The Film
Superhero films have been coming at us in a rapid-fire fashion these days. You'd need Captain America's shield or Thor's hammer to deflect these things. To keep up with those and the other Marvel franchises, Sony has released its Spider-Man sequel -- or fifth film, depending on how you look at it.
While The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is certainly no Spider-Man 2 in terms of quality, it has its moments. Returning actors Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are certainly two highlights in director Marc Webb's latest adventure for the web-slinger.
In this installment, Peter Parker (Garfield) and Gwen Stacy (Stone) are graduating high school. (It's about time!) However, instead of celebrating, Peter is busy with a crime-riddled city, visions of Gwen's dead father (Denis Leary), and all sorts of relationship problems.
However, like most things in Spidey's cinematic universe, everything comes back to Oscorp. Gwen doesn't just have a job there, but it's also the stepping stone for all three of the film's villains. Although the Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan) and Rhino (Paul Giamatti) briefly appear, the biggest spotlight goes to Max Dillion, aka Electro (Jamie Foxx). Max starts out as an invisible uber-nerd. How he's invisible with that combover is anyone's guess. After a chance encounter, he quickly turns into a psychotic Spider-Man super-fan. He's also a bit of a butterfingers, getting electrocuted and falling into a vat of electric eels in one fell swoop. From there, he becomes Electro, who uses his newfound superpowers for the greater evil. You know the drill.
Speaking of knowing the drill, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 continues to plug the relationship between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy. Mary Jane is still nowhere to be found in this franchise. (Shailene Woodley's part was apparently clipped from the film.) Although it takes up a bit too much screen time, that part works. It probably doesn't hurt that the two are a real-life couple off-screen.
The rest is a mixed bag -- and when I say "mixed," I mean that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 throws in every possible plot point you could imagine. Harry (DeHaan) has problems, Aunt May (Sally Field) has problems, and Peter has problems -- with both Gwen and the legacy of his own father (Campbell Scott). It's like the writers feared this would be the last Spider-Man ever, so they made it a kitchen sink of superhero movies. Didn't they know that there are two more of these things coming? Oh well, they had time; the film is a whopping 142 minutes. (Oh. So. Long.)
However, one of the main problems with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is that it doesn't really try anything new. It relies on eye candy to get the job done. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just that these days, we want our superhero movies to be, well... super. This film accomplishes that in the special effects department. The rest doesn't exactly clear up the confusion about why the franchise needed a reboot.
Feel your Spidey senses tingling? That's probably Joe Lozito, calling you to read his theatrical review of The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
The Picture
Spider-Man flies through the air with the greatest of ease -- and the greatest of 3D as well. The film has excellent depth throughout and when those webs go flying, so do the effects. It's a really fun viewing experience, but never comes off as gimmicky.
Before sliding on those 3D glasses, you may notice that the back of the Blu-ray box is emblazoned with the words "Mastered in 4K." You don't need a 4K TV to enjoy this awesomeness, but just know that the fine print says that this perk is a 2D exclusive. However, you'd never know that watching the 3D version. Of course, colors are a bit brighter in the 2D version, but barely. In both 2D and 3D, the colors are exactly what you've come to expect from a comic book-based blockbuster and the detail is sharp. Spidey's costume is textured, the city shots are gorgeous, facial details are spot-on, and Harry's withered face -- well, that's just downright funky. You really can't go wrong with the 2D or 3D.
The Sound
What's a superhero got to do to get a 7.1 soundtrack up in here? Like the last film, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 gets a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. It seems like 7.1 is the standard for superhero flicks these days, but it's really hard to complain when it's so good. Planes, sirens, crashes, crunches, bullets and broken glass; The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is pretty relentless. Especially nice are Electro's jolts of power and even his deep, creepy speaking voice will give your system a workout.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is too long, too convoluted, and the number of characters and plotlines make it too confusing. That said, it's pretty nice to watch. It's amazing when it comes to the audio and video. When it comes to the actual movie, the only thing amazing is its lengthy runtime. The presentation and talented cast may entice you to make this purchase. However, you may want to use your Spidey senses (or maybe a Redbox) to feel this one out before you buy it.
Product Details
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