Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a spider can . . .

Not really of the mindset to do a third entry tonight, but it's inevitable: I need to write my review of Spiderman 2. (By the way, I realize I italicize some of the movie titles I do and not others...not really sure why. Inconsistency, I guess.) First off, let me just give my quick review: this movie is terrific and the best movie of a very mediocre summer thus far.

Okay, so now that you know that, what is so terrific about it? In a word: everything. This is a fun, exciting, enthrallingly entertaining movie that has heart and soul. I thoroughly enjoyed the first film, but felt the superhero scenes (especially that rooftop scene with the Green Goblin) came across kinda corny. This time, Dock Ock is one great villain. Three-dimensional, not totally evil. And Alfred Molina (far removed from his "give me the idol, I'll throw you the whip" days) doesn't chew the scenery up at all as Willem Dafoe did in Spidey One.

I guess I should start out with my usual frustration at sequels. Normally, they just try to do more of the same. A rehash of the same story. No continuity of the characters; in fact, most the time, the same characters just disappear. And that was the only way I was afraid they could screw a second Spiderman movie up. The first movie ended on such a pitch perfect note: Peter Parker walking away from Mary Jane, commiting to a life of responsibility; Harry vowing revenge. It whet the appetitie of viewers and left them begging for more. And if they had just ignored that, I would have been crushed.

But the best sequels are continuations--especially when they're following comic book stories which were MADE for continuity. And gosh darn it if this sequel didn't just fulfill everything the first film promised...it exceeded everything. We learn the trials of being a hero and the sacrifices that they had to make. We get to see Mary Jane and Peter's relationship suffer as a result of his choices. We see Harry struggle with some tough information. Some people might find this boring. But those are the people who forget that superheroes have a person behind the mask. I've personally always been fascinated with how these ordinary guys could live these double lives. What's the toll on them? What happens to the rest of their lives? Do they ever mix colors when they wash their supersuits and their boxers? This movie continues to unfold a very fascinating universe and I can't wait until part 3 in 2006.

So what else is great? Let's first off give props where they are due: Sam Raimi has made a heckuva movie here. I've always been so pleased that he and Peter Jackson went from making very bizzare, quirky horror films to successfully helming some wonderful movies (although Pete's Lord of the Rings films are in a much different league that Spiderman...those are true epic classics.) There are two sides to this wonderful director, who is a native Detroiter. First is his kinetic quirkiness and keen sense of visual humor: if you haven't ever seen Evil Dead 2 or Army of Darkness, you haven't ever truly seen pure genius. He cuts loose visually in this movie, especially when Dock Ock first goes nuts. . . those low to the ground moves from Evil Dead 2 are put to high tech use...and the swinging Spidey scenes are as kinetic and fun as ever. Plus, the humor in this movie is totally on the money. I don't know that I've ever chuckled as heartily as I did when Spidey was in the elevator or cheered on the inside as loudly as when Bruce Campbell did his requisite cameo (it's a rule that Bruce Campbell makes a movie that much better, by the way.) But Sam Raimi also has an emotional core to a lot of his work. I've raved on here before about the thriller he directed, A Simple Plan, which is one of my top ten favorite films of all times. It's the rare thriller that also works as a tearjerker at the end. While Spiderman 2 doesn't put a lump in your throat, it does have a soft love for it's characters. Who can't identify with Peter Parker, who just can't catch a break? Who can't share his heartbreak and confusion over love? His odds with responsibility and chasing his dreams? The character scenes work like dynamite here. They could have been boring...for me, they were the best scenes in an already fantastic movie.

Second, the action is upped here. There isn't as much action as the typical superhero flick, but what there is is incredibly well orchestrated. Dock Ock's genesis in the operating room was creepy as heck; the showdown in the bank was classic; the finale was good. But the showstopper is the runaway bus scene. Just pure whiz-bang filmmaking, culminating in an ending that could have been cheesy, but came off as touching and finally letting Spiderman catch a break.

Third, the casting in this film is perfect. Alfred Molina does a wonderful job creating a villain who is to be remembered for years. Dock Ock has a heart and warmth to him in the opening scenes and there's always that glimmer there even as he turns bad. But he doesn't overdo it, as Willem Dafoe did in a rare bad turn. Watch his face in the action scenes...he doesn't flinch. J.K. Simmons as the newspaper editor Jameson is hilarious (he was also the only funny thing in The Ladykillers this year). James Franco shows a lot of depth in a role that hints at bigger things to come in the third installment. . . he could have played it as crazy, but the emotional complexity of his discoveries in the end was handled very well. Kirsten Dunst, is of course, radiant as Mary Jane, and the heart of the movie.

Oh, and Tobey Maguire. To say he does good in this movie is not a surprise...anyone who saw Seabiscuit or pretty much any film he's ever done knows he is quite the actor. But he's a good sport, even taking some sore back jokes in stride. To think they almost replaced him with Jake Gyllenhall is a sad thought. Nothing against Jake, he's a terrific actor who was phenomenal in Donnie Darko and very talented in October Sky and Day After Tomorrow. He would've made a fine second choice. But I think he's too brooding and comes across as uncool-by-choice, sort of a noncomformist. That's not Peter Parker. Pete's always wanted to be cool, but never given the chance. Maguire was born to play Peter Parker and hits every note perfectly, bringing heart,soul, and complexity to this character.

I love this movie to death. Is it the best movie of the year? No, that's still Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. But it's probably the most entertaining two hours I've had in the theatre all year. Is it the best superhero movie, as Roger Ebert said? That's a toss-up, but I think I'm still partial to X2, which had a more epic feel. But that's not fair, either, because they are two different types of movies. Spiderman is about the man behind the mask while X-men deals with what happens when you can't take the mask off. But it's safe to say this movie will go down as a classic in the superhero pantheon. It gets the action scenes right on the money, which movies like Daredevil constantly over stylize. It has heart to it, which very few superhero movies do. And, unlike Hulk, it goes for seriousness and character growth, but has a swinging time doing it.

C-Dubbs