I mentioned in my review of the first Spider Man movie that superhero movies are hit or miss to me. However, Spider Man 2 is the best superhero movie I have ever seen, and I doubt that any will top it. And yes, I have seen The Dark Knight. That's a great movie too, but I still cherish this one the most.

The movie focuses on Peter Parker, and his struggle with being a normal guy and a superhero. It's kind of tough to be the city's superhero and also be a college student, a pizza delivery guy, and to also help out your elderly widowed aunt AND balance a romance with your crush.

Spider Man 2 is the most human superhero film I have ever seen. Most movies in the genre focus on action and less on telling a great story. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen comes to mind at how that happens and therefore fails.

But because Spider Man 2 tells a very compelling story and weaves the action in when it helps the story, it balances out and makes for an extremely satisfying experience.

Spider Man 2 also has what may be the greatest villain I've witnessed in a movie. He is Dr. Octopus, brilliantly played by Alfred Molina. He is humanized as well, and isn't evil for the sake of evil.

Without heading into spoilers, he steals money for a project and has arms so powerful that even he can't control them. He also self-sacrifices at the end, redeeming himself in the best way possible for the story.

Like I said, the action in the story does help tell it. I don't think I can name a film with better action. Witness the train scene where Spidey and Doc Ock battle on top of a train. From the acting to action to the shots made throughout, the action scene is top notch within itself.

Any time the 2 collide, it's thrilling to watch. Whether it be that scene, their meeting in a restaurant, or the bank chase, the hero and villain are enthralling to watch in battle.

Spider Man 2 is not just a great superhero movie. It's a fantastic movie, period. Take away the action scenes and you still have a compelling story anyone can enjoy. Peter Parker is so relate-able that even those who steer from superhero flicks can find his character's struggles compelling within itself.

Someone sides with me in these thoughts, and that is Roger Ebert. In his review, he wrote:

"Now this is what a superhero movie should be. "Spider-Man 2" believes in its story in the same way serious comic readers believe, when the adventures on the page express their own dreams and wishes.

It's not camp and it's not nostalgia, it's not wall-to-wall special effects and it's not pickled in angst. It's simply and poignantly a realization that being Spider-Man is a burden that Peter Parker is not entirely willing to bear."

Ebert gave the movie 4/4 stars, and he later called it the 4th best movie of 2004. He also said that it was the best superhero movie ever made. So if I can't convince you to see this, can the greatest film critic who ever lived? I sure hope so!

Spider Man 2 is one of the finest examples of great action storytelling ever. It's a sequel that stands out so much from the original that it stands alone as a great movie. I have seen it about 5 times in the last couple of years, and I intend to see it many more times. It's satisfying on so many levels, thus making a perfect cinematic experience.