Released in 2004 and directed by Sam Raimi, "Spider-Man 2" stars Tobey Maguire as the troubled hero with spider powers who struggles with relationship issues with MJ (Kirsten Dunst) and battles Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), a brilliant scientist who has acquired four long tentacles as extra appendages. Rosemary Harris returns as Aunt May while James Franco returns as Harry Osborn.

There's this ongoing myth that "Spider-Man 2" is a great movie. While Doc Ock is excellently realized the movie is severely flawed by two subplots: Since when are Spider-Man's powers dependent upon Peter's confidence level? He received them via a radioactive spider bite, which has nothing to do with faith/belief. And what about the stoo-pid subplot where Spider-Man's identity is revealed to a dozen New Yorkers on the subway train with the implication that they're going to keep mum about it. Why sure!

The movie runs 127 minutes (135 minutes extended cut) and was shot in New York City, the Los Angeles area and Chicago (the train sequence).

GRADE: C-