With most DVD's that I recently reviewed for the theatrical showing, I tend not to review them again. I was planning on doing the same for Spider-Man 2. Having seen it only once during the summer, I was ready to pass it off as a great movie, but just another summer blockbuster. When I bought the DVD, I watched in three times in three days and I realized that it is nothing of the sort. It may as well have been released during this time of the year.
Spider-Man 2 is more like a Shakesperean play rather than a superhero movie. The characters come before the action, a style every movie should take. It revolves around disapointments, expectations, betrayals, pride and of course, responsibility. Peter Parker must have the worst life in the entire world. He blames himself for the death of his Uncle Ben. His Aunt May blames herself, and now faces foreclosure on her home. Peter cannot be with Mary Jane, the woman he loves. He is at odds with his best friend, Harry. His job at the Bugle has caused a great deal of the city to turn against Spider-Man. His life is sliding away from him, and he blames Spider-Man as the cause of this.
And so, after his powers stop working for a second time, he throws in the webs for good, and there is a long stretch where Spider-Man is not seen in this movie. This is a gutsy move by Sam Raimi. Most superhero movie directors wouldn't go five minutes without having a brainless action scene. But Raimi has a supreme confidence in his actors and his characters, and it pays off. This part of the movie builds up to a stunning conclusion, which manages to bring into play all three of the major characters of the trilogy- Peter, Mary Jane and Harry.
This movie is not just a summer blockbuster, but a simply amazing movie all around. The fact that it won't be nominated for any Oscars is a damn shame. Maybe critics could poke their head out of the gutter and realize that a great story and great acting doesn't have to come from a huge epic or unknown indy film. I've seen my fair share of those epics, and just as many indy films, and few have the heart that Spider-Man 2 does.