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[thecouncil]

Here's things this worked: Spider Man action / behavior, Peter Parker / Gwen Stacy / Harry Osborn and any interactions these characters had.

Here's things this movie should've cut out to develop the above a little better: the entire character of Max Dillon / Electro, Harry Osborn dying, ALL Richard Parker stuff and anything that comes with that concept. The first movie has some of that Richard Parker garbage but the movie's also so butchered in editing and non-sensical that completely dropping the storyline in this movie would've been just fine by me.

The plane scenes and May in the hospital during the finale were very strange. Shocked that as long as that movie was, nobody ever thought to drop those parts out. Spider Man was not involved with those planes AT ALL. So why were we watching the control tower handling that? It'd be like cutting to multiple scenes of a random family in their house trying to find candles and flashlights.

Another odd thing about Harry Osborn is that his selection of the Green Goblin gear was random. "Randumb". Basically, he could've just as easily been Vulture or Doctor Octopus, but he was closest to the glider.

Goblin also looked awful, let's be honest.

I did love some stuff though. Spider-Man and that kid in the alley, the opening scene with Spider-Man, the Times Square scene (confused about why Electro went from loving Spider Man to wanting to kill Spider-Man as Spider-Man never did anything wrong: was really nice, remembered his name, etc.) and, pretty much the last 20 minutes or so.

An "overload" battery charger on the side of Electro's head though. Holy shit.

Why was there a clock tower in the middle of the power plant?

 

[Calamari41]

Honestly, he'd have to be a massive chump to send a sample of his blood anywhere near Oscorp.

Oh of course, but then the excuse is "your company is manufacturing super villains" instead of "it might hurt you"

 

[diaspora]

Oh of course, but then the excuse is "your company is manufacturing super villains" instead of "it might hurt you"

Right but that's just it. Sending super-blood to a company making super-villains regardless of what Harry told him he intended to use it for is sketchy at least. Basically I think "it could hurt/kill/destroy you" and "your company is making supervillains" are both okay reasons not to donate a sample of superblood.

 

[Sorian]

She wasn't going to stick around, he was going to go to England with her

Stick around as in, miss that particular flight. Yes she was still going to go to England but even if he didn't make the effort to show her some love she would have A) had a scene at the airport where she has a last minute regret and does need to see him one more time or B) would have looked over at a news report of the Spider-Man/Electro fight going on and would have been right over.

 

[Calamari41]

Right but that's just it. Sending super-blood to a company making super-villains regardless of what Harry told him he intended to use it for is sketchy at least. Basically I think "it could hurt/kill/destroy you" and "your company is making supervillains" are both okay reasons not to donate a sample of superblood.

I am with you all the way, I'm not trying to say that Peter should have given him a vial of his blood. I'm saying that Peter's reasoning given in the movie was flawed. If he didn't trust Harry with it, why show up in his room to try to reason with him about it?

Edit: I responded without noticing your edit. We'll just have to agree to disagree on whether or not "it might hurt you" is good as a sole reason to turn him down, given what Peter knew at that moment.

 

[Spinluck]

Oh of course, but then the excuse is "your company is manufacturing super villains" instead of "it might hurt you"

In the first movie, Peter helped Conners with that algorithm his father left behind, and that turned Conners into a Lizard (pretty much all Peter's fault because that part of the research was left hidden from Conners, and Peter figured it out and gave it to him).

So the fact that Peter was somewhat hesitant to just give Harry his superblood makes sense to me. He thought that it could transform him, kill him, or who knows what else lol. And Harry's, "Conners was weak," comment was so dumb lol. That dude wasn't dying he was just missing an arm, you have Green Goblintitus (not the actual name I know) and want to blend your blood with a human + spider hybrid. The whole thing is silly, but Peter's stance has nothing to do with him being selfish. Believe it or not, it was actually a responsible one.

EDIT: I recognize that you never called him selfish, but I'm just stating how I saw it. I do agree that they could've handled it better.

