Let’s cut to the chase: SPIDER-MAN 2 is better than the original on every level. It’s faster, funnier and scarier, with action, writing, direction and performances that best Spidey’s first big-screen outing in 2002. Personally, I think the first SPIDER-MAN is still great, but 2 simply blows it away.

As the film begins—comfortably, in the same world we left it—the life of freelance photographer Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is, frankly, in the ***censored***. As Spider-Man, he spends his time saving New York City from danger and fighting its crime, but the media still insists on portraying him as a menace. Lately, his wrists have run out of organic webbing, which can’t be good when you’re swinging from skyscrapers. Even without the mask, the man can’t get any love. Because of his superheroic duties, Peter finds himself fired from menial jobs, painfully behind on his rent, unable to concentrate on his college courses and, most notably, doomed to live life apart from the women he loves, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst), now a rising model and stage actress.

Thanks to the intervention of his friend Harry (James Franco), Peter is able to meet the subject of a paper he’s writing for school, scientist Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina). The good doctor is on the verge of a Nobel Prize-worthy breakthrough in fusion experimentation, which he demonstrates to a select group via a set of mind-controlled metal tentacles that fuse to his spinal cord. But something goes wrong in the process and the serpentine tentacles start to control the doc, turning him evil. Thus, the bank-robbing, taxi-hurling Doctor Octopus is born, giving Spider-Man a new sparring partner. Complicating matters are Harry’s drunken vows to kill the friendly neighborhood wall crawler, whom he blames for the death of his father (Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin from the first film).

Director Sam Raimi does an excellent job of balancing the amped-up action with scenes of Peter’s troubled, depressing life. His camera is restrained when it needs to be, and comic-book vibrant when the situation calls. As a reminder of his EVIL DEAD roots, there’s a scene in which surgeons attempt to remove Doc Ock’s tentacles that plays out in a horrifying, yet slightly comedic, manner than few besides Raimi could pull off. He’s aided immeasurably by the screenplay credited to ORDINARY PEOPLE Oscar winner Alvin Sargeant, who finds moments of true poignancy amidst the fisticuffs.

This film reinforces my belief that Maguire was perfect casting for the role. Molina also does good work as a wholly sympathetic villain. With the possible exception of Franco, who approaches over-the-top histrionics, everyone steps up to the plate.

SPIDER-MAN 2 has scenes of real emotion, set pieces of exciting action, at least one true surprise and a “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” montage that actually outdoes BUTCH CASSIDY. It’s the rare sequel that exceeds expectations, with style, class and grace.

Review by Rod Lott.