The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Movie Review

As a sequel, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" feels a little bit off when compared to the original. Fans will like the as expected spectacular action sequences but may find it harder to digest as the narrative takes a back seat. Heart-pounding at times, the visuals are its biggest selling point with various shots and angles that get the audience into the dynamic of being the famed Web Slinger himself. But honestly speaking, film slightly falters in the middle as things slow down and characters start to converse with each other.

For Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), there's no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with the love of his life Gwen Stacy(Emma Stone). But life is never black-and-white and as Peter Parker struggles to balance between being the web-slinging superhero that he is and from being a regular teenager that made a promise to Gwen's dying father to never see her again for her protection, Peter is forced to decide which he values more. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must also confront a foe far more powerful than he is and as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp.

Let's get it out of the way, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" is simply astounding when the action starts to pump up. Superb visuals with the addition of in-your-face camera angles brings you right into the action. Although some may hate the CGI-heavy sequences, for us, it is the film's strongest point. What irks us though is when the film tries to get serious. This is, sadly, where the sequel seems a little bit off. If the visuals are its biggest asset, the biggest flaw is that the creators seemingly didn't know what they wanted from this outing. Their are countless plot lines the audience needs to contend with and the film skims through most of these from time to time. There was clearly an imbalance that you never really get to know and understand the characters both good and bad. As expected, the chemistry of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone works and works well and salvages the film when it comes to the emotional side. Overall, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" will please most audiences but it is definitely a slight step down compared to its predecessor. Hopefully this doesn't become a trend when it comes to the confirmed third and fourth films.

Rating: 4 reels





Why you should watch it:
- amazing visuals are the film's biggest asset
- the chemistry of Peter and Gwen just solidifies that they are the best superhero couple in town

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the plot simply contains too much
- the soundtrack was annoying at times especially when it came to Electro's scenes