Unlike my look at the first Amazing Spider-Man movie, this one is going to examine the story, so I will put in some spoiler space. If you have not seen the movie and do not want to be spoiled, please do not read any further. Otherwise, please continue....
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Ok, that should be enough space. To put it simply, I was disappointed in this movie. The first one was so awesome that I had high hopes for this movie. Also, from the previews, I had certain expectations which were not really met at all. Don't get me wrong, I did not hate the movie, but it did leave me feeling like I was missing something or like the movie was incomplete.
First, what I liked. Andrew Garfield did another amazing job as Spider-Man. He has obviously been working out because he has lost some of the skinny twinkishness that he had in the last film in favor of a little more buff body. And, just like last time, his chemistry with Emma Stone (and with Dane DeHaan) is incredible. Everything seemed so effortless where he was concerned. Emma Stone played a bit more of a secondary role this time, but did a great job with what she had. Dane DeHaan did a wonderful job as Harry Osborn, very different from James Franco who had more idealism and innocence to his character, whereas DeHaan played him as more bitter at his father and life.
My main problem with the movie is that it lacked focus. There were 3 villains (Electro, Green Goblin, and Rhino) any of whom could have made wonderful villains on their own, but who suffered because there was too much going on to really develop any of them. In fact, they were almost incidental to showing how bad Oscorp was and how they were responsible for Parker's parents death. There seemed to be a lot of dangling plot threads that were just left hanging. Also, in most of the previews, there was a scene where Harry told Peter that Oscorp had a file on him. That was never in the movie. If it had been there, I think it would have really added to the main story.
I really think the movie should have focused on one, maybe two, villains and that would have made it much better. I did love both Jamie Foxx as Electro and Dane DeHaan as the Green Goblin, but the Green Goblin was only in a very small portion of the movie and seemed to mainly serve to kill Gwen Stacy. Then there was the ending which ended in the middle of a fight. That was just a weird choice. Not awful, but definitely weird.
I suspect that they are setting things up for the next movie, and if that is so, I may change my mind about this one. But as the movie stands now, I can only give it 3 stars at best. Worth watching and fun, but definitely not making the most of the potential that they had. I really hope that the third movie (assuming they make one) is better, because this one was a disappointment.
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