This is a dazzling story of love, loss, adventure, courage, heartbreak, tough choices, and tender feelings. Plus it has a rescue from a burning building, a runaway train, a world-class villain, and a really great kiss. It's why they invented movies. It's smart and funny and touching and exhilaratingly entertaining, a sumptuous treat that succeeds on many levels. Screenwriter Michael Chabon understands the mythic appeal of the comic book tradition, and his touch is evident in the story's depth, an example being Molina's brilliantly played Doc Ock. He's a villain for the ages, a man who shows us his real face so we can feel the struggle for his soul. The comic book elements are all here, with spectacular fight scenes and teen-friendly existential themes. Peter has to struggle with feelings of isolation and not being understood or appreciated. He is aware of the irony of his working for justice for others when his own life is filled with people who judge him unfairly.

Spider-Man 2 has sensational special effects integrated with a first-rate script and outstanding performances to illuminate the characters and tell the story -- and to show us something about ourselves. But most of all, this is why they invented movies, because director Sam Raimi knows how to make things move. Few movies have so mastered motion. Spider-Man swoops through the skyscrapers. A train hurtles across a track that just abruptly stops. A car flies through the air. Raimi is all but re-inventing cinematic storytelling before our delighted eyes.