This movie is clearly an Easter egg hunt where characters
and situations lay the groundwork for future stories. The main villains in this
movie are Electro, the Green Goblin, and the Rhino. The character of Electro is
less frightening as his character is built on a villain who has low self-esteem
and is craving for attention. He represents the mental challenge to Spider-Man
as Peter needs to use his mind to defeat him. The Green Goblin character is a
personal challenge as he is the best friend of Peter Parker and needs to hold
back while saving the people he loves. And the Rhino represents the physical
challenge to Spider-Man as he is well armored and armed.
The movie itself builds on the framework of the first as
the George Stacy weighs heavily on Peter as he moves forward with his
relationship with Gwen. We finally discover what really happened to Richard and
Mary Parker and why. The foundation of the Sinister Six movie comes into play
including future suits for Doctor Octopus and the Vulture. Other characters
likely to appear in the future include the Felicia Hardy as the Black Cat and Alistair
Smythe as the Spider-Slayer. While the movie has its share of Easter eggs and
action, it lacks the consistency throughout the movie.
The first fisticuffs between Spider-Man and Electro were
much more vibrant than the final one. The second half of the movie was
predictable because the entire story was told by the middle half and only
action sequences were left. The ending would have benefited with Peter
reconciling with his lost parents which would have given symmetry to the
beginning. Overall this is a much better film than the first one by director
Marc Webb and the dialogue between Aunt May and Peter stole the film.
RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT
OF 5
