You've heard the old rule that sequels are never better than the original - but rules are made to be broken.

This is superior to Spider-Man in so many ways. The story is more involving, with several different threads interweaving to keep the viewer interested. Tobey Maguire has settled into his role as Peter Parker and, in many scenes, conveys his emotional turmoil without the need for words. Doc Ock is an infinitely more interesting villain than the Green Goblin, and as a result, the action scenes are much more highly-charged.

In fact, with less reliance on action to keep the film moving, and better special effects when these scenes do appear, this is the most fun I've had in a cinema all year.