In a word: Muddled.

I really liked The Amazing Spider-Man. Whilst the original Sam Raimi trilogy demonstrated that the hero was a natural fit for the big screen, Amazing kickstarted a more modern take on the universe, one that has the potential to build a long-lasting universe for the character. The sequel is out now, and whilst the number of plot-lines may be slightly excessive, they all combine to create a solid package.

The main issue faced by The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the overload of generally interesting storylines. Electro’s story could easily have filled an entire movie when coupled with Gwen and Peter’s love story. As could Harry Osborne’s storyline, and that of Peter’s search for the truth about his parent’s demise. Despite this, each of these storylines is present in the film, and whilst each could do with more screen time, the combination leads to busy film, that often feels muddled and confused. However, director Marc Webb manages to create a final act that gives the film a satisfying ending.

The main cast from the 2012 original all return, with Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker feeling younger and funnier than Toby Maguire’s take. Garfield offers an incredible performance, and delivers both laughs and emotional notes with ease. Garfield is perhaps at his best when alongside Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacey, and the pair have perfect comic timing, with the only complaint to be made that they don’t share enough screen time together. Sally Field’s May Parker also differs from her predecessor, and is perhaps even more likeable, as she clearly struggles to deal with the death of Uncle Ben in the first film. It is newcomer Dane DeHaan however, who steals every scene as Harry Osborne, with his eventual transformation into *Spoilers* The Green Goblin being a process that’s thrilling to watch on screen. When partnered with Jamie Foxx’s Electro, DeHann is the perfect villain that the franchise needs, and I hope he sticks around after the third instalment. Speaking of Foxx, he brings Max Dillon to life, both as his geeky original self, and later as the supercharged villain Electro. Whilst the character’s transformation into his alter ego is believable and well handled, it perhaps could have been dwelled on for slightly longer.

Not only does the movie manage to achieve the impossible task of living up to the high action scenes from the first film, but raises the bar, with a number of exceptional set pieces. The film is not only funny and action packed, but also manages to hold an emotional note in its final moments, and Peter’s guilt following the end of the original is a common theme throughout.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 comes from Sony, as opposed to Marvel Studios, meaning that Spidey’s universe is separate to that of The Avengers. To deal with this issue, Sony are aiming to build their own cinematic universe, and so frequently plant the seeds for future films in the franchise, but this is just another objective that the film aims to achieve. Peter’s quest to discover what really happened to his parents takes centre stage at times, however the storyline never feels resolved, as does that of Electro’s story. Whilst Foxx is fantastic in the role, the climax of his storyline feels rushed. Despite this, the film concludes with an adrenalin pumping finale, that manages to create feelings shock, excitement and despair, all at the same time. In fact, the ending to the movie is almost so good, that you begin to forgive the sins of the past 142 minutes. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is far too long, and at times feels much too busy, yet the highs are so great that it’s easy to forgive the lows. The performances are (sorry) amazing, and the action spectacular, and whilst it’s possible to have too much of a good thing, the film never feels boring.

As a worthy successor to the original, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a must see, although prepare for some frustrating oversights and loose ends.

Matt Dowse