3. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
What is it about so many second movies in a superhero franchise besting their predecessors? Spidey’s first cinematic treatment was a decent but flawed adventure with many lulls, but the casting of Tobey Maguire in the role was pretty much perfect and, contrary to many naysayers, Kirsten Dunst’s subdued take on Mary Jane (an amalgamation of the M.J. from the comics and Spidey’s first love, Gwen Stacy) is probably better than most fans would give her credit for. Maguire gives the gee-whiz nerd factor of Peter Parker a great amount of good-natured charm and sincerity, and Dunst finds a good balance between being knowingly desirable and yet very approachable and thoughtful. (It’s too bad her surprisingly wonderful singing voice is relegated to the schizophrenic third chapter!)
The tones of the first two Spider-Man films were always self-aware without devolving into self-parody, and they were packed with breathtaking web-slinging and fight scenes, but the second film manages to nail the inspirational message and the emotional, more serious moments, giving them far more importance and weight than in the first, beating it by appropriate leaps and bounds. Doc Ock is given greater motivation for his actions and is far more sympathetic than the Green Goblin, even managing to outdo him in the scare-inducing factor. Unlike Willem Dafoe’s cold Norman Osborn, Alfred Molina's Otto Octavius is shown to be a very loving man, and we get to even hear about how he met and fell in love with his wife. His relationship with Peter and Spider-Man is developed rather than just a statement, and we're allowed to actually understand his turn for the worse, even if he should be held accountable for his deeds.
For action fans, there are also the spectacular fight scenes, and the annoyingly elastic special effects of the first film have been tightened up and rendered believable in their execution. Spider-Man 2 was a near perfect film, and even managed to make the more cheesy moments (the “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” montage) somehow work in the context of the film. Also, keep an eye out for a cameo by Thomas Jane as Frank Castle. It’s unofficial and barely noticeable, but it’s there and is arguably Marvel’s first film crossover. It’s almost too bad Spider-Man 3 practically begged for Spidey’s film series to be given the reboot treatment. Please don’t screw it up, Marc Webb!
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