This movie accomplished what very few sequels can: it is actually better than the first film. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst both do a phenomenal job ... so much love angst between these two! So well played! I enjoyed the plot of this movie much more than the original film as well ... maybe because the first film was so much about him becoming Spiderman, learning about what he could do, and I didn't like the villian in the first film. [spoilers in the extended entry]
Loved the scene with Peter & MJ near the end, she's finally seen that he IS Spiderman -- and he's telling her now she knows why they can't be together. Heartbreaking .... Then he lowers her down where her fiance comes running. As they embrace -- MJ looks up to Peter. Sigh. The ANGST!!
Loved MJ running after leaving her fiance at the altar ... her showing up at Peter's door as he is looking really depressed (knowing it is her wedding day). They kiss ... they hear police sirens ... and MJ tells him to "Go get 'em, Tiger!"
Touching scene between Peter and his aunt when he finally tells her the truth about his uncles death. The whole truth ... and it was very believable to have her remove her hand from his, and walk upstairs without speaking to him. It wouldn't have been too realistic for her to have said "oh well, that's ok" at that point.
Scene on the bus, when Peter's unconscious and unmasked after saving the bus from careening off the end of the tracks. The two little boys returned his mask to him and said "we won't tell anyone" - and all the adults agree and then try to protect him from Dr. Oct! Great scene -- and exactly what Peter needed to realize he IS Spiderman (and that that should be his choice).
Cute scene when Peter finally makes it to Kirsten's play (The Importance of Being Ernest ... ) - and she forgets her lines when she sees him!
I liked our villian in this film - Octavius, Dr. Oct (played brilliantly by Alfred Molina). Enjoyed him having such an effect upon Peter ... telling him about falling in love with his wife, the responsibility of great intelligence, having the power to make choices in your life.
Harry. Spoiled Brat. Didn't like him in the first film. Didn't like him in this film. We are left wondering what exactly it meant with him discovering his fathers secret chamber. Is it foreshadowing Harry beoming The Green Goblin and going after his friend Peter/Spiderman? Or is it showing him what his father was ... and therefore explaining why Spiderman killed him? (And helping Harry to understand there wasn't a choice).
Sorry to comment when you don't know me. Heh! Just wanted to give you my 2 cents. I saw Spiderman 2 on Thursday and on several of your points I agree. Anyway, in answer to your question about Harry, in the comics (I'm such a dork), Harry became the Hobgoblin, which was basically the Green Goblin only orange and purple. I'm guessing that they're trying to foreshadow that the same's going to happen in the next movie or so. Personally, I'm not looking forward to villan Harry. He's so whiney and wanna-be angsty, I don't know I can stomache a full 2 hours of that crap from him. Muh.
i totally fell asleep during the first one, but i thought this one was AMAZING and it made me completely look forward to 3 and 4