Amazing Spider-Man 2

Marc Webb

4/4 stars

Although slightly disappointed with the first remake of the infamous Spider-Man trilogy due to poor casting choices of certain characters, this second installment lived up to all of my expectations of an action-packed, Marvel-inspired movie, sprinkled with just the right amount of romance and comedy.

The second part of the trilogy continued with Peter Parker’s (Andrew Garfield) identity crisis between a high school graduate dating Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), and his role as Spider-Man, saving the city of New York from power-hungry criminals. As an orphan, Parker also struggles dealing with his father’s mysterious past.

My personal favorite part, Stacy’s graduation speech, gave meaning to the story. It wasn’t just a story of hybrid mutants terrorizing New York City, but it was a story of hope and realizing that life is short, so fight for what you believe in. Her speech gave a humane aspect to the movie and relatable connection to the audience.

Although many fans complained about the absence of Uncle Ben’s quote, “With great power comes great responsibility,” to Parker in the first part, I would propose that Stacy’s quote, “What makes life valuable is that it doesn’t last forever, what makes it precious is that it ends,” from her graduation speech replaced it.

Stacy and Parker’s relationship in the new series is so sacred and so real, much stronger and driven than the relationship between Mary Jane Watson and Parker, the original couple from the previous Spider-Man trilogy.

Personally, I enjoy how the girl in the relationship, Stacy, is not a helpless “damsel in distress.” She is the brains behind the operation, while Peter is the muscle. This provides a unique dynamic to the relationship.

Parker and Stacy perfectly depict this relationship and express the emotional nuances of each scene they acted in, whether portraying hurt feelings or tackling a new challenge.

A new character introduced in the movie, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) also wonderfully conveyed the character of a normal adolescent dealing with his new position as Head of Oscorp, transitioning to a cunning criminal.

The computer-generated animations of the DNA-manipulated creatures that can only be achieved in today’s day and age. contributing to the movie’s success. The stunning graphics only enhanced the epic battles between, as dubbed by many, “Spidey”  and his grotesque and villainous counterparts. Sorry, but I’m one for aesthetics and this movie definitely nailed each scene.

Nothing short of suspenseful and thrilling, Amazing Spider-Man 2 will keep your eyes locked on the screen and your fingers clenched at the edge of your seat (or maybe that was just me).