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20 Years On: An Ode to Spider-Man 2

20 Years On: An Ode to Spider-Man 2

2024 marks 20 years since the release of Spider-Man 2. At the time of its release, it received praise from critics and audiences, broke box office records, and won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. 20 years later, amidst whole universes of other superhero films (including its own reboots), it stands tall, often regarded as one of, if not the best, superhero film of all time.

Pizza Time!!

Following on from the smash hit success of the original, director Sam Raimi returned to bring his unique vision of the character to life. This time Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is facing Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), while still trying to maintain an ordinary life. Peter’s efforts to live a normal life take just as much focus as his mission to save New York, and his relationships (or lack thereof) with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) follow up from the first film.

One of the reasons it has stood the test of time is it feels timeless. In a way that is comparable to Batman: The Animated Series, the version of New York presented here is almost a character itself and stylised in such a way that it both feels like it’s set in the present day, the early 2000s, or even in the 60s. The tone is influenced by the original Stan Lee and Steve Ditko comic run, with the film taking massive influence from “Spider-Man No More” right down to cover. Part of this is that, by virtue of being one of the earlier 21st-century superhero films, it doesn’t try to compete or react to anything. The reboot is a reaction to a post-Iron Man and The Dark Knight world, opting for more “realism” while the later series exists as part of the MCU and is forced to sit comfortably in that world. Raimi’s version is very much in the vein of Tim Burton’s Batman or Richard Donner’s Superman. An artist and their vision with little studio interference, rather than as an excuse to maintain a copyright or as part of a cinematic universe. 

The power of the sun, in the palm of my hand!

In an interview regarding a possible Spider-Man 4, Raimi said that the challenges were the same that he faced for all the films “Is there an emotional arc? Is there a great conflict… and is there a worthy villain that fits into the theme of the piece?” Doc Ock is indeed a worthy villain. A personal hero of Peter’s, we spend time getting to know him and his vision of a better world, being almost a father figure to Peter. Octavius’ life is upended in a tragic accident, and even when he is in full-blown villain mode, he’s not actually out to hurt anyone, he just simply doesn’t care if people are, believing that “the real crime would be not to finish what we started”. Molina, a respected stage actor, but hardly a big name at the time, effortlessly plays the kind-hearted and warm Otto, before becoming tortured and racked with guilt. When he finally does go full villain, it’s almost charming. This version of him is one of Peter’s heroes,  and we spend time getting to know him and his wife, with Peter being almost the son they never had. This serves to only make his downfall that much more tragic. The scene in the hospital after the accident, in which his mechanical arms brutally murder the surgeons, not only allows Raimi to tap into his Evil Dead roots, but shows how dangerous Doc Ock is.

You have a train to catch!

The iconic train fight scene // Credit. Sony, Columbia, Marvel, 2004

Both Peter and Otto’s journey is about them trying to live their dreams. Peter wants to live a normal life, and Otto wants to complete his experiment. We also see the consequences of those dreams, with Peter eventually realising that New York needs Spider-Man, which leads to the train fight. A ten-minute sequence that is the film’s most impressive set piece. Despite being CG, the fight weights it, with the passengers adding to the tension. It all culminates in Spidey stopping the train with brute force and a powerful moment where the passengers defend him. The train scene has become almost as iconic as the upside-down kiss from the first film, referenced in cartoons, comics, the Spider-Verse films and even the Playstation game.

Spider-Man 2 builds upon the success of the original, but rather than going bigger as most sequels do, it instead goes deeper. Peter’s relationships are at the heart of this film and each of them are explored in far more depth than the first. While Doc Ock is a threat, Peter’s self-doubt is just as much his enemy. All of this comes together to create a film that proved the first wasn’t just a fluke, as well as setting the gold standard for the genre.

Also Read: The Story of James Cameron’s Spider-Man


Posted by Jack Kirk