Films for Thoughts on Thursday: The Amazing Spider-Man 2


This is a weekly meme that I am hosting here at Reviews from a Bookworm. All you have to do is share a movie review once a week and link back to here.



This weeks movie review will be for: The Amazing Spider-Man 2



I really enjoyed The Amazing Spider-Man, I thought it was a great reboot of the Spider-Man franchise. I had quite enjoyed the first Spider-Man movie, back when it was Tobey Maguire; but I thought films 2 and 3 weren't all that great. I was really happy with the casting for the new reboot. I thought Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone were both perfect for their roles, and I adore Emma Stone anyway so I'm happy to see anything she is in. I enjoyed the first movie, it had a great balance of fun, laughs, action and serious bit. So, I was very excited to see what they did with the sequel.

The first poster that I saw for it, which is the one I used above, is a bit deceptive. It shows the Rhino, and he doesn't even really appear in the movie. He is literally in it for about five minutes; which was a good thing as three baddies would have been way too much to handle. But we do get to see a fair bit of Electro and the great development of Harry Osborne into Green Goblin.

If you want my honest, honest, honest opinion; I was really disappointed in the movie. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't all that great either. I still really recommend you go see it if you loved the first film, it is still worth a watch and I don't think this is a series to give up on yet. I just want to explain my problems with it and then the things that I really loved. 

Electro was a problem for me, a pretty big one actually. He just wasn't that great a villain, and I think villains are very important when it comes to these types of films. You need a brilliant villain to go up against the superhero, it's what makes it interesting. But Electro wasn't that. His character was just a little too pathetic and unbelievable before he gains his powers. People in the cinema actually laughed at him. It would have worked better if they hadn't pushed it so hard, if they could have shown how alone and unnoticed he was, without making him seem so unbelievably pathetic. But they portray him as a really over the top, crazy loner guy who has conversations with Spider-Man when he is by himself. I just felt like as a villain he lacked character. The best villains I can think of, off the top of my head, would be Loki and the Joker. They have such big personalities, and they have great comedic timing and are so bad that you have to love them. That is needed in a baddie, I found Electro lacking as a villain.

Harry Osborn, I kinda love him. I hope he will be sticking around for a lot of these films because he definitely makes up for all the personality that Electro is missing. He was fantastic, I loved how he was introduced and how we got to see him change over time. He was hilariously funny, brooding, emotionally broken, with serious daddy issues and I loved him. I hope we are going to be seeing a lot more of his character. 

We finally get to find out more about Peter's parents and why they left him at his Aunt May's all those years ago. I was very excited to find out more about that, because it had been bugging me for the longest time. That plot point gave us some really great flashback scenes, a lot of action and I really enjoyed them. As someone who hasn't read the comics, it also provided me with some great surprises.

If I was judging this on Peter and Gwen alone, then it would probably be a much higher rating. I think they are both great characters, and I really love Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy. I kind of wish they had cast her as Mary Jane though, because we all know what needs to happen to Gwen eventually. I think Stone and Garfield work so well together, they have great comedic moments. Their real life romance works well when it comes to their on screen chemistry. I didn't have a problem with either portrayals or characters in this, I really enjoyed them and want to see so much more of them together.

Visually this was stunning too. It had a lot of action sequences and I loved how good it all looked. The special effects were really brilliant and there were quite a few scenes that stick out in my mind. There's a scene where Peter is crossing the road, which is really well done, as he is on his way to meet Gwen. Another scene happens right near the end of the movie, I can't say more without spoiling something, but it just looks so visually stunning. I hope when you see the movie you will understand which scene, it had amazing special effects too.

3.5/5 Butterflies

Overall, I was disappointed. The first film was definitely more enjoyable. I still adore Stone and Garfield's portrayals of Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy. I would watch a movie that was just about those two characters, no baddies necessary. I just found Electro to be lacking a lot and he wasn't a convincing villain for me. The movie destroyed me a little, but I won't be giving up on the series. 





I have been meaning to take part in both of the following memes for a while now, so it's nice to finally be able to get them done. I will be taking part in Reading is Fun Again's Thoughtful Thursday Feature & Okay, Let's Read's Thursday Thoughts feature. 

Reading is Fun Again's topic was: What is one of the best changes in the literary/book world that you have noticed, since you started reading? What makes that change so great to you?

If I am honest, I have been noticing a lot more changes that are not great to me. A lot of things that I don't like and wish they weren't becoming so commonplace in fiction. So I will flip it around and talk about those instead. 
I think the thing that has been bugging me for most of the week is my anger at books that portray abusive relationships as desirable and romantic. I covered this in my discussion post: Why do readers and books glorify abusive relationships? and don't have much else to add to it.
I just really want to see less books showing these kinds of relationships as okay. I want to see less women proclaiming how they love these characters and want to find their very own Travis Maddox or similar character. I want more romances that are based on mutual love and respect for one another. Abuse is never okay, it doesn't matter if the guy is really hot. And just because he doesn't hit the woman, that doesn't mean what he is doing isn't abuse. 
I want to see less weak female characters, who just seem to allow these kinds of men to control their lives. This guy actually demands she change her clothes, and she does it. He drags her from a car because she is dating someone he doesn't like, and she goes with him. He is a vile excuse for a man, and yet she marries him. And readers find that appealing, why?

