Spider-man 2

About as good as a movie about a comic book superhero can get. Sam Raimi is obviously a filmmaker of style and wit, if not an auteur of the sort who interests me. The Spidey/Peter duality makes for a richer backstory mythos than most such, and Tobey Maguire embodies it well. Kirsten Dunst is a believable object of desire, and of course the effects are cool. Rosemary Harris and others add gracenotes. The film itself has the swooping kinetics of its protagonist, and I would be a fuddy-duddy to deny that it is a fun ride. (2004, dvd, n.) *7* (MC-83, RT-93.)