 

[diaspora]

I am with you all the way, I'm not trying to say that Peter should have given him a vial of his blood. I'm saying that Peter's reasoning given in the movie was flawed. If he didn't trust Harry with it, why show up in his room to try to reason with him about it?

Edit: I responded without noticing your edit. We'll just have to agree to disagree on whether or not "it might hurt you" is good as a sole reason to turn him down, given what Peter knew at that moment.

I do think the actual dialogue could have been written far better for Peter trying to reason Harry out of injecting himself with his blood after watching what a healthier Connors did with Peter's help. So I guess I'm partially with you here.

In the first movie, Peter helped Conners with that algorithm his father left behind, and that turned Conners into a Lizard (pretty much all Peter's fault because that part of the research was left hidden from Conners, and Peter figured it out and gave it to him).

So the fact that Peter was somewhat hesitant to just give Harry his superblood makes sense to me. He thought that it could transform him, kill him, or who knows what else lol. And Harry's, "Conners was weak," comment was so dumb lol. That dude wasn't dying he was just missing an arm, you have Green Goblintitus (not the actual name I know) and want to blend your blood with a human + spider hybrid. The whole thing is silly, but Peter's stance has nothing to do with him being selfish. Believe it or not, it was actually a responsible one.

EDIT: I recognize that you never called him selfish, but I'm just stating how I saw it. I do agree that they could've handled it better.

I can hear Sculli running here already.

 

[Calamari41]

I do thing the actual dialogue could have been written far better for Peter trying to reason Harry out of injecting himself with his blood after watching what a healthier Connors did with Peter's help.

Yeah I think that was the main issue. He really didn't even try to reason with him. He basically said "nah, breh!" and peaced out without even answering Harry's questions.

 

[Zeyphersan]

Yeah I think that was the main issue. He really didn't even try to reason with him. He basically said "nah, breh!" and peaced out without even answering Harry's questions.

Spider-Man was in the right for refusing, but didn't really communicate that effectively to Harry. Both as Peter and as Spider-Man he just said "no" without explaining. Even if Harry was being crazy irrational and wouldn't have listened, that's beside the point. It's better for the character and the audience if he at least tries to talk to him like a normal person

 

[Sorian]

Spider-Man was in the right for refusing, but didn't really communicate that effectively to Harry. Both as Peter and as Spider-Man he just said "no" without explaining. Even if Harry was being crazy irrational and wouldn't have listened, that's beside the point. It's better for the character and the audience if he at least tries to talk to him like a normal person

Peter Parker has always had that issue, let's talk about him not explaining to Harry in the Raimi trilogy that Daddy killed himself.

 

[Spinluck]

I can hear Sculli running here already.

I don't see how a superhero just freely handing out his blood would be responsible. He would've been doing the same thing he did with Conners.

 

[diaspora]

Peter Parker has always had that issue, let's talk about him not explaining to Harry in the Raimi trilogy that Daddy killed himself.

I... well, yes.

I don't see how a superhero just freely handing out his blood would be responsible. He would've been doing the same thing he did with Conners.

I agree completely. Largely because of this:

Spider-Man was in the right for refusing, but didn't really communicate that effectively to Harry. Both as Peter and as Spider-Man he just said "no" without explaining. Even if Harry was being crazy irrational and wouldn't have listened, that's beside the point. It's better for the character and the audience if he at least tries to talk to him like a normal person

 

[Calamari41]

In all honesty I would have gamed for a research position at Oscorp when Harry asked for the blood.

 

[diaspora]

In all honesty I would have gamed for a research position at Oscorp when Harry asked for the blood.

Or at least push to be the person to do the research on the blood.

 

[Zeyphersan]

Peter Parker has always had that issue, let's talk about him not explaining to Harry in the Raimi trilogy that Daddy killed himself.

Actually the most frustrating thing in 2 and 3. Every single time he just sits there in silence like "Yeah, I guess Spider-Man did kill your dad."