I also want to see romance play a smaller role in books. It used to be a plot point, not the point of the plot. You get a lot of books nowadays and remove the romance and you aren't left with much of a story. I want to see more books where the romance is just an afterthought, it's there but it's not the most important thing. I'm fed up of seeing all these female characters get completely consumed by romance, boys and love. Go kick some ass like Katniss and worry about choosing a guy later.




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Exile by Kevin Emerson: 2.5/5 Review

10 comments:

  1. I feel the same way about abusive relationships and controlling boyfriends - I am sick of seeing them portrayed as something that women should put up with, it's just wrong

    Mands @ The Bookish Manicurist

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    1. Really wrong, it was nice to see so many others feel the exact same way though. After seeing so many people raving about these books and swooning after the guys; I'd started to feel like the only sane person. Thankfully, everyone else came and commented and agreed. :)

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  2. Nice review..:)
    I am planning on watching this movie but I didnt enjoy the first one and so am a bit apprehensive about watching it..Its a shame that you were disappointed..I really liked Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone but the story didnt come out as it should have.. Will have to watch this one and see..:)

    Here is my review of Captain America: The Winter Soldier : http://njkinny.blogspot.in/2014/04/moviereview-captain-america-winter.html

    -Njkinny @Njkinny's World of Books

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    1. Well it is a little different to the first, which I actually enjoyed, so maybe you will be different and really enjoy this one. I really like Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield together. I'd love to see your review of it after, loved your review of The Winter Soldier :)

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  3. I actually haven't read a LOT of abusive relationships, but I never believe they're okay, either. :| I'd REALLY love to see some more really independent women in YA books particularly. Becuase, let's face it: women can kick butt JUST AS WELL AS GUYS. And it always kills me slowly when a girl is super awesome and capable...utnil she meets a guy and then she crumbles as he "protects" her. blah blah. I love Katniss. If someone tries to control her, she pushes them into a vase....oh wait, Peeta was just saying he LOVED her. Har, har. You rock, Katniss.

    I'm excited for Spider Man 2! I mean...I'm never flawed by superhero moves, but I DO love the combo of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone (omg, isn't she an amazing actor?!!) together already, soooo I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy it. I only watched the first old SpiderMan movie, so WHAT HAPPENS TO GWEN STACEY?! IS THIS TERRIBLE NEWS?!!

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    1. I think we definitely need more independent women in fiction. And, as someone who has the upper body strength of a two year old, it is nice to see women actually kicking ass as good as the guys. I hate when the guy appears and takes over the book and the girl. She is so amazing herself, until he appears and then she suddenly becomes useless.

      Spider-Man 2 was pretty awesome! I LOVE EMMA STONE! EASY A is the best ;) Hmmmm, well all I will say is that in the old Spiderman movies they skipped straight to Mary Jane. They didn't even introduce Gwen Stacy.

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  4. I enjoyed your post about abusive relationships last week hunny, it was really important too, it highlighted everything that really needs to be said, so good on you girl! I haven't watched any of the new Spidey movies merely because my childhood screams Toby! I know, I'm a sado, and I might consider them soon, but those were the actors of my childhood and they have a place in my heart, but Andrew is pretty niceeee, so maybe! I wish June would come along quicker so I can start my film reviews, I have a backlog of book reviews coming up before then, gosh!

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    1. Thanks, I am glad so many people agreed. I loved those films as a kid too, I went to the cinema to see everyone. But I love a good superhero movie, so was more than happy to give this one a go. I ended up loving Andrew Garfield as Spiderman. And I adore Emma Stone too, so that helped :)

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  5. I love a good villain too. It is disappointing to hear that Jamie Foxx wasn't given good stuff to work with, I really like him. I may still see the movie, just I now know to keep my expectations down. Spiderman really isn't my favorite superhero anyhow.

    And I tend to stay away from romance and contemporary books because I don't like romance to take the center stage. I'm fine with it being there, just not overshadowing everything else. Also, I too hate weakly constructed female characters. And most of them are written by women, I mean, come on ladies.

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    1. Villains can be the greatest aspect of some superhero movies, especially The Dark Knight. I really like Jamie Foxx, I am sad he didn't have more to work with either.

      Me too, I really prefer my romance to be in the background. I like my books to have a much bigger storyline than just a boy meets a girl. I know, women need to be writing more strong, independent women who don't always need saving by other guys.

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