Critics Rating: 3.1/2 STARS.

Cast : Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field, Chris Cooper,
 
Producer : Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach.

Direction: Marc Webb

Written: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner, James Vanderbilt
 
Genre: Adventure

Duration: 2 hours 22 minutes

Guilt-ridden and full of angst from the events of the previous film, Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) must balance his waning love life with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) and vigilante duties that have him pulling on the spandex.

There’s also the mystery behind his parents abandoning him, which has something to do with revelations pertaining to the shadowy Oscorp Industries. His work will not get easier with an obsessive electrical engineer Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) hero-worshipping him and his friend Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) managing the helm of affairs at Oscorp after the death of his father.

So between making it work with Gwen, investigating some corporate intrigue and battling formidable motley of villains, Spidey has his hands full. And you thought your life was hard.

The film begins and follows the perspective of Richard Parker, Peter’s father, which should fill in a few blanks the prequel left in your mind. In fact, a lot of the origin story finds explanation here, so it helps if you’ve seen the predecessor before coming for this one. The references may not hinder your understanding of the main story in this film, but it helps to be able to catch on to allusions as and when they are mentioned.

(In the spirit of catching on, Stan Lee has a wee cameo at the convocation scene.)

It runs parallel to Spider-Man’s face-off with Electro and Green Goblin, whilst he deals with his inner demons. That may seem like a lot to pack into one film but the trio of Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner provide an entertaining addition to the slew of superhero movies.

 

The storyline does get a little wobbly with Max’s caricaturish fanboying over Spidey which earns him neither depth nor sympathy when there is a character turn-around. There are parts in the film which go a little overboard on banter. The first conversation Spider-Man has with Max during an intense chase sequence is particularly ridiculous.

Despite some awkward, rough-edged moments, the Garfield/Stone chemistry and all the CGI make it more than worthwhile. It’s good to see a plot-driven superhero flick., but when the moments are punctuated by some slick action, it is bound to send fans into a tizzy. Spidey dives, swoops and zips his breath-taking path across the crumbling NYC in hot pursuit of baddies while leaving a trail of web behind. And one could never tire of it. For a change, the 3-D is actually used to good effect.

There are some edge-of-the-seat slow motion movements in the film to highlight the urgency and close shaves certain characters are about to go through. It is executed with the finesse of the QTEs (Quick Time Events) seen in video games.

As is the trend these days, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 takes a dark turn towards the end. But despite the devastation around and within him, Peter finds it in him to take on the role of a ‘web-crawler’ again. The setting for the third installment has been put in place, with the film ending on a glorious note. There is a good chance that most fans will be back for more.

This film may not beat Captain America: The Winter Soldier for the best superhero film this summer, but it is worth the rush that follows while it lasts.