The Amazing Spider-Man 2

When Marc Webb, director of the quirky romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer, was given the reins to reboot Spider-Man so soon after Sam Raimi’s largely successful trilogy – two near masterpieces, one humdrum moneymaker – many were perplexed. Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man, released in 2012, didn’t exactly set the universe on fire, but it did have its strengths: a colorful and energetic visual style with excellent use of 3-D, and a likable romance that suggested why an indie breakup-movie auteur had been enlisted to helm a gigantic action franchise.

So it’s a shock to see that Webb’s perceived strong suit is precisely what’s missing from his sequel, The Amazing Spider-Man 2. But the absence isn’t exactly for lack of trying. Alongside numerous attempts at eye-popping action here are plenty of sentimental moments between our hero, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), and his main squeeze, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). More often than not, though, the film is a dog’s breakfast of superhero-movie clichés. For one thing, there’s the uninspired back-and-forth about how Peter’s responsibilities as Spider-Man are interfering with his relationship with Gwen.

There’s also the obligatory subplot building up to a supervillain’s emergence, as oddball engineer Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) gets zapped by dozens of electric eels and becomes Electro, who can harness and wield electricity with vicious force. Cue also another obligatory subplot about the mysterious OsCorp’s experiments into genetics and weaponry, and the angst of young Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), Peter’s childhood friend, who will inherit his father’s company and become the Green Goblin. Even a potentially interesting thread involving Peter’s scientist father – a new addition to the Spider-Man mythos – feels tired and done. (Hint: Think Jor-el.)

The problem isn’t that all these elements are unoriginal; it’s that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 rehashes them with so little verve, clarity or inspiration. The sequel is somehow both rushed and tedious. It takes forever for Electro to emerge, and another forever before anything interesting happens between him and Spider-Man. When they do face off, the action is fast, shrill and incoherent – more F/X demo reel than actual movie: a lot of noise and bright exploding sparks and bystanders in danger, but very little weight to anything. The movie might have worked with a charismatic lead and an emotional through line to hold it all together. Garfield has proved his talent in numerous films, and he was likable in the earlier Spider-Man film. But in Webb and his collaborators’ conception, Peter Parker has gone from oddball nerd to whiny, one-note sk8ter boi. There’s only so much squinty-eyed, floppy-haired complaining we can take before wanting to punch one of pop culture’s most relatable heroes in the face.

Maybe this is intentional. Maybe Webb wants to lull us with the jokey fighting and the cavalier tone and Peter’s annoying antics before pulling the rug out from under us. Anyone who knows the story of Gwen Stacy from the original comics may have some idea of the dark places the film is headed. But by the time The Amazing Spider-Man 2 winds toward its emotional conclusion, it hasn’t earned the necessary pathos. We’re just waiting for it to be over – and praying that the inevitable sequel somehow comes out better.