Directed by Marc Webb
Written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner
Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx
‘Anything but Amazing’
Movie-trailers can be a dangerous drug. Watching them can raise our expectations for certain films and make us excited in the moment, but unfortunately can also result in severe disappointment. Going into movies with grand anticipation after watching an attractive trailer has become a pop-culture trend these days. Yet, what if when you finally see that movie it falls miles below your expectations?
This, in a nutshell, sums up the case with “The Amazing Spiderman 2”, an instantly forgettable superhero movie. Overly ambitious, this highly disappointing mess of a film offers nothing more than just pass-time entertainment. It features surprisingly dull villains, action sequences that lack excitement or thrills and worst of all, a running time so slow that it compares to a lengthy plane flight. Although an A-list cast of actors along with an exciting soundtrack make the movie entertaining, there’s nothing that makes it stand out from recent superhero offerings. Despite having moments of genius, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is a missed opportunity to bring a beloved superhero to the screen.
Starring Andrew Garfield in the leading role, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” centers on Peter Parker’s life which has become highly enjoyable ever since his first encounter with Spider-Man. However, a variety of powerful villains joining forces threaten to destroy his life.
Who’d have ever thought that Marc Webb, the acclaimed director behind 2009’s “500 Days of Summer”, could do any wrong? Definitely not me. A filmmaker of great talent, his directorial debut proved that he had great knowledge and the skills to create a charming romance comedy. With “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”, however, the director is in totally different territory. Having only made one superhero movie prior, Webb is a newcomer to the genre. From here on in, the news already looks to be bad for this superhero movie. And it’s all a result of the clumsy direction that Marc Webb takes.
Following a ridiculous approach, the filmmaker tries to stuff too many ingredients into one film. From romance to action to goofy humor, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” strives to reach for perfection in every area. Yet it doesn’t…what it ends up achieving is less than the sum of it’s parts. Worse, the running time plods at the equivalent pace of last year’s “The Place Beyond the Pines”. A film spanning many generations, that movie granted a heavy-handed approach. In other words, it made sense. For an style-over-substance superhero movie, though, isn’t that a bit too much?
Another huge disappointment, arguably more so than the film’s length, is wasted villains. Although there are three villains at the center of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”, none of them are in any way memorable. They lack charisma or a defining quality to stand out from the stereotypical bad-guy. Even worse, their motivations seem rushed and at times it’s hard to believe how they became ‘bad’ in the first place.
Thankfully, though, an admirable cast of actors stop you from checking your watch every 5 minutes. Although not everyone is up to their game, a few talented performers make this superhero movie well worth the watch.
If there’s any actor who was born to play Spider-Man, it’s rising star Andrew Garfield. With an irresistible charm and an electric screen presence, Garfield seamlessly embodies the persona of the superhero. Whether he’s telling a laugh-out-loud joke or capturing the heartbreaking trauma of the hero, Garfield makes the film a joy to watch even when everything else seems to be falling apart.
The supporting cast, however, is like a car on a rather bumpy road. Some actors make an impact while others are subject to failure due to under-developed characters. As Peter’s love interest, Gwen Stacy, Emma Stone has delicious chemistry with Andrew Garfield that brightens up the screen like a light bulb. Also impressive is Dane DeHaan, who sends shivers down your spine with an intense presence.
Yet, it’s a shame then that both Jamie Foxx and Paul Giamatti, two gifted actors, are totally wasted as the film’s villains. Neither are able to save characters that just aren’t interesting in the first place.
Despite a dazzling score by the seasonally talented Hans Zimmer, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is strictly a time-pass that will only please die-hard fans of the superhero. Although by no means a bad film, it’s just a tremendously disappointing one that could have been miles better. In a nutshell, the kind of movie that will be forgotten as soon as it’s seen.
2.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 
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