I finally got around to watching Spiderman 2, and boy, was that dour. Maybe it’s just me, but I couldn’t avoid the conclusion that Peter Parker’s life is difficult… ceaselessly, grindingly difficult. Crack a joke already.
(Spoilers ahead, which is probably a superfluous warning, because if you haven’t seen the movie yet, you probably don’t have any plans to do so.)
I did laugh at one point, when Peter contended that he couldn’t be with Mary Jane because it would put her in danger. Um… more danger than she’s constantly in already? Danger Peter can’t generally do much to prevent because he’s distanced himself from her?
In fairness, all of this might have worked better with a different actress playing Mary Jane. I like Bring It On as much as anyone, but Kirsten Dunst simply does not meet any definition I have of “lively spitfire.” (Quick side note: you film-makers can just leave Oscar Wilde the hell out of it. Hasn’t he been through enough?)
And what a passive-aggressive little nit Mary Jane is! Sweet of her to pick the most humiliating moment possible to break things off with her fiance, who seemed like a nice enough fellow who was entirely undeserving of that kind of treatment. They could have at least added a shot of him sighing with relief and turning to make out with his best man. (Quick side note 2: maybe I’m the only viewer who would have appreciated that.)
During the closing credits, my partner turned to me and said, “I would have been so angry at you if you’d made me see that in a theater.” I wouldn’t have blamed him a bit.