Dunst delivers another charming performance, while James Franco takes the Harry Osbourne character through the next step in his tragic arc, pointing straight toward events in the third film. The real surprise is Rosemary Harris as a truly touching Aunt May, who ends up being the emotional backbone of the story. Her speeches to Peter are devastating and resonate throughout the film as the events are played out. Again, it's this kind of attention to character that really makes the series shine. While Spider-Man 2 is a visual feast brimming with action, it never plays dumb to its characters or the audience. Raimi and company have effectively expanded on the world they created, making every scene essential to what has happened before and a building block of what's to come. Eagle-eyed fans will appreciate the nods to various other characters in the universe, the most immediate being Dylan Baker as Dr. Curt Connors (who eventually becomes The Lizard in the comics), along with Daniel Gillies's John Jameson, whose character is a direct setup for canine villain Man-Wolf. However close to perfect the final film is, there are a few things that don't ring so true -- Harry Osbourne needs a little more sympathy instead of being angry from the get-go, while Peter's tall and skinny neighbor supplies a great laugh, but doesn't end up serving much of a purpose in the end. Still, those are nitpicks and very well might end up paying off by the time the third movie rolls around. With advanced effects, a much more satisfying Danny Elfman score, and a filmmaker at the top of his game leading the charge, Spider-Man 2 is a classic superhero movie that deserves the near-unanimous praise that it has garnered.

releases for Spider-Man 2 on AllMovie

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

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Spider-Man 2

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Violence
Adult Situations
Watch With Your Kids
Scary Moments
Suitable for Teens

genres

Action

sub-genres

Superhero Film

category

Feature

directed by

Sam Raimi

countries

USA

release date

June 30, 2004 (USA)
July 23, 2004 (USA - IMAX)

run time

124 min.

produced by

Laura Ziskin Productions, Marvel Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment

released by

Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment

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	Title/Studio	Release Date
	Spider-Man 2 [Includes Digital Copy] [UltraViolet] [Blu-ray] Sony Pictures More	June 12, 2012

	Spider-Man 2 [French] [Blu-ray] Sony Pictures (Canadian) More	June 5, 2012

	Spider-Man 2.1 [WS] [Extended Cut] [2 Discs] Sony Pictures More	March 15, 2011

	Spider-Man 2 [Blu-ray] [Essentials Repackage] Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (Canadian) More	November 16, 2010

	Spider-Man 2 [Unrated] [Blu-ray] Sony Pictures More	November 16, 2010

	Spider-Man 2.1 [Extended] Columbia Tristar More	April 23, 2007

	Spider-Man 2.1 [WS] [Extended Cut] [2 Discs] Sony Pictures More	April 17, 2007

	Spider-Man 2 Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (Canadian) More	June 6, 2006

	Spider-Man 2 [Superbit] Columbia Tristar More	October 24, 2005

	Spider-Man 2 [UMD] Columbia TriStar More	June 14, 2005

	Spider-Man 2 [Collector's DVD Gift Set] [WS] [2 Discs] Columbia TriStar More	November 30, 2004

	Spider-Man 2 [P&S] [Special Edition] [2 Discs] Columbia TriStar More	November 30, 2004

	Spider-Man 2 [Superbit] Columbia TriStar More	November 30, 2004

	Spider-Man 2 [WS] [Special Edition] [2 Discs] Columbia TriStar More	November 30, 2004

	Spider-Man 2 Columbia Tristar More	November 26, 2004

	Spider-Man 2 Columbia Tristar More	November 26, 2004