Director: Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Dane DeHaan, Jamie Foxx, Colm Feore, Sally Field, Chris Cooper, Felicity Jones, Paul Giamatti, Embeth Davidtz, Campbell Scott, Marton Csokas.
Running Time: 142 minutes
Certificate: 12
Extras: Making Of, Deleted Scenes, Commentary, Music Video
The reboot nobody particularly wanted spreads its wings into new territory. Having that awkward backstory out of the way means that THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 can become its own beast. With that in mind, it’s clear to see that this film had absolutely no idea of what it wanted to do. This is THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2’s greatest problem, it is all over the place in terms of tone and plot points. We start off with an interesting sequence set aboard a plane. The scene gives us some more backstory into Peter Parker’s parents’ disappearance. Hitting hard along the lines of spy espionage thrillers or terrorist centred action films of the 90s, this is one of the only times the film feels fresh and focused. Never mind that though, because we have multiple villains and teenage romance to get you going.
Despite criticism regarding SPIDER-MAN 3’s multiple villains, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN follows the same path, but also does so much more. It condenses every romantic twist and dramatic moment from the original trilogy into its bloated 142 minute running time as Peter (Garfield) and Gwen (Stone) are kept apart due to responsibility and get back together, and Peter wrestles with whether he should be Spider-Man or not. Dane DeHaan is also crammed in as Harry Osborn, returning to see his father Norman (Cooper) off to the land of the dead. His story arc is completely rushed and remarkably makes Spider-Man out to be the villain. Parker refuses to help Harry obtain Spider-Man’s blood to help with a rare disease, and then shows up in costume to once again refuse him the blood. It’s a dick move and one that highlights a script which continuously trips over itself.
Jamie Foxx is used as nothing more than an excuse for action while Harry’s story arc is taking place and setting him up for the climax. Foxx plays it as a pantomime villain who is completely over the top and has his Spider-Man obsession rushed, because again the writers seem to switch focus halfway. Giamatti is just sort of…there, and the writers even drop in a ridiculous subplot about Aunt May (Field) becoming a nurse so she actually has something to do. No wonder Shailene Woodley’s scenes as Mary Jane were cut, and God knows where they intended to place them.
This is most frustrating due to the fact the film has real talent. Garfield and Stone, a couple in real life, have amazing chemistry and their love feels completely real. Stone is also not just left to be captured, but uses her brain to aid Peter as Spider-Man. Webb gives us some pretty astonishing set-pieces too while the effects are the best in the series; excusing that final scene. It’s also very fun when you take it as it is and don’t focus too much on the story, but there is forever a feeling that the film is catching up with the previous franchise while also trying to become something epic in terms of THE AVENGERS. You’ve already heard about THE SINISTER SIX, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 3 and a female centred spin-off, and it’s these that this film was more concerned about, instead of giving us a damn good film in its own right.
Extras: (The following contains spoilers as to the content of the deleted scenes)
The extras are fairly substantial but actually do more to dig a hole for the film itself, especially when considering the deleted scenes. Once again we have a character whose mysterious vanishing in the film is explained in a deleted scene. We also see a sequence in which Max Dillon (Foxx) has a conversation with his mother, which erupts into another Dillon fantasy of what he would actually like to say. Only one of these was left in the final film, making it seem a bizarre moment. No fate is given for the mother, so perhaps they knew they would cut this scene early on. If not, then it would have contradicted the later scenes of covering up Dillon’s apparent death. The most interesting deleted scene sees Parker’s dad return having faked his death. Although it leads to an emotional scene, it once again reinforces the fact that this film was going off in all directions.
In the commentary, the writers attempt to justify certain decisions, but instead it sounds as though they are making excuses. They explain how Electro was the main villain in order to let Harry grow, despite the fact they both completely detract from one another’s development. No doubt the chaos of the shoot was something that Kurtzman and Orci had to keep contending with, but rather than sounding honest they make it seem as though everything worked out for the best. Perhaps a 20 year anniversary reissue will provide us with some truthful answers.
The making of is what you might expect, but still offers fascinating insight into such a big production. Overall, this is a welcome package that fans will love exploring, but it also raises more questions than answers.
[usr=3]THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 is released on DVD and Blu-ray from 1st September.
