The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) - 4/10
Just got back from seeing it and striking while the iron is hot.
This is a mess, which seems to be getting more and more common these days.
Very much the kind of mess screenwriters Orci and Kurtzman have been involved with in the past.
Very contrived and convenient plot, tone problems, no real throughline guiding you through the movie. You never know or have a sense of what is important or what is at stake most of the time (something happens and you know that is probably bad or good, but that's about it). You have to sit around and just wait for many actions to have their meaning explained or their connection to something else revealed.
Multiple instances of characters being stuck plot-wise, and then just at that moment finding, through more or less contrived ways, that an item they have had in their possession holds the key for moving forward (a la the shard sliver in Witwickys jacket that starts off Transformers 2, or a better example being Iron Man 2 with Starks father having already provided him with the pieces he needs when he is stuck plot-wise.
Annoying slow-motion moments that do little to clarify geography and are just there for style mostly. The score from Zimmer has extended dubstep-beat sections (just think the Inception horn but add a medium/slow-tempo dubstep beat to it).
Some charismatic moments with Garfield and a great moment for Aunt May (Sally Field).
Direction overall is extremely bland, almost nothing pops or stands out in my mind after seeing it.
Every theme or idea, or even origin story, seems either identical in execution or idea from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films. Nothing new at all. Some token "is spidey good or bad" is mentioned, including a "citizen-interview" montage, which is never mentioned again and doesn't even come close to being relevant in any situation.
At one point the action actually almost reaches Transformers levels of CGI eyebleed, and couple that with Zimmers dubstep-inspired backbeat theme for a villain and I zoned out several times just due to lack of interest. The character actions between action beats and sometimes during just suck out any tension. For example, people on New York streets gather and cheer as Spider-Man gets a good blow in on heavily armed bad guys that just blew away several police cars not 20 feet from them and clearly could wipe them out with one seconds notice if they so desired. I guess the people there checked the script and MPAA rating beforehand and figured they were pretty much safe. Spider-Man at several points, while chasing armed bad guys who are clearly endagering people, will stop and talk light-heartedly with people he just saved, momentarily ignoring the action which just rolls along without him at the same pace and level of destruction as before.
Overall a completely forgettable film.
Last edited by TechNoir (2014-04-18 20:40:48)