The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ★

    Much is to be said of blockbuster films simply because they earn hundreds of millions of dollars and they essentially strive to bring delight and elation to a rather monotonous reality. Superhero franchises are most certainly a constituent of these types of films because of their allure and entertainment appeal.

    "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" will generate millions in revenue and will place a smile on the individual's faces whose hands were involved; however, it does not excuse the fact that this film is a failed attempt at delivering any sense of integrity to its construction. It is a blatant slap in the face to anyone who can see past the tawdry humor and computer graphics to find that the cupboard is bare. The opportunity to save this rendition of our lovable Spider-Man is squandered into oblivion.

    The film begins with the back story of our protagonist's parents and builds on what we already knew following the previous film of this installment. Richard Parker was dismissed from his position at OsCorp, and his research essentially placed his family's lives in danger. After fleeing aboard a private jet, an assassin succeeds in killing the pilot of the aircraft and sending the Parkers into the unknown, but not before Richard uploads a very important file to his database.

    For the present, Spider-Man succeeds in derailing a criminal's hijacking of a truck filled with volatile substances in an extremely comical fashion. (This is the first indication that this film will not lend itself to a dramatic tone.) Spider-Man also receives a call via cell phone in which we learn that he is running late for his high school graduation. Of course, Peter makes it back just in time to obtain his diploma and plant a hero's smooch onto Gwen Stacy, the apple of his eye.

    Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone reprise their roles of Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, respectively. Their relationship becomes more complicated this time around, considering the promise that Peter made to her father and its effect on his conscious. Gwen breaks up with our hero, but it is not long before they rekindle their flame and become friends once again. Stone is relatively unimpressive in this sequel, and her innocence becomes astray, along with the importance of her character.

    After bestowing some praise on Garfield for his performance in the previous film, he becomes nothing more than a prop in this computer-enhanced dominated story line. His quirky and shy demeanor is not as tolerable as before and some scenes, including the first meeting with Harry Osborn, are downright awkward and insufferable.

    The conflict for our story comes in the form of three villains, although one briefly appears at the end as a transition into the next film. Max Dillon, a nerdy and forgotten employee of OsCorp, is rescued by Spider-Man in the opening action sequence and, subsequently, gains an unhealthy obsession for our hero. After being forced to work overtime, Dillon becomes the victim of a horrendous accident that transforms him into a walking manifestation of electricity. Jamie Foxx, a hot commodity in Hollywood the last two years, steps into this role and delivers a subpar performance. Unfortunately, Foxx is subdued into the character of Electro, whose only goal is to kill Spider-Man.

    Harry Osborn, a staple in the Spider-Man universe, returns to the silver screen as the inheritor of his father's corporation. Harry learns of the illness that has taken over his father and is told that it will soon reveal itself in his body. After trying to negotiate with Spider-Man for the cure, Harry is forced to consider other options, which leads to the creation of the Green Goblin. Spider-Man must overcome these obstacles, which culminates in a rather unimaginative conclusion.

    Personally, I am very much accustomed to the character of Spider-Man that can be found in the colorful pages of a 1980s comic book; he is intelligent, clever, and thought-provoking. The morality of this persona has been forgotten and thus muted by computer enhanced graphics. A large portion of the film is dedicated to scenes dominated by CGI, and it is truly sad to think that much of this film was done behind a computer and not behind an actual camera.

    Peter Parker is seemingly insignificant, and his career with the Daily Bugle has been reduced to e-mail correspondence with Jonah Jameson. Despite the fact that I am utterly repulsed by this film, I remain hopeful that the next chapter will finally steer into the direction of tribulation and gloom. This film teases that notion with the hallucinations of Gwen's father and the guilty conscience of Peter. (The presence of Felicia Hardy may also help right the ship.)

    As the character of Spider-Man is continually portrayed in an unflattering manner, a question presents itself: Where is Stan Lee? The creator of our hero has also been reduced to a negligent role and can only be found in cheap cameos. I only hope that at the end of the day Lee doesn't regret the sale of his creation.