The
Amazing Spider-Man 2
(2014/Marvel/Columbia/Sony Blu-ray 3D w/Blu-ray 2D & DVD)
3D
Picture: B+ 2D Picture: B+/C+ Sound: B+/B- Extras: B
Film: B-
The
most underrated commercial big budget film of 2014 by far is Marc
Webb's The
Amazing Spider-Man 2
(2014), a worthy sequel to the first Amazing
Spider-Man
(2012) that introduced Andrew Garfield into the title role. A big
hit with mixed critical response, the film may have some small
issues, but it is an increasingly rare blockbuster where the studio
has people who actually know what they are doing, know how to make a
feature film and go all out ensuring the highest quality throughout.
Some might still love the earlier trilogy with Tobey Maguire, which
is fair enough, but the previous Garfield film has been my favorite
of the five and the makers had the boldness to take the high road in
making a family film with humor, charm and frankly one in the classic
superhero tradition.
Seems
some people want some dark, angry film filled with blood, gore,
anger, hate and explosions or buildings collapsing every five
minutes, but that is bad action genre storytelling and not what the
superhero genre is at its best. The two Garfield/Webb films have
achieved the heart and soul lacking in the Maguire/Sam Raimi films
(thus the issues with the third and final film they made, despite an
aborted fourth being planned) and especially in this day and age,
that is a personal, artistic and moral triumph we rarely see in
blockbusters anymore. There is nothing wrong with this film, plus so
much works it is a real pleasure to see it again. I think it will
receive positive revisionist thinking in a few years, but onto the
film itself.
Peter
has found a way to continue his relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma
Stone, again a perfect match with Garfield and some of the best
chemistry of ANY
couple on the big screen in the last few years) and they're personal
winning ways continue as Peter (unbeknownst to Sally Field as Aunt
May) continues to swing into action as Spider-Man protecting the city
at large. After an encounter with an angry, tough Russian guy (Paul
Giamatti in fully and hilariously fired-up mode as only he can be)
with deadly weapons of his own, a kind lonely worker at a power plant
(Jamie Foxx so good juggling the comedy, pain and loneliness of his
character) is about to have an accident that will change his life
forever and Harry Osborn (incredible newcomer Dane DeHaan) comes home
and it turns out he is old friends with Peter, but also has a
condition that is killing him unless he can find a quick medical
solution.
The
result of both events brings on the advent of two of Spider-Man's
most classic, formidable villains and makes for some fun situations,
action where the makers have gone all out in budget and imagination
and yet, the screenplay knows the characters are the most important
and never sells them short in the 141 minutes this runs. Campbell
Scott, Embeth Davitz, Colm Feore and Marton Csokas lead the solid
supporting cast. Along with Captain
America: The Winter Soldier
and new Godzilla
revival, Amazing
Spider-Man 2
delivers the kind of top action entertainment you expect from a big
event film and helped make 2014 a better summer at the box office we
do not see or get enough of. Nice to see someone still knows how to
do a blockbuster so throughly well!
Can't
wait for the next one!!!
The
1080p 2.35 X 1 MVC-encoded 3-D - Full Resolution digital High
Definition image is fun like the previous film and has some great
effects that shows yet again, someone cared and it does add to the
fun of seeing the film, but this time, I was even more impressed with
the 2D 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer with
fine detail and depth for the most part that rarely has a flaw and
falls between the 2D version of the Amazing
Spider-Man
in its 3D set and the even richer, basic Mastered In 4K 2D Blu-ray
with its stunning color range, visuals and even better DTS-MA sound.
The film was shot in real 35mm anamorphic Panavision with Kodak's
insanely excellent Vision 3 camera negative stocks, the kind several
major studios and filmmakers just contracted with the company to keep
producing no matter what HD arrives. They are that good and I was
re-reminded how underrated, rich, details and advanced they really
are. That easily makes this one of the best-looking feature films of
the year (it was shown digitally as well as in 35mm film prints
worldwide) and we can thank the outstanding work of Director of
Photography Daniel Mindel (Enemy
Of The State,
Spy
Game,
Mission:
Impossible III,
both J.J Abrams Star
Trek
films so far and the next Star
Wars
film) uses the very widescreen frame and largeness of the big screen
possibilities to give us some great visuals, great form, fine
composition and that makes it a real demo disc for its best shots
which even rank higher in quality than my overall rating!
The
anamorphically enhanced DVD is on the soft side, but is passable.
As
for sound, not only is the film one of the rare, new 11.1 films
issued in both current theatrical 11.1 formats of Auro 11.1 and Dolby
Atmos 11.1, but is one of the most sonically competent and advanced
sound mixed on any film in the last few years. It was even issued
with D-BOX motion bass in select theaters (bass comes through the
chair, which also moves around), but that is not officially
on this disc. What we do get is a terrific DTS-HD MA (Master Audio)
5.1 lossless mixdown of the original soundtrack that is very rich,
thick, directionally accurate, recorded in superior form and is demo
quality throughout. Too many lossless 5.1 and 7.1 tracks we get are
more noise than sound and also tend to leave their dialogue flat and
monophonic, but not here. Everything is clear and offers better
dynamic range than just about any big budget film you can get on
Blu-ray. Dolby Atmos is coming to regular Blu-ray in the future and
the two Amazing
Spider-Man
films should be among the first wave of those. Here, any home
theater will be more than challenged.
The
DVD's lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 is also passable, but no match for the
DTS MA to say the least.
Finally
we have
extras, starting with Deleted Scenes (most Blu-ray exclusives) that
last nearly a half-hour. It is here that I see some moments and
clips that should have stayed in the film and would have really
helped both the exposition and box office of the film. Now you can
see for yourself. We also get Digital HD Ultraviolet Copy for PC, PC
portable and iTunes capable devices, feature length audio commentary
track by Producers Avi Arad & Matt Tolmach plus co-writers Alex
Kurtzman & Jeff Pinkner, a Music featurette hosted by director
Webb, Webb commenting on the Deleted Scenes, Alicia Keys Music Video
and a Making Of featurette entitled The Wages Of Heroism, running in
multiple parts at 100 minutes.
That's a nice set of bonuses all worth your time.
All
of that adds up to make The
Amazing Spider-Man 2
one of the best Blu-ray releases of the year so far. For more on the
first Amazing
Spider-Man,
try these links:
Blu-ray
3D set
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/11889/The+Amazing+Spider-Man+3D+(2012/Sony+Blu-ra
Mastered
In 4K Blu-ray
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/12823/Amazing+Spider-Man+(2012
-
Nicholas Sheffo
