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[Willco]

The "H" is "O", people. Sam Raimi delivers his finest work since DARKMAN or - maybe, just maybe! - ARMY OF DARKNESS?

I am – Hercules!!

Everything’s still all kinda rerunny on the TV side of Ain’t It Cool, so I’m suddenly seeing a lot of movies, biding my time before CBS trots out “Big Brother,” my shameful and all-consuming summer obsession.

Here’s what I’ve learned in the meantime, o my brothers:

Spider-Man 2

As a character-driven action film, “Spider-Man 2” rates right up there with the likes of “Die Hard” and “Aliens” and the “Terminator” movies and “The Empire Strikes Back.” I can’t wait to see it again, it will be the biggest movie of the year, and I think it could even end up outgrossing “Titanic.” It’s got everything the first film had and more.

In broad strokes, its plot is weirdly parallel to the one employed by “Superman II.” It deals with a guy who ditches his superpowers to accommodate the girl he likes, then winds up re-embracing his superhumanity when the same girl is imperiled by grudge-bearing supervillainy. But where Clark Kent’s decision was a deliberate one, Peter Parker’s seems to be steered by the subconscious.

Part one felt very much like a film Sam Raimi directed, but this second installment feels like something Raimi generated from scratch. It feels like something the guy who made “Darkman” and “Army of Darkness” would write and direct if you gave him free rein and a towering pile of cash. Its pacing rivals “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” The action scenes are generally much more exciting and less obligatory. The elevated train fight is frightening and suspenseful and ultimately pretty moving.

Genius-level comedy abounds, but the exchange with Bruce Campbell is show-stopper. So is the “I’m back!” scene. Peter Parker’s newspaper boss, J. Jonah Jameson, is more sharply drawn this time around and every single scene he visits is a comic home-run.
We also get a huuuuge bad-guy upgrade. If the Green Goblin had perhaps worn out his welcome at junctures, Otto Octavius seems to be utilized much more pointedly, and sparingly. His mechanized arms are scary and cool and sometimes pretty amusing, and the way in which they’re attached to the doctor’s spine (as demonstrated in those unfortunate TV commercials) is both convincing and quietly horrifying. We’re left wanting more.

The ending is happier, I think, and more satisfying. There are loads of great surprises, and none greater than the last big one, which is a sort of a gigantor double-surprise. If someone even hints about what it is in talkback, know that banishment will ensue.

*****

BOX OFFICE DOMINATION BEGINS JUNE 2003. I WILL BUY AT LEAST TEN TICKETS FOR THY LORD AND SAVIOR.

 

[evil ways]

17 days to go.

 

[Guzim]

This will be a great film.

 

[Willco]

Actually, 16 days, 12 hours and 13 minutes until I see it.

 

[Trevelyon]

I'd put 'A Simple Plan' way above both Darkman & AoD in terms of quality & directing.

 

[Shinobi]

I can’t wait to see it again, it will be the biggest movie of the year, and I think it could even end up outgrossing “Titanic.”

I'm looking forward to Spidey 2 and think it'll do great business, but there is NO fucking way it'll even approach Titanic. Too many reasons why that's a virtual impossibility.

 

[Willco]

I'd put 'A Simple Plan' way above both Darkman & AoD in terms of quality & directing.

Quiet you! We're talking about SPIDER-MAN!

 

[bogg]

Did'nt even see the first one, i dunno, did'nt look like anythig special. But this one looks like WOW. The trailer blew me away. Cant fuckin wait.

 

[sprsk]

another aicn review :/

 

[Cubsfan23]

I'm predicting $220 million after July 4th

 

[Incognito]

shit, i'm fucking STOKED for this movie. two and a half weeks... come on, baby.

 

[jett]

Who knows how Spidey2 will actually turn out...I hope for Sony's sake that it's actually good. They are advertising the shit out of this movie, and they fucking better. With its $210 million budget it has become the most expensive film ever made.

 

[pestul]

Didn't really like SM1.. this one looks fantastic though. It will open HUGE but I doubt it will catch Shrek 2.

 

[Lathentar]

Didn't really like SM1.. this one looks fantastic though. It will open HUGE but I doubt it will catch Shrek 2.

I don't see how anyone can doubt it. Spiderman had the biggest opening ever, and the sequel (especially if these reviews hold true) will surely top it. Just like with Spiderman, the second week drop off is going to be huge, but I bet it holds up to be the biggest moneymaker of the year. 400 million is my guess.

 

[Semjaza Azazel]

I wasn't too sold on this after the original trailer... but that new one they've been showing recently with the HUGE bass levels is amazing. I cannot wait to see this.

 

[Mugen]

I really can't wait for this movie. I haven't been this excited since umm... Return of the King.

 

[acklame]

I really can't wait for this movie. I haven't been this excited since umm... Return of the King.

