Film review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (12A)
Run time: 2 hours 22 minutes
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is an Electro-charged sequel that builds well on the largely successful reboot of the blockbuster Marvel franchise back in 2012.
Andrew Garfield returns as everyone’s favourite web-slinger – and for my money is now a much better Spidey than Tobey Maguire’s version of Peter Parker.
Director Marc Webb’s (the irony of his name isn’t lost on me) latest super-hero offering picks up pretty much where its predecessor left off, with Parker haunted by the death of his girlfriend’s father – and his subsequent promise to leave Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) alone.
However, he doesn’t follow the clichéd super-hero path of resenting his responsibilities. On the contrary, being Spider-Man is a release for our hero.
As with the first film, the chemistry between off-screen couple Garfield and Stone is pretty electrifying, but their bond is pushed to the limit.
But enough about that, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is all about action – and boy does it deliver.
Getting a first-person view of Spidey’s escapades around the always stunning New York City is a real blast, but it’s the scenes with Jamie Foxx’s Electro that steal the show.
Although Foxx is sadly a little underused, he excels as socially inept Oscorp employee Max Dillon. The social outcast, who becomes Electro after an unfortunate accident, steals the show with some stunning scenes that genuinely blew me away in jaw-dropping 3D.
The synthetic sound effects that go hand-in-hand with his presence are also one of the film’s strengths, although at times it did feel more like a video game than a movie.
We’re also introduced to Spidey staple Harry Osborn, who is creepily portrayed by Dane DeHaan. He’s a far cry from James Franco’s smooth operator of old, but really nails the role.
Look out for cameos from the villainous Green Goblin and Rhino as the story ushers us towards 2016’s third instalment. And dare I sign off by adding that you’ll be stunned by a pretty sizeable twist…
Rating: 3.5/5
Watched at West End Cinema, Boston
