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Tons of hype about Spidey 2 at the moment, seems to be getting raves all round. I was never into the first one much - although it was better than the laughable Batman movies. Seems they're making some new Batman one with Ken Watanabe in it...

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Its getting good reviews all round it seems.

 

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Spider-Man 2 is that rare Hollywood phenomenon, a sequel that is actually better than the original.

 

It opens with Peter Parker, as a pizza delivery-boy and college student refreshingly free of hubris. Ambivalent about his superhero powers, he remains preoccupied with his one-time girlfriend Mary Jane, now a model and actress.

 

The sequel is essentially a coming-of-age story in which Parker comes to terms with his superhero gifts and redefines his romantic involvement with Mary Jane.

 

The special effects in the film have a seamless quality that far surpass those in the original. The action sequences are impressive too, they follow the human drama, driving the narrative rather than interrupting it.

 

But the film just wouldn't be a success without Tobey Maguire, whose involvement in the sequel was initially in doubt.

 

Maguire, who does much of his acting through his eyes, manages to present Spider-Man as a superhero with real soul.

 

Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane and the other principal actors have had their roles strengthened, with each character navigating intriguing emotional terrain.

 

The British actor Alfred Molina makes a fine debut in the franchise, giving life to a villain who is far from one-dimensional. The menacing, multi-tentacled Doc Ock is clearly a tortured soul struggling with the demons that have taken control of him.

 

One unexpected character development comes in the guise of Peter's Aunt May, played by British-born actress Rosemary Harris. Hardly a gymnast, Aunt May surprises the audience when she appears in an action scene where she is saved by Spider-Man.

 

In fact, Aunt May proves a major influence on Parker. In a moment that is probably too emotional for hard-core Spidey fans, she strongly suggests to her disillusioned nephew that the world is in dire need of a benevolent superhero like Spider-Man.

 

Indeed with Spider-Man 2, Hollywood has brought us a super-hero who may resonate with many Americans. Especially those who, in these unstable times, feel their country lacks larger-than-life contemporary heroes to give it a sense of purpose.

 

British actor Alfred Molina plays multi-tentacled villain Doc Ock

 

The film isn't without imperfection - there are some loose ends in the narrative, specifically a tentative and unexplained romantic overture towards Parker from his landlord's daughter.

 

But overall, director Sam Raimi has done a fine job. Spider-Man 2 is original, complex and very satisfying.

 

At its heart, it is a film where the screenplay is star, a well-written big budget blockbuster that artfully combines compelling action with intelligent, coherent human drama.

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