This time out the story focuses mainly on Peter Parker - great idea! Maguire plays the role for all it’s worth, and wow, does this guy have issues?! He wants to be with Mary Jane but can’t because he doesn’t want to see her life threatened. He is trying to cope with the death of his uncle and its affects on his aunt. His superhero job makes him late constantly for his other odd jobs and college classes. And his best friend is obsessed over killing his alter ego! This guy just can’t catch a break and it is really getting to him and you feel that onscreen through the performances. Add into the mix another psychotic scientist (Molina) and experiments gone wrong and you have yourself one hell of a movie!

Kudos to the creative team to concentrate on the human side of these characters, it made this film a more solid effort than the first, and better than most other fantasy/comic book movies. I expect it will give the film more staying power with audiences as well. Aside from a couple elements that went a bit over the top, my only minor complaint was the blatant advertisement for Spider-Man 3 near the end of “2”.

I saw this film at Cinemark’s Tinseltown 17 Theater on Peach Street in Erie, PA.

(04-0630)