One of the unsung aspects of "Spider-Man 2" is Alfred Molina. The guy brings charm and polish to a villain who - well, let's face it, Doctor Octopus isn't upper-echelon, and it's not just first-rate effects that make Ock as exciting as he is here.

He's also integral to a movie that, like all the great sequels, tops what came before. More J.K. Simmons, bigger web-swinging thrills, A- game fight scenes, and they're all in the service of a story that focuses on the human underneath the mask. Peter Parker's burden is ever more cumbersome here, trapping him in a life that allows for no personal growth; the awesome responsibility that always comes first. And in the end, it's not the human spectacle that thrills so much as the catharsis that's finally attained .

Sam Raimi laid down the gauntlet with this film; it's true to the source, highly entertaining, and maintain's just the right emotional punch.

8/10