SPIDER-MAN 2 at HOLLYWOOD TEEN MOVIES

As if Peter Parker’s life isn’t difficult enough!

For starters, Peter (Tobey Maguire) struggles daily with his dual life, trying to keep his alter ego, Spider-Man a secret from the world - notably the love of his life, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). Peter is desperate to tell Mary Jane how he feels about her - and it’s obvious she wants to hear it - but he’s scared that, as the girlfriend of Spider-Man, her life would be in constant danger. Now Mary Jane has all but given up on Peter and has announced she is about to marry astronaut, John Jameson (Daniel Gillies).

There are also complications for Peter with his best friend, Harry Osborn (James Franco), still bitter because of his father’s death and Spider-Man’s involvement in it. And ever since the death of her husband, Peter’s Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) is having a hard time of it, too. On top of all this, Peter has just lost his pizza delivery job and his photo assignments for the Daily Bugle’s unpredictable and rambunctious editor - and father of Mary Jane’s fiancé - J Jonah Jamerson (JK Simmons) are always a bit “iffy”. With all this on his mind, it’s no wonder that his super hero powers are letting him down - sometimes with painful results.

Peter is thrilled when Harry introduces him to brilliant scientist, Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), the subject of a science paper Peter has written. Harry is backing Octavius’s radical experiments with fusion as a source of energy, but during a demonstration of the scientist’s work, something goes horribly wrong. Octavius’s loving wife, Rosalie (Donna Murphy) is killed and he is transformed into a multi-tentacled maniac with murder and destruction on his mind that appears to be ruled by the deadly appendages. Soon, the “Daily Bugle” dubs him Dock Ock.

Just as this new super villain goes on the rampage, Peter is re-evaluating the direction of his life and decides to give up his role as super hero for a normal life - hopefully one that includes Mary Jane.

Things don’t go quite as planned and Peter realises his destiny. Recovering his trashed Spider-Man outfit, the super hero returns to the streets to fight the bad guys. In the meantime, Harry, still seeking revenge for his father, has promised to supply Doc Ock with what he needs to resume his experiments if he delivers Spider-Man to him.

Although Peter/Spider-Man’s efforts to balance his double life cause him considerable angst and the film gives much consideration to relationship and character development, it is also chock-a-block with exhilarating, flat-out action, making it as good, if not better, than the first movie. There’s a rip-roaring sequence on board a runaway train, a breathless, dizzying rescue of Aunt May from the tentacles of Doc Ock high atop the city streets and an explosive climax - just to name a few of the highlights. The performances are tops all round - with Molina creating a great villain in the Doc - and there are also a couple of surprising plot turns before the final credits roll, setting up the groundwork for what could be a very interesting third chapter.