There are certain things that we've come to expect from a Spider-Man movie: web-fu, a cameo of Stan Lee helping someone dodge falling debris, and Kirsten Dunst's nipples poking through a wet shirt. Spider-Man 2 delivers on all three expectations and more, and not in an Austin Powers 3 "didn't-they-already-do-that?" sense. Meet the new Spidey, same as the old, but in a good way.
In this installment, Oscorp sponsors the brilliant Doctor Octavius in his quest for controllable fusion. It is a noble endeavor but one doomed to fail because this is an action movie. Octavius apparently isn't content with sticking his arms in those rubber-sleeves-behind-glass that most scientists use; he's invented four massive AI-augmented mechanical tentacles that he can control through neural connections jacked directly into his spine. Pretty sweet, and one wonders why Oscorp doesn't just make its millions in mechanical tentacle sales. But hey, it's a comic book movie, we'll forgive them that minor point, too.
Of course, accidents happen, chaos ensues, and the tentacles take over Doc Ock's mind and make him really grumpy. Plus, Harry Osborn is still holding a big grudge for the death of his father. Can Spider-Man save the day, protect his loved ones, and get his homework done on time?
Despite the fun I poke, the story is pretty solid. Parts of the plot arc feel like they've been boosted from Superman 2, but I'm told that it's really based on the Amazing Spiderman comic, Issue #50, which was published in 1967. It's a story that could be predictable, but the writers do a good job of teasing us with other possibilities and making the whole deal fun enough that we're on the edge of our seat no matter how it turns out.
The special effects are pretty much comparable to the previous installment. Doc Ock's tentacles reminded me a lot of the Sentinels from The Matrix, but were still quite believeable in their movements. The CGI is apparent in the surreal sheen of the colors in many scenes, but it's easily overlooked and never as bad as the wooden zombie graphics of The Matrix Reloaded.
My only real complaint is that there were way too many women screaming in B-movie fashion. The operating room scene is especially laden with gratuitous screaming. I suppose it's somewhat in line with the comic book motif of helpless women and such, but I found it distracting.
Overall, Spider-Man 2 equals, if not surpasses, its predecessor. Director Sam Raimi has the makings of a really great franchise on his hands, possibly as good as Indiana Jones or Back to the Future. It's already surpassed the Batman series, despite that franchise's exceptionally strong episode with Jack Nicholson as the Joker. Here's hoping that Raimi continues to get it right, because after all, with great power comes great responsibility.
Oh, and something I've always wondered: who goes around cleaning up all those long web ropes that Spider-Man leaves hanging from all the buildings as he swings down the street? Surely they're a bigger mess than dog crap on the sidewalk, so there's gotta be a law about cleaning it up. Does Windex work for that? If so, why don't Spidey's enemies use it against him? Maybe he could have a big showdown with Mr. Clean and the Scrubbing Bubbles. Are you listening, Stan Lee? I want 10% royalties on this stuff...