JUST TALK TO HIM YOU ASSHOLE

 

[Noshino]

RDJ's fb

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=287381191430353

hahaha

Yeah it's not a huge deal and a bit of a nitpick, but it just made me roll my eyes because it made Peter's decision to not help the right one due to information he had no clue about.

Given that the whole time they keep bringing up the "with great power comes great responsibility" subject and not involving other people, one could claim that those could've also been factors in Peter's decision to not help.

 

[Sorian]

Actually the most frustrating thing in 2 and 3. Every single time he just sits there in silence like "Yeah, I guess Spider-Man did kill your dad."

JUST TALK TO HIM YOU ASSHOLE

Peter Parker, super hero or super villian?

I mean, obviously Spider-Man is a hero but that Peter Parker guy? Dick.

 

[diaspora]

Given that the whole time they keep bringing up the "with great power comes great responsibility" subject and not involving other people, one could claim that those could've also been factors in Peter's decision to not help.

I agree. But goddamn the communication between the two both in Webb and Raimi's movies were terrible.

edit: IIRC the reason why he never told Harry the truth in the Raimi films was that Norman asked him to not tell Harry. Though keeping a bad promise to a dead guy is pretty ill advised, especially when it brews a shitload of undeserved animosity toward the living.

 

[Zeyphersan]

Peter Parker, super hero or super villian?

I mean, obviously Spider-Man is a hero but that Peter Parker guy? Dick.

I just watched SM2 again, and right after Harry unmasks Peter he's like "Peter... You killed my dad..."

Does Peter correct him? At all? NO! He goes "Harry, there are bigger things going on here than you and me."

Dick.

 

[BronsonLee]

Peter Parker has always had that issue, let's talk about him not explaining to Harry in the Raimi trilogy that Daddy killed himself.

Wasn't that Norman's last/dying request though?

So Raimi Spidey doesn't bogard on promises!

 

[Sorian]

edit: IIRC the reason why he never told Harry the truth in the Raimi films was that Norman asked him to not tell Harry. Though keeping a bad promise to a dead guy is pretty ill advised, especially when it brews a shitload of undeserved animosity toward the living.

He can't win, if he keeps his promise to the dead then the living become spiteful and evil and if he breaks his promise to the dead then Emma Stone dies.

 

[Lazyslob]

i hate that kid running out at the end. if i was rhino id smush him

 

[Sorian]

I just watched SM2 again, and right after Harry unmasks Peter he's like "Peter... You killed my dad..."

Does Peter correct him? At all? NO! He goes "Harry, there are bigger things going on here than you and me."

Dick.

"Harry, you obviously come from a family of super villiany, but I have more important things to deal with like being awesome and getting the love of New York, bye!"

 

[AgentOtaku]

As one of the first to catch ASM (opened in Germany before US) and post it about it's mediocrity on GAF, let me just say:

This film IS AN EXPONENTIAL leap ahead of ASM and, no bullshit, surpasses Raimi's Spider-Man 2

....I can't believe I even typed that, but it's quite honestly true

Pros:

+ A legitimately excellent (and creative) musical score that actually gives everything a pulse. This is the total opposite of ASM's super phoned in one.

+ Pretty f*ing spectacular special effects

+ Despite there unfortunately not being a lot of it, the action is pretty much the best representation of the character. Yes, it even surpasses Spidey 1 in direction and execution (minus final Goblin fisticuffs).

+ I was honestly surprised how good the performances are in this. EVERYONE brought their A game with special stand-outs being Dan DeHaan. Jamie Foxx reminds you he is an actual quality actor and his arc in this is legitimately good. I mean shit, even Chris Cooper turns in a nice little performance

+ Jokes are actually funny

+ Aunt May isn't just crying all the time and gives an especially heartfelt scene at a certain point. You'll know the one. It honestly made me choke, as it was damn good.

+ Spider-man is ENDEARING AS FUCK in this movie and I now truly believe Adam Garfield really is the best Peter Parker out there. Josh Keaton's Animated Spectacular Spiderman still get's an honorable mention though.

