1) Sam Raimi used the first movie to set up characters and relationships whilst still maintaining a good plot. 2) This meant that the sequel could focus more on Spiderman, no? 3) Wrong, the reason Spiderman 2 is so great is because it's not about Spiderman at all. In my interpretation of the movie the whole Spiderman/Doc Ock sequences are all Sub-plot. The main plot of the movie can be found in Peter Parker having to face his problems, including money, guilt and MJ.

Unlike other superhero movie franchises Spiderman has created a mythology in it's big screen format. Can any Batman or Superman movie say that it's contained several potential villains for future movies?

The interesting thing in film 3 will be how the Parker/Spiderman/MJ relationship develops. I would hope that it is dealt with in a way that doesn't distract from the film as a whole as in Spiderman 2.

I believe that somewhere on the Spiderman DVD someone comments on the fact that you don't really notice Elfman's score or Raimi's direction yet you acknowledge that the movie would be poorer without them.

The same applies here.