Spider-Man 2

Release Date: June 30, 2004
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Director: Sam Raimi
Screenwriter: Alvin Sargent
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, Alfred Molina, Brooke Adams, Dylan Baker, Elizabeth Banks, Bruce Campbell, Daniel Gillies, Donna Murphy, Vanessa Ferlito, Ted Raimi
Genre: Action, Adventure
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for stylized action violence)
Official Website: SonyPictures.com

Plot Summary: Two years have passed, and the mild-mannered Peter Parker faces new challenges as he struggles with "the gift and the curse," desperately trying to balance his dual identities as the web-slinging superhero Spider-Man and his life as a college student. Tormented by his secrets, Peter finds that his relationships with all those he holds dear are in danger of unraveling. His life-long yearning for M.J. (Dunst) becomes even stronger as he fights the impulse to reveal his secret life and declare his love. His friendship with Harry Osborn (Franco) is complicated by the young Osborn's bitterness over his father's death and his growing vendetta against Spider-Man. Even Peter's beloved Aunt May (Harris), who has fallen on hard times after the death of Uncle Ben, begins to have doubts about her nephew. Peter's life is about to become even more complicated as he encounters a formidable new foe -- Dr. Otto Octavius (Molina). Peter must use all the powers at his disposal to try to stop this diabolical madman in his octagonal tracks.

Review By: Michael Larson
- Words escape me ... ecstasy

If you liked Spider-Man, you're going to love Spider-Man 2. It's a better movie in almost every way and it builds on everything that made the first film great while fixing all of its weaknesses.  There is nothing in this film to upset anyone and it delivers on all fronts.  The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is due to some minor niggling facts that I will discuss at the end of the review....more

Review By: Peter Veugelaers
- Words escape me ... ecstasy

I remember when Superman, released in 1978, made a case for the movie potential of comic book superheroes and their television altar egos. Crime fighter and superhero flicks have come and gone since, recently appearing all over cinema screens with the upcoming Catwoman, the X-Men films, Hulk, and of course this year’s Spiderman 2, sequel to 2002’s thumping success Spiderman. If Superman proved filmmakers could make a solid movie based on a comic book then Spiderman 2 sits proudly among cinema’s lexicon of superhero movies from the last thirty-five years....more

Review By John Barker:
- Better than a cheese royale: buy one while its hot

"With great power, comes great responsibility." Is the motto which drives every vein of Spiderman’s existence and the same dogma can be applied to Sam Raimi, The Evil Dead director, entrusted to direct a sequel to his own original blockbuster.

The second installment of this popularized comic sees the director inject a lot more of his personal visual style into the comic mix. The opening title sequence is a perfect example of Raimi imprinting himself upon the comic work of Steve Dikco and Stan Lee (who makes a cameo performance) as the whole Spider-story of the first film is conveyed through some abstractly inked comic frames....more

Related:  Spider Man (2002)