+ Despite so many failed attempts in the past, this movie actually balances it's villains, doing what Spidey3 couldn't even dream about.

Cons

- You may have been able to easily cut 15 minutes out of this movie.

- LOTS of foreshadowing.

So yeah, I'm STILL processing the fact that this truly is the best representation of the character currently in cinema and may or not be the best in the film franchise. I mean, I have A LOT of nostalgia love for Raimi's Spidey1, but also recognize it has HUGE problems and mostly get's by on it's unbridled joy and fun.
I mean, I just watched ASM this past Saturday morning again and it's still as meandering and pointless as I remember. ASM2 feels the total opposite. I cared about mostly everything that happened and that was because of the truly strong performances, creative action, love-letter representation of New York itself (though never to the point of heavy pandering, unlike prior movies), and just all around sense that EVERYTHING managed to keep me engaged, despite it's runtime.

Rotten Tomatoes is wroooong on this one. Very wrong.

I'm truly shocked and before you jump in my shit, go back and watch Spider-man2. It's super bloated and overrated.

 

[Zeyphersan]

I'm truly shocked and before you jump in my shit, go back and watch Spider-man2. It's super bloated and overrated.

Watching ASM2 and SM2 back-to-back, we are on the complete opposite sides on this one. ASM2 is more bloated than SM2 ever was, or is.

edit:

So we have a jumping-off point, ASM2 is the best representation of the CHARACTER of Spider-Man in film to date. The movements and sense of agility were great, the quips and humor were good, everything about Spider-Man as a person felt right at home.

It's just the rest of the movie failed to live up to anything. The core (Spider-Man) is good, everything around that is not.

 

[kazebyaka]

Rotten Tomatoes is wroooong on this one. Very wrong.

Just because you liked it, doesn't mean that everyone else is wrong. Personally, I think the movie deserves its rating.

 

[Sorian]

Watching ASM2 and SM2 back-to-back, we are on the complete opposite sides on this one. ASM2 is more bloated than SM2 ever was, or is.

They are both bloated it's just SM2's bloat comes in the form of exposition on exposition (slight exaggeration, 3 was worse) and ASM2's bloat comes from scenes straight up being in the movie that could have been cut and the audience would have been none the wiser.

Edit: Your edit is how I feel, simple.

 

[AgentOtaku]

Watching ASM2 and SM2 back-to-back, we are on the complete opposite sides on this one. ASM2 is more bloated than SM2 ever was, or is.

edit:

So we have a jumping-off point, ASM2 is the best representation of the CHARACTER of Spider-Man in film to date. The movements and sense of agility were great, the quips and humor were good, everything about Spider-Man as a person felt right at home.

It's just the rest of the movie failed to live up to anything. The core (Spider-Man) is good, everything around that is not.

I think it helps that I find both Garfield and Stone's turn-in here super adorable and endearing, whereas Maguire was awkward when being dramatic (best when nerdy) and Dunst was just sort of gross to look at and not a particularly good actress.

They are both bloated it's just SM2's bloat comes in the form of exposition on exposition (slight exaggeration, 3 was worse) and ASM2's bloat comes from scenes straight up being in the movie that could have been cut and the audience would have been none the wiser.

Edit: Your edit is how I feel, simple.

I do agree with this. Like I said, you could easily cut a chunk out of this movie.

 

[brandonh83]

I'm truly shocked and before you jump in my shit, go back and watch Spider-man2. It's super bloated and overrated.

Glad you loved it, but you don't have to bash Spider-man 2.

 

[thecouncil]

i hate that kid running out at the end. if i was rhino id smush him

Or shoot Spider Man while he was just standing there talking to the kid...

The kid running out there was incredibly cheesy and nonsensical, but at least Spider-Man showed up and saved us from what could've been an even worse scene.

That was basically the movie in a nutshell: At least Spider Man showed up and saved us from an even worse scene.

 

[Zeyphersan]

Or shoot Spider Man while he was just standing there talking to the kid...

