Cast : Tobey Maguire , Kirsten Dunst , James Franco , Alfred Molina , Rosemary Harris , J K Simmons
Director : Sam Raimi
Distribution : India-wide release : Columbia Tristar, Andhra Pradesh : Sri Rathna Movies
Date of Theatrical Release : 23rd July (India), 30th June (USA)

NonstopCinema.com Rating : 3.5/5

The screen adaptation of Marvel’s comic book hero SpiderMan made waves at box office, grossing over $820 million worlwide in 2002. The sequel to this larger-than-life drama released on the 30th June at the US Box office, and recreated the magic it did earlier. Columbia Pictures, the Sony’s Indian distribution subsidiary strategically released the film on the 23rd waiting for the superhit-talk to spread across the Atlantic. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is the web-slinging hero who is a college student, part time Pizza delivery boy and the Good Samaritan who saves New York City from the clutches of the evil. He is unable to express his love to Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) who is a Broadway star as he feels his enemies would put her life into danger. Doc Ock (Alfred Molina) is a scientist working in Oscorp whose misguided experiment leaves him with 4 tentacles attached to his spine which dominate his thought process and makes him into the evil man he is. Also, Peter finding it tough to maintain his dual identity abandons his avatar as a SpiderMan so that he could lead a normal student life, and get on with MJ. But just when world (read NY city) is in trouble, he swings back into action realizing his dead uncle’s saying that – “With great power, comes great responsibility” and eradicates the menace Doc Ock. Unlike the earlier super-hero films, the death of the villain is not caused by the protagonist. Spidey motivates Doc Ock that he is being controlled by his tentacles, and is not using his power as he wanted to, which convinces him to put an end his own life. Those bought up on a diet of heroism-elevating Indian cinema (especially telugu) may not digest this. But the film does have a good dosage of heroism too – SpiderMan stopping a huge metro rail from derailing, saving a child struck in a building that has caught fire, his own grandmother and MJ from the clutches of Ock.

If this is just the outline of the story, there are many interwoven threads in the film. Harry Osborn (James Franco) still seeks revenge on SpiderMan for killing his father, and promises to help Doc Ock in his project, if he kills Spidey. Parker tries helping Aunt Mae with her financial troubles, without misusing his super powers. His love for Mary Jane Watson is off-on, and there is no clarity in it, hence unconvincing. Kirsten Dunst isn’t as beautiful and desirable as she was in the first part. Tobey Maguire is very good and totally believable as the mild manner Peter Parker and Spiderman. Alfred Molina seems evil enough as the villain, while James Franco is apt as Harry, the new head of OsCorp. The film has a good dosage of quotable dialogues, the best being mouthed by Aunt Mae, who says, “There is a hero in all of us.” Director Sam Raimi interweaves so many threads to satisfy all kinds of audience, and does a great job. The first encounter between Spidey and Doc Ock was awesome, so were the other fights which were excellently executed with the help of CGI (Computer Graphics Interface).

SpiderMan has got its own share of bloopers, but is excusable because of the high entertainment quotient in the film. It looks like this film was made keeping in mind the entire movie watching population across the world, not just the North American audience alone. It’s a perfect popcorn flick and is a worthy sequel to the Spiderman (2002). Watch it on a large screen IMAX format for the ultimate experience, and even that’s worth your money.

NonstopCinema.com Rating : 3.5/5