'Spider-man 2' weaves web of success

Already one of the summer's most anticipated movies, "Spider-man 2" maintains the same standard of excellence as its predecessor, plus more. Unlike other unimpressive sequels, "Spider-man 2" delivers bigger explosions, has a solid story and stays true to form. With special effects that are faster and more dizzying than before, audiences won't be disappointed with the web-slinging hero in his newest adventures. Unlike other dazzling effects movies out now, "Spider-man 2" has an actual story line, and it develops nicely as the movie unfolds. The film starts out roughly two years after Peter Parker (Toby Maguire) has developed his dual life. He is still struggling with balancing his nightlife and his day job. It's hard to make top grades while saving the city, and everyone from his landlord to his friends and family finds his inability to stick to a schedule irritating. Parker's relationships with all these characters change drastically in the film. Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) has finally made it as an actress and still wants more from Peter than he is able to give her. Fed up, she decides to marry the astronaut son of Parker's editor. Peter and Mary Jane have a complicated relationship, and Maguire and Dunst do an excellent job portraying that strain. Harry Oswald (James Franco) has become not only the head of OsCorp, but also completely engrossed in drilling Parker for the identity of Spider-man. By the end of the movie he appears to develop a drinking problem and a fanatical obsession with putting Spidey through the same suffering, if not more, than he endured for his dead father. Alfred Molina comes in as Otto Octavius. Initially a brilliant scientist working for OsCorp, an accident in his laboratory turns him into the anti-hero of the film, Dr. Octopus. Similar to the fate that befell Norman Oswald, a.k.a. the Green Goblin from the original movie, the moral is that human experimentation is a no-no. Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) continues to play a very conspicuous, motherly, supportive role in the tale of Spider-man. The audience shares the struggle as Parker try to decide what means more to him: the girl and the grades, or being the hero that no one appreciates. Even more commendable is Maguire's performance. The audience feels the pull of a simple life on him and the conflict he has knowing that the city still needs its superhero. The cast has grown since the first film, both aesthetically and artistically. Maguire has quite the physique and gets the gold for putting in a truly convincing performance. Franco is attractively angry and believably torn, and the only thing to be said for Dunst is the one thing worse than her acting is her hair style. With several celebrity cameos, bigger than ever fight scenes, a villain whose madness is absolute and electric tension between the hero and leading lady, "Spider-man 2" has something for everyone in the audience. It is truly the summer's first must-see movie.