the amazing spider-man 2
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Review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a pain in the web
Text size: A A A May 01, 2014 10:20 IST
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The new Spider-Man film gets everything wrong except the girl, feels Raja
Sen.
Marvel Comics is known as The House Of Ideas. Many a memorable character lives at Marvel, and scores of writers and artists -- of unquestioned eagerness but varying
degrees of talent -- are given cracks at bat with the companys caped mascots, taking
their stories further and carving new thrills while not ruffling the status quo too much.
Naturally, this results in a wonderful unpredictability, with sub-par superheroes often
lucking out and finding truly ingenious writers, and massively iconic heroes skulking
around in poorly written and drawn panels. (For example, while there isnt a single solid
current comic featuring fan-favourite Wolverine, the adventures of the least interesting
Avenger Hawkeye are top drawer right now.)
And thus, for over 50 years of issues, we true Spider-Man believers have ridden the
roulette wheel, knowing that for every fine writer and great story arc were also going to
get some hacks who throw up clones and Faustian deals and the occasional illegitimate
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lovechild. Were used to it, and like Peter Parker, that greatest of comic-book heroes, we
take the rough with the smooth. And right this minute, while the Spidey comics are
enjoying a significantly smashing streak, it is clear the Spider-Man movies have fallen
into the wrong hands
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a drag. It pains me to say this, but Marc Webbs film is a
total downer, a film lacking in smarts, ambition or spirit. I began my career as a film
critic ten years ago with-- Sam Raimis excellent film that remains the gold standard for
the superhero genre -- and it hurts to cap a decade with a complaint about a sub-par
reboot instead of a celebration of the spider.
This is an unforgivably boring film, and while it may not seem as instantly objectionable
as Sam Raimis monstrous Spider-Man 3, it must be marked that at least the older film
failed because of ambition, because of trying to do too much. Webbs new film, on the
other hand, is inexplicably slow and torpid, a haphazard and amateurish affair where
the seams show all too glaringly. Save for a couple of relatively funny lines -- and the
devastating climax -- there is nothing worth remembering in this painfully generic film.
I didnt expect to be saying this, but a big part of the problem is Andrew Garfield. Hes a
bright, gifted actor who certainly possesses a distinctive edgy charm, but for some
reason he continues to play Peter Parker as elusive and sullen. Theres an angsty
cockiness to him better suited to a tween vampire film, and while Garfield is disarmingly
natural, he falls a far way from actually being likeable. Its hard to relate to -- not to
mention root for -- a Peter Parker so brusque, so easily irked by those he loves, and
harder still not to yearn for his predecessor Tobey Maguire, who made Peters all-
important earnestness come alive. Spideys a quip-flinging whippersnapper, sure, but
thats because Peters a good kid who pulls on an overcompensatory flamboyant persona
along with that mask. In the (much better) first Garfield film, a lot could be chalked to
the characters confusion, but here Peter seems like a jerk all his own.
Things are worsened by the filmmakers constant indecision. Aided by a bombastic
soundtrack -- 80s TV cop-show style blare for the opening chase with Rhino, synth-
heavy chanting for Electro later on the film looks to be put together by a committee,
eager to throw in something for every focus group. This means lots of heavy-handed
flashbacks, constantly unclear motivations for the characters, action sequences that
refuse to do anything cool, ghosts from the old films (literal spectres appearing now to
confuse Parker, as well as feeble echoes of action setpieces from Raimis Spider-films)
and an awful lot of melodramatic hokum.
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Much time is spent, for example, on the villains origins, but they are handled so
unimaginatively that wed be (much) better off with a voiceover saying Oh, that guys
Electro. He can control electricity. What were given are backstories from the mid-90s,
say Batman Forever style and if were invoking Joel Schumacher to describe a Spider-
Man film at a time when even Captain America can have a seriously good movie
then its clear that both power and responsibility have begun to grate.
What does work is the girl. Emma Stone is sensational as Gwen Stacy, seemingly as
baffled as we are re: the ill-humoured Mr Parker. Shes smart, snappy, knocks every line
straight out of the park, and conjures up quite the chemistry, enough even to make up
for her too-slack hero. In a deft touch, she invariably seems to sense Peters presence
nearby -- her own SpiderSense, if you will -- and we cant blame Parker for asking her to
keep that irresistible laugh off the table.
Readers of the comic are well aware that this film features a crucial scene with Gwen,
and while Stone makes it pop, Webb and gang stretch it out way too much, and then
proceeding to chicken out and completely reduce the stakes. Sheesh. (Not to spoil
anything here, but if youd really like to get a feel of Gwen and Peter, I suggest hunting
up Jeph Loeb and Tim Sales lovely Spider-Man: Blue and imagining what Stone
could have done with that as a script.) Aargh. The scene itself might be half-decent in
isolation, and its chilling to see Stone mirror precisely what Stacy wore in the books, but
a film this mediocre simply doesnt earn such a landmark moment from the Spidey
mythos. (It seems to know it, too, which is why it tries to move past it very clumsily.)
This is malarkey, malarkey that bores for eighty minutes before coming to life somewhat
during the last hour. Theres some very conveniently resolved nuttiness regarding
Parkers parents, Dane DeHaan -- a dead ringer for a slimy Gilbert Grape showboats
hammily as Harry Osborn, and there are more than a few unsubtle teases regarding
upcoming villains. (Meeting a woman called Felicia or seeing schematics of The
Vultures wings leading up to the next installment would normally be a mouthwatering
prospect, but right now they seem threats filled with more exhausting backstory.)
One kid holds out hope, though.
One adorable little runt with thin-framed glasses and a science project looks at Spider-
Man as his hero and doesnt care what people say about him; he knows hell be back and
he knows hell be better than ever. And therein lies the lesson for us as summer
cinegoers: its okay to prefer Tony Stark or Black Widow right now till Spidey falls
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into the right hands, that is. For now we can go home, turn up the real Spider-Man 2
and watch Peter Parker try to deliver pizza.
Rediff Rating:
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