IAWTP

 

[pestul]

I don't see how anyone can doubt it. Spiderman had the biggest opening ever, and the sequel (especially if these reviews hold true) will surely top it. Just like with Spiderman, the second week drop off is going to be huge, but I bet it holds up to be the biggest moneymaker of the year. 400 million is my guess.

I'm not doubting it, it's just that Shrek 2 is destined to make $425M+.

 

[Bob White]

The "H" is "O"

LOL! That's from SNL right?

 

[Willco]

Who knows how Spidey2 will actually turn out...I hope for Sony's sake that it's actually good. They are advertising the shit out of this movie, and they fucking better. With its $210 million budget it has become the most expensive film ever made.

That $210 million number is complete crap. Don't post numbers from Box Office Mojo and quote them as fact. They list Terminator 3 with a budget of $200 million, when it's been accurately reported as $172 million. As is, Spider-Man 2 has a $200 million budget, same as Titanic and Waterworld. More trustable source is imdb for that kind of stuff.

The biggest budget film of all-time will be Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with it's reported $305 million budget.

 

[XS+]

^^^ WTF $305 million for what??

I'm betting against Spidey 2 topping $400M. Shrek 2 is the 2004 box office champ.

 

[Willco]

^^^ WTF $305 million for what??

Got me, I don't read Harry Potter. But the budget for the next one made all the entertainment rounds. That's a huge number. They'll probably make it back too because all these damn kids and their Harry Potter nonsense.

 

[TAJ]

>>>>Who knows how Spidey2 will actually turn out...I hope for Sony's sake that it's actually good. They are advertising the shit out of this movie, and they fucking better. With its $210 million budget it has become the most expensive film ever made.

That $210 million number is complete crap. Don't post numbers from Box Office Mojo and quote them as fact. They list Terminator 3 with a budget of $200 million, when it's been accurately reported as $172 million. As is, Spider-Man 2 has a $200 million budget, same as Titanic and Waterworld. More trustable source is imdb for that kind of stuff.

The biggest budget film of all-time will be Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with it's reported $305 million budget.<<<<

Some people connected with Batman & Robin said its costs spiraled out of control and that it ended up costing $275 million back in 1997.

 

[AlphaSnake]

I haven't been this excited about a movie since Spider-Man 1. Yes I was extremely stoked for X2, LOTR and the like...but it wasn't as close as Spider-Man.

God I can't wait to watch Spider-Man 2.

 

[arter_2]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
i Cant wait I am getting so hyped for this film the first one was great one of my favorites.I just want to see it already. What suxs is im going to be away when it comes out. Im working for a sleep away camp and i wont be able to get out for a while uggg.

 

[Pattergen]

Has to be a mistake. IMDB has GoF at $130, just like the rest of the films. I also see a lot of quoting of Newell suggesting $170. The $305 figure comes from people thinking Newell meant 170 in pounds. So there seems to be confusion. I think its probably around the 170 mark.

 

[Willco]

Has to be a mistake. IMDB has GoF at $130, just like the rest of the films. I also see a lot of quoting of Newell suggesting $170. The $305 figure comes from people thinking Newell meant 170 in pounds. So there seems to be confusion. I think its probably around the 170 mark.

All I know is a bunch of goddamn Potter sites and entertainment sites were like, "OMG $305 MILLION!" about five months back when he gave some interview to a European outlet. I was like, "Wow, awesome!" While it might be a confusion, Newell also said this:

Newell said: ''I think of myself as being really lucky. I'm going to make the most expensive film there has ever been."

 

[jett]

That $210 million number is complete crap. Don't post numbers from Box Office Mojo and quote them as fact. They list Terminator 3 with a budget of $200 million, when it's been accurately reported as $172 million. As is, Spider-Man 2 has a $200 million budget, same as Titanic and Waterworld. More trustable source is imdb for that kind of stuff.

The biggest budget film of all-time will be Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with it's reported $305 million budget.

OH NO, BOM is off by 10 million, what shall they ever do? It is still a ridiculous number. I don't really trust imdb in terms of numbers anyway, their business data section is a fucking mess.

Oh and that GoF budget has got to be bullshit, no sane movie studio would greenlight a movie with that budget. Besides, your favorite site reports a 130 million budget.

 

[Willco]

Oh and that GoF budget has got to be bullshit, no sane movie studio would greenlight a movie with that budget. Besides, your favorite site reports a 130 million budget.

They're not always right, but they're a lot more accurate than BOM! I'm just saying, the record still belongs to Titanic and Waterworld, although, as someone already mentioned, films have "secretly" broken the $200 million mark.

I'm just reporting the GoF budget from several sites I read from awhile back and the fact that Newell is quoted as saying he is making the most expensive film ever made.