Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) loves being Spider-Man. It's almost as if he's mastered being a vigilante, except for the tiny little issue of his growing inability to balance his life as the masked hero and as Peter. Still smarting from the death of Captain Stacy (Denis Leary), Peter hallucinates seeing him occasionally and remembers the promise he made to him about keeping Gwen (Emma Stone) safe. So their relationship hinges on the fact that they want to be together, but Peter is afraid that she might get hurt because of him.Peter is also still searching for answers behind his parents' disappearance when his old friend Harry Osborne (Dane DeHaan) comes back to New York to take over as the CEO of Oscorp Industries from his dying father (Chris Cooper). This complicates matters when Harry asks Peter for help for something that threatens to put a permanent rift in their friendship.
Meanwhile at Oscorp, employee Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) is an electrical engineer who is saved by Spider-Man and quickly becomes obsessed with him, going around telling people that they're best friends all because Spider-Man actually acknowledged his presence. So he's obviously mentally unstable. An accident at Oscorp gives Max the power to control all the electricity around him and just as quickly as he becomes Spider-Man's biggest fan, he becomes his biggest enemy.
The strongest aspects of the film are actually not the villains at all, but the relationships Peter has with the closest people to him: his Aunt May (Sally Field) and Gwen Stacy. These relationships, most especially with Gwen, truly take center stage and provide the movie with most of its powerful, and humorous scenes. You really see the effects of these relationships on Peter both in his growth as a person and as a superhero. You also see Peter struggle with the mystery surrounding his father's research, something they tie in well from the previous film.
The action is spectacular, specifically the first person point of view web slinging shots and the flying through the air slow motion stuff, which is just beautifully breathtaking. The actual fights between the villains are generally satisfying, although the final fight scene
It's been said before and it bears saying again, Andrew Garfield is fantastic in his role as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. His humor as the costumed hero is always intact, but he also plays downtrodden so well. Garfield's chemistry with his costars, most notably Emma Stone, is always on point and he's easily able to make his character relatable as well as someone you want to befriend--a smart, geeky guy who's cool in his own right. Emma Stone shines bright in this film and is a woman that isn't just a damsel in distress, but is able to use her smarts to pave her own way, make her own choices, and help out when the situation calls for it.Jamie Foxx is fine as Electro, though he might have been better had he been given more things to do. His role in this is minimal, not in his time onscreen, but with the lack of overall development of his character. Foxx's talents are mostly wasted and his character's anger and complete turnaround from being an unstable, friendless, and invisible human being to a super-powered unstable, friendless, and now visible villain are far too underdeveloped and not strong enough for him to be a truly fearsome foe.
Dane DeHaan is a great casting choice as Harry Osborne. He's a messed up kid, and while the history between him and his father is only briefly glimpsed at, DeHaan takes the role into his own hands and gives Harry an edgier, hanging over a precipice kind of guy who will definitely play a larger, more scary role in the third installment. His change in this film is a bit rushed and doesn't completely come full circle, but DeHaan's portrayal is solid regardless.
Having said this about Electro and Harry Osborne, it's important to note that their weaknesses in character become very obvious and throw the narrative a little off balance. Not only that, but some of the setup is a bit too convenient and because there's a lot going on in the film, you almost wish they have the third film completed so you can watch it right after in order to feel more satisfied about this installment. Some of the things in the final act feel a bit rushed and the villains are not nearly as well-done, story or character-wise, as The Lizard is in the original and about halfway through, this becomes clear. Ultimately, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 isn't without its flaws, but is a thoroughly enjoyable watch and even a bit heartbreaking. It really solidifies Peter Parker as Spider-Man and ties in some of the loose threads from the first film, which is nice because they're usually forgotten in most other films of this magnitude. Peter's story takes center stage while the villains are more or less around just for the fighting. And while the underdeveloped foes are the weakest aspect of the movie and will disappoint in terms of wanting to see more of their growth, it still doesn't take away from Peter's personal story, his journey, and the overall enjoyment of the film. The lead characters are great and DeHaan's addition to the franchise is a strong choice. Swinging, taking down bad guys, and going on a personal journey to more firmly accepting his role as Spider-Man, Peter Parker's got a lot going on in a film that still stands on its own even with the setbacks in its narrative.
