An impressive continuation of the "Spiderman" story; Marc Webb's latest motion picture is a thrilling sequel.

"The Amazing Spiderman 2" (12A)
Directed by: Marc Webb.
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Paul Giamatti and Sally Field.
Rated: 12A for containing moderate violence and threat.
Running time: 142 minutes. 
Out now in UK cinemas.

It was only four years after the release of Sam Raimi's critical disaster "Spiderman 3", yet film and technology giant Sony Pictures was eager to get the ball rolling, on the rebooted franchise of the “Spiderman” universe. The main reason for their eagerness was due to the cinematic rights of the “Spiderman” creation reverting back to Marvel Studios, if a new instalment was not completed, in a certain amount of time. So naturally, hesitation was not something that arose in the minds of the filmmakers, as they decided to start production almost immediately, upon "The Amazing Spiderman".

The Fire Brigade had become fairly desperate for volunteers... 

Some said that this was a move that came too soon and seemed far too rushed. However, I always felt that it was a bold (yet needed) move for the studio and luckily, it was a choice which would eventually prove to be fruitful. 

How so? Well, it helped to establish the career of the terrific, young British actor, named Andrew Garfield and the talented director, Marc Webb (of “500 Days Of Summer” fame). Not only did it increase the prominence for those who worked upon it, but it also achieved praise from many fans and critics, who mainly believed that the reboot was faithful, and intelligent.

Peter (Andrew Garfield) and Gwen (Emma Stone) share a villain-free moment together...

Now three years on since the success of "The Amazing Spiderman", we now have "The Amazing Spiderman 2" (no points awarded for titular originality eh?).

Set soon after the events of its predecessor, "TAS2" sees Peter Parker/Spiderman (Andrew Garfield) falter, as he begins to not only question his parent’s strange and abrupt disappearance, but also whether he should risk the life of his girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), in return for love. Soon this proves too much for our hero and with the introduction of three villains (setting up for a ‘Sinister Six’ film?), his task of fighting crime will only ever become a constant conflict, between heroes and villains. 


If it hadn't already occurred to you (from reading the plot synopsis), "TAS2" is an ambitious sequel. It endeavours to fit in three villains, a complicated love story and a section dedicated to Peter's parents. 

Where did Electro (Jamie Foxx) get that suit from?

Fortunately, "TAS2" tackles all of the above tasks with ease. With a script written by Alex Kurtzman, Robert Orci and Jeff Pinkner, they manage to tie in all of these story arcs to an acceptable standard, by donating an acceptable amount of screen-time to each arc, and therefore allowing every single part to flourish. 

This is certainly evident in the romance of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone's characters, who are able to thrive and perform brilliantly together on screen and portray a couple (because they are in real life!) perfectly, with their emotional chemistry bouncing off of one another with seamless ease. 

Peter (Andrew Garfield) and
 Harry (Dane Dehann), the best
of
friends? 

It's not only the romance that seems convincing, it's the villains who are actually entertaining; “BAFTA Rising Star” nominee Dane Dehann, portrays Harry Osborne exceptionally well and far better than his predecessor James Franco, by delivering a fiendish performance with charm and wit. 

Jamie Foxx also shines in his role as Max Dillon, a lowly engineer from “Oscorp”, who after an accident, is transformed into Electro, a Spiderman-obsessed villain, who is particularly powerful and proves quite the match for Spiderman. However, the only weak link is found within Paul Giamatti's character Aleksei Sytsevich (AKA Rhino) who's screen presence is wasted without affection, as he appears only twice within the film, for only a short amount of time. However, the next instalment could see him reappear, for a lengthier and more fulfilling role. 

A battle between Spiderman (Andrew Garfield) and Electro (Jamie Foxx)...

For those who don't read comics particularly often (like myself), in terms of the back-story to Peter's parents disappearance, it may be slightly different, I’m not quite sure. But in this adaptation, the back-story provides compelling and gripping entertainment, with Embeth Davidtz and Campbell Scott, both reoccurring in their roles of Mary and Richard Parker, for longer screen time, whilst providing pivotal performances. 

 To add to the already exceptional sequel, Hanz Zimmer once again provides an electrifying score to accompany the film, including a terrific piece named “You’re That Spider Guy”. It's not his best score by far, yet it's a notable and entertaining soundtrack. 

Marc Webb on the set of
"The Amazing Spiderman 2".

Marc Webb's directing is also something which should be highly praised. Having only directed indie-hit "500 Days of Summer" prior to "The Amazing Spiderman", it was obvious that Webb's skill with the camera had been noted, and rightfully so. Throughout many of the action sequences Marc directs them perfectly, allowing every element of the action to be displayed smartly upon the screen and therefore provides a thrilling spectacle.  

Verdict

Despite small imperfections, "The Amazing Spiderman 2" is an affectionate gift to the Spiderman universe, with notable characters, a plausible romance and inventive set pieces, making "TAS2" an exceptional sequel.

8 stars out of 10

Written by Scott Gentry.

Film Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.