movie lovers blog

55%

Superhero sequels are rarely exercises in restraint, so it comes as little surprise that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 attempts to be bigger and bolder than its predecessor. Critics say the result is something of a mixed bag -- while the cast is outstanding and the special effects are top-notch, the latest installment of the Spidey saga suffers from an unfocused narrative and an overabundance of characters. This time out, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) has a lot on his mind: his relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone)is fraught with complications, and he becomes increasingly haunted when new information about the deaths of his parents comes to light. As if that wasn't enough, our hero must protect the city from the likes of Electro (Jamie Foxx) and the Rhino (Paul Giamatti). The pundits say that Garfield and Stone share a genuine onscreen chemistry, and the big action set-pieces are visually striking, but the bloated runtime and jarring tonal shifts keep The Amazing Spider-Man 2from scaling the heights established by previous Spider-Man flicks. (Check out our video interview with the stars; 24 Frames for a gallery of the best and worst superpowers; and this week's Total Recall, in which we count down Stone's best-reviewed movies.)