The Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014)

Year: 2014

Genre: Action / Adventure / Comicbook

So it's 2014 now, and Sam Rami's original interpretation of the character came out in 2002. If my maths is correct, that makes for a grand total of five Spiderman films in the last 12 years. Is this overkill? Well, yes and no.

Marc Webb's 2014 Spiderman is supported by CGI and special effects that finally do justice to the abilities of the character. There were very few moments throughout the whole film whereby you could immediately tell the action had moved from actual actors to computer generated ones. This is in stark contrast to Rami's 2002 original where on several occasions the transition to the rubbery CGI in several of the action sequences was painfully evident.

In addition to this, Andrew Garfield seems far more suited to the lead role than Tobey Maguire ever was in the original trilogy. His fresh, charismatic approach to the character successfully banishes any memory that fans might have of Maguire's painfully embarrassing street dancing in the original Spiderman 3.

Andrew Garfield is supported by an excellent Emma Stone in the role of Gwen Stacey (his girlfriend before the introduction of Mary Jane Watson in the original comics). The chemistry between them works works very well (probably because they are a couple in real life) and the moral dilemma complicating their relationship is central to the plot. Stone is also far more likeable than Kirsten Dunst, not to mention easier on the eye.

Visually the film is stunning, with the set piece battles in Times Square between Spiderman and Electro showcasing just how far special effects have come in twelve years. Spidey's swinging around New York city almost becomes fairground ride like at some points, and you genuinely get a feel of what it would be like to be able to do it yourself.

So is it overkill? Strictly speaking, we didn't need another Spiderman film so soon after the original trilogy ended on the bog standard third installment. In that sense, Spiderman's 2014 installment is nothing we haven't seen before, albeit with special effects that have come on leaps and bounds since the 2002 original.

However, it's because of that monumentally better CGI, and a set of characters that end up being far more likeable, that Webb's interpretation of Spiderman works.

An enjoyable four stars. Recommended.