Spider-Man 2 – Film Review | DauntlessMedia.net

Spider-Man 2 – Film Review

Posted by Samuel Walters

Overview

Spider-Man II is about as perfect a film as you are ever going to see. Depending on personal preference, viewers might find other films more enjoyable, or preferable, to Spider-Man II. But without question, this is the comic book film to which all others – past, present and future – will be compared. It is a more simple tale than, say, The Dark Knight, but it goes through its paces almost flawlessly with a strong emphasis on character growth. Indeed, this is a story in which even the minor characters are given explicit development. If you’re talking about a list of the best comic book films ever made, this film has to be part of the conversation.

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Analysis & Criticism

At its most basic level, the film is about making the choices between the things we want (or even need) and our obligations to the greater good of the world within which we live. This is the theme which becomes the fundamental factor behind nearly every plot point in the film – from Otto Octavius’ passion for his fusion reactor (and wife), Peter Parker’s longing from Mary Jane Watson, and Harry Osborne’s obsession with Spider-Man. And because the theme is so consistently applied throughout the film, the narrative maintains a superb cohesiveness.

And the characters … this is the real heart of the film. Peter Parker is struggling to find balance – balance between his “responsibilities” as Spider-Man and his “responsibilities” as Peter Parker, the young man who still has to work, pay rent, go to school and, maybe, just maybe, find time for his own personal happiness as represented by Mary Jane Watson. It’s this inner conflict which is the driving force for the entire film. It makes it a story about choice and consequence. Peter Parker chose to keep his identity hidden from MJ, chose to lie to her about his love for her, and is therefore dealing with the consequence of watching her become engaged to another man. Likewise, Peter’s choice to be Spider-Man’s photographer alienates his best friend, Harry Osborne.

As often happens when our lives are not in balance – nothing works. So it is with Spider-Man, whose powers are, inexplicably, absent from time to time. Peter Parker’s struggles in part of his life, affect his entire life. It’s an important lesson for everyone, not just Peter Parker. What forces his hand, what becomes the agent of change and growth, is the character of Doc Ock, formerly the scientist Otto Octavius. And as movie villains go, his is one of the most well-rounded, well-constructed in memory.

The film goes to great lengths to establish Otto Octavius as a man of principle, of science, and love. He teaches Peter Parker some valuable lessons, even before he falls into evil ways. And the scenes depicting his love for his wife Rosalie (Donna Murphy) as genuine, pure, and as close to eternal as love gets in this world. And along with the love, their long history of togetherness makes the tragedy of Otto’s failed experiment all the more poignant. It’s a plot point that The Dark Knight tried to establish with Henry Dent and Rachel Dawes – tried, and failed. And in many ways, this is the biggest difference in quality between the two films.

As Doc Ock, Otto forces Peter Parker to confront his desires and responsibilities. Peter had given up on Spider-Man, on using his power for good, and had simply left the world to its own devices. But Doc Ock forces Peter to fight for the things he loves – more importantly, Doc Ock forces Peter to clarify exactly what it is that he does want. The conflict, and solution, can be summed up in the following little monologue from Aunt May:

Kids like Henry need a hero:

Courageous, self-sacrificing people, setting examples for all of us.

Everybody loves a hero.

People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names and years later they’ll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one…

I believe there is a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble … who finally allows us to die with pride…

Even though sometimes we have to be steady and give up the things we want the most … even our dreams.

The hardest thing to do in life is to give up the things we want, to give up our dreams. Some of us can give up our dreams, some of cannot. When you come right down to it, there’s nothing noble or glorious about the act of giving up on a dream. It’s messy. It’s agonizing. And it causes a great deal of trauma to not only us, but those around us.

No one ever said life was going to be easy. But giving up on a dream? It can be hell on Earth.

That is some of what we see on-screen for Peter Parker as he struggles with his own inner conflict of life as Spider-Man or life as Peter Parker, the man in love with Mary Jane Watson. Of course, this is a Hollywood movie, and it’ll have the typical Hollywood ending (such endings rarely occur in real life) with Peter Parker saving the girl, defeating his enemies and, in fact, ending up with the girl – despite him having made the choice otherwise. It is, perhaps, the film’s biggest drawback, though, it’s far from glaring or critical.

Along the way, there are a number of fantastic scenes, such as the aforementioned dinner scene with Peter, Otto and Rosalie, or Aunt May’s speech, or the train sequence in which New Yorkers get their first glimpse at Spider-Man, or the final confrontation between Doc Ock and a demasked Spider-Man. The latter is especially powerful because Peter Parker is able to use his own turmoil and conflict, his own personal growth, as a kind of weapon against Doc Ock’s madness, allowing him to reach to good man inside the evil monster. The scene has the added benefit of letting MJ discover Spider-Man’s identity, of letting her see and know and understand why it is that Peter Parker was, for so long, an “empty seat” to her. This then allows her to make her own choice – between the obligation of her engagement and her love for Peter.

And this is yet another lesson: Truth is vital. Peter Parker had hidden the truth for so long, he forgot how important it is that others know the truth. In a very real sense, it sets him, and everyone else, free.

Overall Grade: A

Spider-Man 2 is a wonderfully conceived and executed film. There are some stylized moments, however – particularly those dealing with Peter Parker as just a typical, somewhat hapless guy. And these decisions may prove to be a detriment for those wanting to see a superhero be, well, super. The tone of the film is certainly more lighthearted than, say, The Dark Knight. And that, too, may be a detriment depending on taste. But no matter what the personal taste of the viewer, the objective truth is that Spider-Man 2 is one of the best films I have ever seen. It’s an exceptional look at character and consequence.