Sam Raimi directs Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Alfred Molina in this Marvel superhero sequel where Peter Parker tries to abandon being Spider-Man just as Doc Ock begins a rampage of vengeance.

Held up by many as a peak in comic book blockbuster cinema, this still feels a bit too multi-strand to really satisfy. The best thread is the failing unrequited romance between Peter and Mary Jane. The worst is Franco glowering around the mid ground of scenes seeking vengeance on Spider-Man. There doesn’t seem like there is enough room for Doc Ock to fully spread his tentacles. And the arc of whether Parker should give up being Spidey is a bit too similar to Christopher Reeve’s choosing to forfeit his powers in Superman 2. The big action sequences (the pizza delivery, the creation of a villain, the bank heist, the kidnapping of MJ, the runaway elevated train) are pretty strong but are too spread out. Still very colourful, dynamic but not as fun as I remember.

7

Perfect Double Bill: Spider-Man (2002)

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