The kid running out there was incredibly cheesy and nonsensical, but at least Spider-Man showed up and saved us from what could've been an even worse scene.

That was basically the movie in a nutshell: At least Spider Man showed up and saved us from an even worse scene.

Full disclosure, I'm stealing this

 

[Pavaloo]

overwhelmingly positive review

edit: my reasoning is i disagree with his review, more specifically the mention of "bloat." no need for me to retread why i don't like the movie when it's been said a thousand times in the past few pages.

 

[brandonh83]

Funny gifs are better when there's an actual reason for using them.

 

[Wolf Akela]

Garfield is still the best Spider-Man. The older movies were never this snappy with their movements.

 

[brickarts295]

Hmm I'm starting to wonder how they were going to also put Mary Jane in this storyline. I know she was cut, but I would be interested to see what was the original use for her.

 

[bananafactory]

Hmm I'm starting to wonder how they were going to also put Mary Jane in this storyline. I know she was cut, but I would be interested to see what was the original use for her.

http://sciencefiction.com/2014/05/0...ry-janes-deleted-amazing-spider-man-2-scenes/


“There was one little scene at the beginning where she is next door and it took place right around the montage where he comes back and there was another little moment between Gwen and MJ."

"But it just tipped over. The relationship between [Peter and Gwen] is so sacred and so powerful, that it just didn’t feel right. And it sucks because Shailene is such a fucking great actress and so cool and magical but it was just about having this obligation to this romance that I thought was sacred. It was just one of those things.”

 

[WrenchNinja]

Garfield is still the best Spider-Man. The older movies were never this snappy with their movements.

Mr. Sparkles?

 

[Zeyphersan]

http://sciencefiction.com/2014/05/0...ry-janes-deleted-amazing-spider-man-2-scenes/


“There was one little scene at the beginning where she is next door and it took place right around the montage where he comes back and there was another little moment between Gwen and MJ."

"But it just tipped over. The relationship between [Peter and Gwen] is so sacred and so powerful, that it just didn’t feel right. And it sucks because Shailene is such a fucking great actress and so cool and magical but it was just about having this obligation to this romance that I thought was sacred. It was just one of those things.”

Oh yeah, her scenes tipped over, but every other scene in that movie was so vital

 

[BLACKLAC]

Funny gifs are better when there's an actual reason for using them.

+ A legitimately excellent (and creative) musical score that actually gives everything a pulse. This is the total opposite of ASM's super phoned in one.

:/

 

[diaspora]

Oh yeah, her scenes tipped over, but every other scene in that movie was so vital

All of those other scenes, shit ones and all were better choices than a single MJ scene.

 

[thecouncil]

...but I really just want someone to explain to me the point of the entire plane subplot at the end.

Maybe you guys forget but there were a lot of control tower scenes. There was a new woman character there...

What was that about? Who was that woman?

It was like I was watching another movie. ...wait... was I?

 

[Spinluck]

...but I really just want someone to explain to me the point of the entire plane subplot at the end.

Maybe you guys forget but there were a lot of control tower scenes. There was a new woman character there...

What was that about? Who was that woman?

It was like I was watching another movie. ...wait... was I?

I thought it was to add more suspense to the Electro and Spidey fight. Can Spider-Man turn the power on in time!? Or maybe to add scale to the third act? I thought it was out of place lol.

 

[MrBadger]

I just watched SM2 again, and right after Harry unmasks Peter he's like "Peter... You killed my dad..."

Does Peter correct him? At all? NO! He goes "Harry, there are bigger things going on here than you and me."

Dick.

I'm not sure Harry would even listen if Peter told him his dad killed himself with his own glider, and I don't think he'd be able to confirm such a thing beforehand without admitting he's Spiderman. Plus that really wasn't the time. Doc Ock was kind of about to destroy the whole city.

It's the butler who should have told Harry. He's the dick here.

