The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

[Silver Nemesis]

Here's the trailer.

[The Laughing Fish]

Strangely, it reminds me too much of Transformers for my liking. It seems that it'll have similar level of destruction as Man of Steel, though it'll be interesting to see if people will like TASM2 more.

I should know by now never to write a movie off just by watching the first trailer, after all I did that for Man of Steel and even the first Amazing Spider-Man and it turned out I liked both films better than I had expected. But this comes across as a bit corny for my taste. I'm not liking the look of the Rhino, and I'm not impressed with the new Harry Osborn or Jamie Foxx as Electro from what I've seen.

[The Joker]

Looks alright I guess, but from watching the trailer, ASM 2 just looks like one big set up for the Sinister Six to appear in ASM 3. As there are quite a few (more than to my liking anyways) adversaries already in the film, along with even possibly setting up future adversaries as well. Webb's ASM wasn't exactly a film I have alot of reverence for, but I found it competent enough overall. I hope to like this more, but eh ... we'll see. Can't say this trailer made me anticipate this anymore ...

[GBglide]

On an architectural note:  it was interesting to see 20 Exchange Place's rotunda (0:49) and the base of the Hearst Tower as the Oscorp building (1:12).

The tower Spidey was touching (2:12) looks like it was metal, but it explodes instead of just frying him. Weird.

[The Dark Knight]

TASM got the job done. This seems bigger in scale for one.

You have to give all the Spidey movies props for embracing the pure fantastical look of the comics without hesitation. The Lizard, Sandman, Doc Ock and Venom are all as they are.

Rhino as a mech suit is a good move, IMO. They all can't be cross genetics. I mean, they can be, but when there's a chance at variety, go for it. And he looks like a Rhino. They didn't cop out. Electro is literally a man of pure energy.

Fingers crossed it turns out well.

[johnnygobbs]

Is anyone else bothered that all the villains are going to be Oscorp creations?  You even see the prototype suits for the Vulture and Dr Octopus in the trailer.  It bothers me because it could rob some of these villains of their own interesting stories and motivations and simply turn them into Norman/Harry Osborne's pawns...*yawn*

I think Sony are so desperate to hold onto Spider-Man as a property and create a franchise as bog as The Avengers they seem to be on a headlong rush to get to the 'Sinister Six' story.  It's like the cinematic equivalent of premature ejaculation.  Why can't they build things up slowly and more satisfyingly over time instead of spending all their chips all at once?

Anyway, I did like the first 'ASM' movie but I do fear for the direction this franchise seems to be going.  Same with the current 'Superman' franchise and Warner's relentless rush to make a 'JLA' movie ASAP.  Oh well, at least we'll always have the 'Avengers' franchise which has shown everyone how this type of team-dynamic franchise should be done (i.e. over a space of several films/years).

[The Joker]

Is anyone else bothered that all the villains are going to be Oscorp creations?  You even see the prototype suits for the Vulture and Dr Octopus in the trailer.  It bothers me because it could rob some of these villains of their own interesting stories and motivations and simply turn them into Norman/Harry Osborne's pawns...*yawn*

Yup. If anything, I find that sort of plotting ultimately downgrading the villains in Spidey's rogues gallery in by having so many of them in this cinematic franchise associated with Oscorp, and thus, overshadowed to some extent by the Osborn legacy. Not every major baddie who pops up in this particular version needs the Osborn anchor, and some, like Doc Ock for example, honestly does not need that sort association at all. As Ock is one villain that I have always considered to be right up there in importance with the Green Goblin. He's by far the most consistent foe in the 50 years of continuity, and can stand up on his own just fine.

[johnnygobbs]

Is anyone else bothered that all the villains are going to be Oscorp creations?  You even see the prototype suits for the Vulture and Dr Octopus in the trailer.  It bothers me because it could rob some of these villains of their own interesting stories and motivations and simply turn them into Norman/Harry Osborne's pawns...*yawn*

Yup. If anything, I find that sort of plotting ultimately downgrading the villains in Spidey's rogues gallery in by having so many of them in this cinematic franchise associated with Oscorp, and thus, overshadowed to some extent by the Osborn legacy. Not every major baddie who pops up in this particular version needs the Osborn anchor, and some, like Doc Ock for example, honestly does not need that sort association at all. As Ock is one villain that I have always considered to be right up there in importance with the Green Goblin. He's by far the most consistent foe in the 50 years of continuity, and can stand up on his own just fine.

I entirely agree Joker.  All I can say in the new franchise's defence is that it appears to be cleaving pretty close to the Ultimate version where Doctor Octopus is an employee of Norman Osborne and everything seems to link to Osborne Industries.  But like you, I think Doctor Octopus is too formidable a villain to be reduced to a mere Osborne flunkey.

The way things are going I wouldn't be surprised if they contrived to make Venom an Osborne Incorporated villain.

[riddler]

One thing that I am puzzled about: it seems that Harry Osborn will become the green goblin near the end of this one as a lead in for the next film. Are we led to believe Norman never becomes a goblin or at least not prior to Harry?

Connecting the villains to Oscorp saves screen time as it allows them to tie plot lines together. A lot of people felt Sandman should have been an oscorp creation in spider-man 3 to free up some screen time (as many were underwhelmed with all the ongoing plotlines especially venom)

[riddler]

I guess I'll be the first one to make the post release review.


This one was the first spidey film which truly felt like a comic adaptation. Not to say the older series wasn't good, it definitely had its moments as did the first one in this series but this film finally puts it all together; the fights truly felt like spider-man fights with the slow motion spider-senses and spidey wise cracking.

Stone and Garfield both work well together. I hate to sound like a Nolanite but this one exposes the previous series flaws; it managed to be funny without being goofy and the female lead is actually useful instead of acting like another villain.

The only part I didn't find impressive was the Harry Osborn character. James Franco's character still tops him.