The Amazing Spider-Man 2 | Movie Review

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (released as The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro in some markets) is a 2014 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, directed by Marc Webb and released by Columbia Pictures. It serves as a sequel to the 2012 film The Amazing Spider-Man and was announced in 2011.

Cast:

Andrew Garfield
Emma Stone
Jamie Foxx
Dane DeHaan
Colm Feore
Felicity Jones
Campbell Scott
Embeth Davidtz
Paul Giamatti
Sally Field




Movie Review

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 (Marc Webb, 2014) - Sluggish pacing will disappoint fans expecting a visual spectacle over human drama.

Star Rating : ★★★☆☆

My notes on The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (and some trailers before the movie):

1. When they played Hooked on a Feeling in the Guardians of the Galaxy trailer, I suddenly remembered Ally McBeal's Oogachaka Baby. It's time for a re-watch.
2. Will Annie be the feel-good movie of the year? Hearing Tomorrow gave me goosies. It was great to see a more grown-up Quvenzhane Wallis.
3. How many more versions of origin stories are we going to see? Am I the only one getting confused with all of these flashbacks?
4. It was funny that Apple didn't seem to exist in the Marvel universe. Every single gadget from laptops to phones were made by Sony. How many shots of Vaio did you see?
5. I loved all of those aerial swooping scenes. This would be the perfect ride in Enchanted Kingdom's Rialto complete with the cool wind effects blowing on your face. I was just concerned that all of those swinging would cause a lot of road accidents. Wouldn't you scream your head off if Spidey suddenly appeared on your windshield?
6. When I initially heard Spidey's ringtone, my brain went "Spider-Pig"! The Simpsons Movie clearly messed with my head.
7. And yet another Stan Lee cameo. Wait, if he's required to show up in each and every Marvel movie, is it still considered a cameo role?
8. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone will forever remain my favorite Hollywood couple. Such excellent actors and their chemistry onscreen is just undeniable. I would love to see them in a Marc Webb rom-com.
9. Was I the only one having a Starting Over Again flashback in that fountain scene?
10. Webb directed 500 Days of Summer, one of my favorite movies of all time. He really knows how to handle these relationship dramas (Peter-Gwen, Peter-May, Peter-Harry, Peter-Richard, etc.). And yet two and a half hours was still not enough to tell all of these stories. The movie just ended like a setup for future installments. Couldn't they have split this into two movies instead and focused on specific storylines?
11. Fame always comes with a cost. Scary.
12. The special effects in that Times Square scene was really good. I could have done without that slow-mo stairs scene, though.
13. I've always thought that water conducted electricity so I was surprised when it was used to weaken Electro (who resembled that nude Watchman character). Can someone explain this further? (Yes, I was bad in all of my Science classes.)
14. What's with all of those endless quips? Why were there too many scenes that strain for laughs? And what is up with that relentless musical score?
15. Dane DeHaan looked like a lanky Leonardo DiCaprio meets Chito Miranda.
16. Spidey's voice didn't sound all that different from Peter's. How could Harry not have known? Was this a classic case of the Darna-Narda syndrome?
17. That falling scene. That ending. THAT ENDING! Argh!!
18. "The heavier the box gets, the lighter I feel." Bravo Sally Field! You just broke my heart.
19. I don't think I've ever cried this much (or even at all) in a Marvel movie. I'll probably be depressed until tomorrow.
20. There's no need to wait for the end of the end credits. There's no additional scene after the X-Men preview. You're welcome.

Thanks to Json Javier for the wonderful movie review of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2.

Json Javier is working in a BPO industry and also a movie reviewer, he graduate in Ateneo de Manila University.