Top 10: Things that make The Amazing Spider-Man 2 an awesome film
The following is a guest post by Katie Pathiaki, Assistant Editor of Undertone Online. She is a huge fan of superhero movies, especially from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and liked The Amazing Spider-Man 2 a whole lot more than I did.
Every teenager has problems just like Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Getting an earful from the aunt for turning the laundry red and blue, on-off relationship with the girlfriend (as a result of seeing her dead father every day) and late to their own graduation because they’re kicking criminal butt.
Well okay, maybe he’s not that normal. But he’s certainly awesome.
I think it’s a given to say that this list of awesome things about The Amazing Spider-Man 2 contains spoilers. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
10. Stan Lee
9. The Green Goblin
Compared to the laughable Green Goblin featured in the 2002 Spider-Man, this bad guy is Doctor Doom! Well, not literally; but you get it.
Starting off as an ally, Harry Osborn bonds over daddy issues with Peter and comes to him with a strange request; get me Spider-Man’s blood. If that isn’t creepy enough then I’m not sure what is. After being refused the blood of a living man, Osborn injects himself with spider venom to try to cure what killed his father… becoming-a-green-laughing-goblin-itus.
For once, the menacing cackle of the Green Goblin was welcome in my eyes. For that, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 deserves praise.
8. Andrew Garfield.
Brilliantly funny, Garfield effortlessly plays the naughty schoolboy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, with high fives all round and cheap gags like pulling a criminal’s trousers down. His physique reflects that of the character in the comics, and he has done such a great job of making Peter Parker his own.
He’s so memorable that it’s impossible to see anyone else as Spidey. Oh, wait.
7. Finally finding out what was in that briefcase.
After a frustrating love-hate relationship with the briefcase, Peter lost it and started throwing papers around his bedroom. In his rage, the calculator held inside hit the wall and smashed open, revealing a scattering of coins.
Something his Aunt May had said previously suddenly clicked in Parker’s head, enabling him to find out the truth about his father and his work for Oscorp. It was a great moment.
6. Clues to the next Spider-Man film
As The Amazing Spider-Man 2 concludes, a mysterious figure strolls around the Oscorp Secret Projects floor. He walks past a wall of possibilities; Doctor Octopus’ tentacles, Vulture’s wings, Rhino’s armour.
This is, of course, the beginning of The Sinister Six.
5. Occasional science lessons
Halfway through The Amazing Spider-Man 2, our hero has a problem. During his first encounter with Electro, power surges blow up the batteries in his web-slinger.
“Have you magnetised the nail?” Gwen simply asks, and off they go to find jump leads to fix the problem.
Two Spider-Man geeks tell us: “Spider-Man must have made his suit out of rubber as he survived the electric shocks.”
And how do you defeat Electro? Well he is just a big battery, and the way you destroy a battery is to overcharge it until it explodes. That makes me think twice about leaving my laptop plugged in.
Who doesn’t love to learn and have fun at the same time?
4. Kick-ass fight scenes
Buildings are struck with lightning, windows are smashing, Spider-Man is swinging and all of this is set to the sound of pounding dubstep. Okay, it doesn’t sound that great, but believe me.
Electro’s power came across in the music used to amplify his hits. It was like being involved in a rave, whilst chaos rumbles on all around. Just in case you weren’t already enjoying the encounter, slow motion soon kicks in to make sure you really appreciate the awesome moves.
3. X-Men crossover
Well, it’s a mid-credit sting, but it’s still very exciting to see some X-Men footage in a Spider-Man film. Poor Peter is usually left out of all of the crossover fun because Sony owns the rights to the character. The Avengers were stood on his doorstep fighting aliens and he wasn’t invited. But no more!
The clip, from X-Men: Days Of Future Past is a positive sign of Fox and Sony collaborating in the future.
2. Max Dillon
Max (Jamie Foxx) is a fan of high-waisted trousers and comb-overs. A nerd from Oscorp, this electrical engineer is embarrassingly funny, possibly because we know who this guy will become.
After meeting Spider-Man in the street during a near death experience, Max becomes obsessed with the idea of actually having him as a friend. He has imaginary conversations with Spidey and accepts fake birthday cakes and cards from him.
You feel quite sorry for him, until he starts shooting electricity at people.
1. The heartbreak that is Gwen Stacy
It was great news to hear that Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone were dating in real life and it was even better to see the couple in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 loved up and really enjoying the intimate moments. Some parts were cheesy, but who doesn’t love romance?
“I don’t want to lose you,” Peter told Gwen, and it almost didn’t seem real when we saw her fall to her death at the hands of the Green Goblin.
Never before had I felt the heartbreak that Garfield’s performance made me feel. Weeping over his first love, the guilt-ridden Peter Parker had gone against his promise to Gwen’s father and as a result; lost Gwen Stacy forever.
Let us know what you thought of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in the comments section.