Spider-Man 2 (2004)
86%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: 4 wins & 30 nominations
Boasting an entertaining villain and deeper emotional focus, this is a nimble sequel that improves upon the original
Spider-Man 2 swings into action with more drama, action, and character development than a dozen of the usual Hollywood blockbusters. With Tobey Maguire’s relatable performance and Sam Raimi’s skilled direction, this sequel outstrips its predecessor and delivers a perversity and quick-wittedness that hardly seem to belong in a comic-book movie. Plus, Alfred Molina’s performance as Dr. Octopus is a delight to watch. It’s no wonder that Spider-Man 2 is still considered one of the best superhero films of all time. So, grab your web-slinging gear and get ready for a wild ride!
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Rochester, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action/violence
Year of Release
2014
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:SDDS Datasat Dolby Digital Auro 11.1 Dolby Atmos
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 2m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 30, 2004 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2004
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris, J.K Simmons, directed by Sam Raimi, written by Michael Chabon, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, action, adventure, fantasy, PG-13, box office, Avi Arad, Laura Ziskin, reviewed by David Stratton, Anthony Quinn, Jonathan Romney, Derek Malcolm, Christy Lemire, produced by Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Dr Otto Octavius, Doc Ock, Spider-Man, Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn, May Parker, J Jonah Jameson, nuclear fusion experiment, explosion, metal tentacles, self-doubt, revenge, emotional focus, superhero genre, deeper emotional focus, nimble sequel, entertaining villain, improved upon the original
Worldwide gross: $708,982,323
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $886,048,688
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 121
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 96,624,721
US/Canada gross: $202,853,933
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $253,516,139
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 247
US/Canada opening weekend: $91,608,337
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $114,487,265
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 66
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $200,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $249,949,444
Production budget ranking: 36
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $134,597,776
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $501,501,468
ROI to date (est.): 130%
ROI ranking: 824
Kirsten Dunst – Mary Jane Watson
James Franco – Harry Osborn
Alfred Molina – Dr. Otto Octavius, Doc Ock
Rosemary Harris – May Parker
J.K. Simmons – J. Jonah Jameson
Director(s)
Sam Raimi
Writer(s)
Michael Chabon, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
Producer(s)
Avi Arad, Laura Ziskin
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
4 wins & 30 nominations
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Visual Effects Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (274) | Top Critics (63) | Fresh (255) | Rotten (19)
Maybe it has something to do with Sam Raimi’s skills as a director, or with Tobey Maguire’s very human central performance, but the Spider-Man films are by far the best of the superhero genre.
June 29, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
A sequel that not only outstrips its predecessor but has a perversity and quick-wittedness that hardly seem to belong in a comic-book movie.
June 29, 2015
Anthony Quinn
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Spider-Man 2 is better than just dark, it’s touched by authentic teenage paranoia and neurosis.
June 29, 2015
Jonathan Romney
Independent on Sunday
TOP CRITIC
This is a better picture than the first because it makes its characters human, doesn’t camp it up and refuses to believe that Kerpow! Kerching! is more than a constituent part of the proceedings.
June 29, 2015
Derek Malcolm
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
Alfred Molina makes a more baroque supervillain than Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin, but the other stars seem happy to be giving us more of the same. Sam Raimi’s direction, on the other hand, is even more fluent and well paced.
August 5, 2013
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The web-slinging sequences are bigger-better-brighter-faster than the already spectacular ones in 2002’s Spider-Man, and at the same time, the film’s smaller emotional moments are denser, richer and more resonant than those in the first.
July 9, 2012
Christy Lemire
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
Still one of the best superhero films of all-time.
December 17, 2021
Don Shanahan
Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast
Despite a total of four writers and filming beginning before an official script was completed, Spidey 2 contains more coherent drama, action and character development than a dozen of the usual Hollywood blockbusters.
September 20, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
James Croot
Stuff.co.nz
A cartoonish “coming-of-age” story, tepid liberalism, limp satire. Given the current state of things, this is dangerously weak material.
February 15, 2021
David Walsh
World Socialist Web Site
A groundbreaking, epic masterpiece, Spider-Man 2 sees Sam Raimi continue to make great use of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s classic stories to deliver the rare perfect sequel.
October 11, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
Josh Wilding
ComicBookMovie.com
It does delude the possibility of a different Marvel, less limited and more permeable to authorship and the unpredictable forces of the fantastic. [Full Review in Spanish]
May 1, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
Jorge Loser
Espinof
Not compelled to spend time sketching in the origin of Spider-Man, Raimi can flesh out his villain of the piece, Dr Octopus, and it’s a lovely performance by Alfred Molina.
August 13, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro…
Plot
We’ve always known that Spider-Man’s most important conflict has been within himself: the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man. But in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that his greatest battle is about to begin. It’s great to be Spider-Man. For Peter Parker, there’s no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen. But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro, Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn, returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: Oscorp.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Alfred Molina’s performance as Doc Ock, calling him “perfect for the role.”
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