 

[Korosenai]

The "any volunteer gets an Oscorp mech suit" foreshadowing of the Sinister Six is such a cop out of potential origins. It's really a shame.

Everything to do with Richard Parker should be excised from this series. Not only is it boring, it's also confusing as all hell and completely unnecessary. The origin of Spider Man is able to be so simple: Student gets bit by radioactive spider on field trip. This movie adds layers and layers of garbage onto that.

Electro should've also been eliminated from this movie. The entirety of the character was incredibly cheesy. (Also where did Electro get that sweet outfit when he and Harry teamed up? It had a lightning bolt on it and everything?)

Let's name all the movies where a nerd becomes a supervillain: Batman Forever / Batman and Robin, Iron Man 3, The Incredibles... any others?

Overall, this movie was pretty cool, but the individual parts were pretty bad.

Yeah, I dont like how theyre handling the Sinister Six either. Everyone just gets an oscorp suit and becomes a villain. No interesting backstories on how they get special powers, just ex inmates/psychos who hate Spiderman who are powerful now because of of Oscorp.

Hopefully they do Venom right.

 

[Spinluck]

:/

You should stop referencing that terrible video lol.

The Zimmer gif was funny though.

 

[chickdigger802]

surprised goblin got caught, you'd think the suit would have healed him up and he'd escape by the time spidey was done moping. Don't think he even webbed him up.

 

[TwoDurans]

Everything to do with Richard Parker should be excised from this series. Not only is it boring, it's also confusing as all hell and completely unnecessary. The origin of Spider Man is able to be so simple: Student gets bit by radioactive spider on field trip. This movie adds layers and layers of garbage onto that.

I guess you don't read the comics, do you? It was recently retcom'd that the Parker parents were actually secret agents from the Cold War Era.

 

[Blader]

Saw it, liked it. Quite a bit, actually, probably my favorite Spider-Man movie behind SM2.

Some thoughts on pros and cons:

+Garfield does a great Spidey; his Peter is better here too (though still obnoxious at times), but his personality as Spider-Man is spot on
+Gwen is the real heart of this series. Emma Stone kills it in this role and will be sorely missed
+Webb really has Spidey's movements nailed down. Both the webslinging and just the way he contorts his body look fantastic.
+Really nicely choreographed action and went on just for enough time
+Some sequences were particularly well-directed, especially Gwen's death
+First time I've not been annoyed with a Dane DeHaan performance

-Electro is a weak character, and while not as offensively badly written villain like Lizard, he still felt undercooked and generally irrelevant to the plot
-Last 15 minutes, while fine as is, probably should have been excised and saved for (and expanded on) in the third movie. I think there was a lot more story to mine with Harry deducing Peter's identity, killing Gwen, and the immediate aftermath of that then to rush through it in the ending here. I think it worked here enough anyway, but I would have preferred to see more of it in its own movie.
-Score was pretty forgettable, and at times I did notice it, it was kind of annoying. Actually made me miss Horner's theme :lol
-Too much (unnecessary) Sinister Six advertising.

But anyway, problems aside, I liked it a lot. Surprisingly so, since I'm not much of a fan of the first Amazing. Looking forward to the third, though it's hard to see how they're going to fill in the hole left by Stone's absence.

 

[bananafactory]

These movies are clearly heavily influenced by the Ultimate series, despite being titled Amazing. Richard Parker's work is of huge importance in the Ultimate comics, especially in the origin story of Venom. So claiming his scenes are pointless might be incorrect, we just haven't reached the payoff yet.

 

[Zeyphersan]

I'm not sure Harry would even listen if Peter told him his dad killed himself with his own glider, and I don't think he'd be able to confirm such a thing beforehand without admitting he's Spiderman. Plus that really wasn't the time. Doc Ock was kind of about to destroy the whole city.

It's the butler who should have told Harry. He's the dick here.

I still feel like, for the audience and for the sake of Peter as a character, he should have tried. Whether or not Harry believed him (he wouldn't have) isn't as important as Peter putting forth some kind of effort