Set a couple of years after the events of the original (which are revisited in a neat comic book montage masked around the opening credits), Peter Parker (Maguire) is still leading a double life. By day he is a permanently tired science student at a top New York university struggling to make his grades due to his nocturnal pursuits as Spider-Man. That's not all. Self-doubt is growing in Peter's mind that he's cut out to be a hero, as he feels that he'll never be able to settle down with a girl - the primary object of his affections being Mary-Jane Watson (an effective Dunst). Indeed, he's so smitten with Mary-Jane that it's affecting his super powers to the extent that he's taken to falling out of the sky, mid web. If all that youthful angst wasn't enough for one hero to deal with, Spidey's also got the threat of Doc Ock (Molina), a brilliant, once decent scientist whose desire for technological advancement has seen him become a monster.
While Spider-Man 2 is a film moored in the most outrageous narrative conveniences this side of an episode of Dallas, what negates interest from flagging is the sheer thrill of witnessing the all-too-human quandary that our hero finds himself in - full of self-doubt, self-loathing with a side order of mourning thrown in for good measure. There's an emotional dexterity to the characters which belies what usually passes for characterisations in these types of films, with Maguire especially expertly articulating confusion and the heartache of unrequited love. Still, action fans needn't worry - Spider-Man is hardly bereft of the sort of sequences which characterise summer action flicks. The fight episodes are remarkable, seamlessly blending CGI with live action with none of the obvious flaws of the original, while the story is briskly directed with wit and intelligence by Raimi. Make no mistake, it's a popcorn multi-plex movie all the way, but it's unlikely that you'll see a more satisfying comic book adventure this year.
