Spider-Man 2
In this visual dazzler inspired by 1930s-era Universal horror movies, production designer Neil Spisak updates the mad scientist’s lair with gadgets and whistles. However, the pièce de résistance is the octopus-inspired arms that, through a combination of mechanical and computer effects, become a character in and of themselves. The overall craft of the visual effects under the supervision of John Dykstra and Scott Sokdyk represents a quantum leap from work in the prior movie—and it’s all expertly tightened by superlative work from editor Bob Murawski.
He’s the swinger par excellence. Spider-Man returns to the big screen to battle Doc Ock, and the confrontation between these embodiments of good and evil provides the sort of thrill-ride environment we’ve come to expect from comic book heroes transported to the movies.
It is unquestionably a visual dazzler with exciting chases, explosive fight sequences, acrobatics that would make Errol Flynn blush and state-of-the-art computer-generated effects that are jaw dropping. Where it fails to coalesce is in the drama and humanity of the piece. The unusually busy story is a pastiche that culls from Hamlet, Freud, Puccini, myriad vintage movies and the kitchen sink to push the yarn along, though rarely to a conclusion.
The impetus of the action gravitates around Dr. Otto Octavius’ (Alfred Molina) molecular fusion research into dynamic alternative energy sources. Octavius is a noble sort and a role model for Spider-Man alter ego Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire). However, when his experiment goes hideously awry, he transforms à la Dr. Jekyll into his Hyde-like Doc Ock, complete with a set of imposing and lethal mechanical arms.
The power struggle between the malevolent contraption and Octavius’ better nature becomes the film’s most potent emotional element, thanks to Molina’s shrewd observation.
The counter-story finds Parker disenchanted with being a superhero. He’d rather pursue his heart and Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). However, the fact that he has extraordinary powers and compassion poses a crushing personal obstacle. How can he be idle as his Aunt May is abducted and held hostage dangling from a skyscraper? Similarly there are people to be saved from burning buildings and a subway car hurtling to certain oblivion when its brakes are destroyed.
The hero’s reluctance proves dramatically tiresome while providing most of the film’s outstanding set pieces. A handful of special effects houses were employed to great effect to seamlessly give the illusion of a runaway train brought to bay or the two adversaries crawling along great edifices and employing wiles, brute force and inanimate objects to the fight.
Still, the organic quality to the effects comes with an unexpected price. While impressive, the graceful sweep of Spider-Man as he employs his webs to fly through the air suggests that virtually anything is visually possible with CG enhancement. But there’s a disconnect in that the very showiness of the effects also underlines the fact that they have been created in lab type conditions and not via stunt doubles on actual locations. The implication of actual threat or derring-do has been artfully removed and reduced to a comic book threat. As a one-dimensional exercise Spider-Man 2 stands near the pinnacle while aspiring to greater dramatic heights.
