The Amazing Spider-Man 2
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is basically a perfect 50/50 split between “this is peak Spider-Man” and “what is this movie doing.” However, we do enjoy the good stuff more than the bad, and that’s why we have it rated at 61% for Day 61 of 100 Days, 100 Reviews. Speaking of good stuff, it is good. The swinging is still the best in live action, the suit looks incredible, and the first action sequence alone sets the tone perfectly. Andrew Garfield might still be the best Spider-Man when he’s in the suit, emphasis on in the suit, with the humor, energy, and classic Spidey feel all on point. Add a great score from Hans Zimmer and some genuinely great CGI, Electro especially, and it’s easy to see why parts of this movie are so loved. The real standout though is romance. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone have unreal chemistry, and Gwen’s death hits hard because of it.
But the movie just can’t stop overloading itself. It crams in Green Goblin and Rhino for no apparent reason and somehow gives none of them enough time to matter. Green Goblin in particular feels rushed, looks off, and exists mostly just to trigger Gwen’s comic-accurate death. On top of that, the Peter’s parent's storyline goes nowhere, there’s a forced Sinister Six setup for a franchise that never happened, and the tone is all over the place. It’s messy, overstuffed, and kind of chaotic, but when it works, it really works.