Finally saw Spiderman 2, not that I really wanted to see it, but I wasn’t averse to it either. I didn’t appreciate it so much for its story as for the auteurical flourishes that Sam Raimi brought for me. There might be a spoiler or two to follow.
First, I went to the movie knowing full well that Sam Raimi was the director and that he has directed some of my favorite camp of all time. Yet I failed to realize just how well he has been able to make a high concept H‑film and still get in his punches. I have realized this now, mostly because of Bruce Campbell’s ham cameo as an asshat usher. Then there was the shot of the newly revved up chainsaw popping on to screen and many many shots of the ‘hysterical girl screams and runs toward the camera’ variety.
This isn’t campy in a comic book flick. I found it to be the most enjoyable part of the film. Dr. Octopus had the ubiquitous ‘overly complicated technical machinery experiment/plot device used to create a dangerous situation that Our Hero [in this case, Spiderman] can save the day from’ and his AI biomechanical cyborg 4 arms are, of course, bent on evil when the tiny unprotected inhibitor chip on the back of his neck get fried. I thought that was kind of dumb.
I also thought that Peter Parker losing his powers because of his indecision as to what should be done with his life was nonsensical. But apart from that, I found myself identifying with him to an unusually high extent. I don’t usually identify heavily with any character, especially in an H‑film, but I found myself saying ‘damn I feel that way my own damn self.’
It is an entertaining flick, surprising in the small points, with a few laugh out loud moments but altogether nothing fancy. It is worth a watch, but there really isn’t a reason to go see it right away unless you want to be able to listen to people talk about it.