Spider-Man 2

I faced some of my harshest criticism when I gave the original "Spider-Man" a C+. Quite simply, I did not like that movie. Now, two years later, here comes "Spider-Man 2", which is certain to be number one at the box office this weekend. This time, though, rather than feeling stuck in a web with no escape in sight, I found myself glued to it with no complaint. "Spider-Man 2" is a great movie!

Tobey Maguire returns as Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man. Now enrolled in college, nothing can go right for our superhero. He's constantly late for work, misses classes, can't pay the rent, and his Spider-Man costume dyes his other clothes red and blue. To top it all off, he continues to long for Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst), though he is convinced that loving her would only put her in danger. Meanwhile his friend Harry (James Franco) continues to obsess over finding the web slinger to avenge his father's death.

What truly surprised me about this sequel is what it wasn't. "2" is really not an action movie. In fact, if there was any complaint, it was about the lack of action. The villain, Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), doesn't even enter the picture until the second hour of the story. Instead, "Spider-Man 2" is a character study. Every major character here struggles to figure out who they really are and what they desire in life. Peter continues to deal with his blessing/curse of being a superhero, Mary Jane is torn over who to love, Harry longs for success but is haunted by his father's ambitions, Doc Ock is well-meaning but controlled by his own computer creation, and even Aunt May has her own issues.

When the action does kick in, it's much like Spider-Man himself by soaring to new heights. The CGI effects are much better this time, with special attention given to Ock's mechanical arms, each seeming to have its own personality. All of this, the action and the character development, combines into a brisk and lively flick that will entertain you with humor while you also feel the angst of Peter Parker and the torment of Harry Osborn. Maguire seems to be much more comfortable in his second outing with Dunst, Franco and Molina each embodying their own characters.

"Spider-Man 2" manages to conclude its storyline nicely, while also opening the door to the next chapter. Seeing the first movie is not a prerequisite for seeing the second, though it does help with some of the back-story. Plus, with minimal violence and a solid lesson about heroes and dreams, this one is safe for kids of most ages. While I still have no desire to watch the first one again, I would certainly not mind a second viewing of "Spider-Man 2". Make sure you see it at least once. I give it an A-.

"Spider-Man 2" is rated PG-13 with a running time of 127 minutes.