SPIDER-MAN 2

Title : Spider-Man 2

Language : English

Release Date : June 22, 2004 (Mann Village Theater)

June 30, 2004 (United States)

Directed By : Sam Raimi

Distributed By : Columbia Pictures

Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi and written by Alvin Sargent from a story by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. The sequel to the 2002 film Spider-Man, it is the second film in Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character of the same name. Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and James Franco reprise their respective roles as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, Mary Jane "M.J." Watson and Harry Osborn.

Set two years after the events of Spider-Man, the film finds Peter Parker struggling to manage both his personal life and his duties as Spider-Man, while Dr. Otto Octavius becomes a diabolical villain after a failed experiment kills his wife and leaves him neurologically fused to mechanical tentacles. Spider-Man must stop him from successfully recreating the experiment, which threatens to annihilate the city.

Spider-Man 2 was released in both conventional and IMAX theaters on June 30, 2004 and grossed $783.8 million worldwide, becoming the third highest-grossing film of the year. It won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and was also nominated for Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing. It received five awards at the Saturn Awards ceremony including Best Fantasy Film and Best Director for Raimi. The film is often cited as one of the best superhero films of all-time, and its success led to the release of Spider-Man 3 in 2007.

Plot

Peter Parker struggles to balance his crime-fighting duties as Spider-Man with the demands of his normal life. Estranged from both love interest Mary Jane Watson and best friend Harry Osborn, Peter additionally discovers that his Aunt May is facing eviction. Meanwhile, he also finds himself having a temporary, but reoccurring loss of his powers, often in life-threatening situations.

Harry, now head of Oscorp's research division, is sponsoring brilliant nuclear scientist Otto Octavius' fusion power project, who befriends Peter, and offers him life advice. While handling hazardous materials, Octavius wears a harness of powerful robotic tentacle arms with artificial intelligence. During a public demonstration, in which Peter and Harry attend, a power spike causes the fusion reactor to destabilize. Octavius refuses to shut the reactor down, which is going critical, killing his wife, and shattering the inhibitor chip blocking the arms from his nervous system. Spider-Man arrives and shuts the experiment down, destroying it.

At a hospital, doctors prepare to surgically remove Octavius's harness. However, without the inhibitor chip to keep the arms supported to the nervous system, the arms have developed sentience, and attack the crew. Upon regaining consciousness and seeing the carnage, Octavius escapes, and takes refuge at a harbor. Becoming increasingly influenced by the arms' AI, Octavius robs a bank that Peter and May are coincidentally visiting in order to fund a second experiment. Octavius takes May hostage, but she is rescued by Spider-Man, although he is able to flee with the money. The Daily Bugle subsequently dubs Octavius Doctor Octopus.

Mary Jane becomes engaged to astronaut John Jameson, son of Bugle chief J. Jonah Jameson. Peter suffers an emotional breakdown over his inability to balance his life, resulting in him losing his powers temporarily. He abandons his Spider-Man identity, returns to his normal life, and attempts to reconcile with Mary Jane. A garbageman brings Peter's Spider-Man suit to Jameson, who takes credit for driving Spider-Man into hiding. Peter decides to tell Aunt May the truth behind Uncle Ben's death, and how he is responsible. May forgives him, but the rise in New York City crime rate worries Peter.

Requiring the isotope tritium to fuel his reactor, Octavius visits Harry to demand it. Harry agrees in exchange for Spider-Man's life. He tells Octavius to seek Peter, who is supposedly good friends with Spider-Man, but requests Octavius not to harm him. Octavius locates Peter, tells him to find Spider-Man, and captures Mary Jane. The endangerment of Mary Jane leads to Peter's powers resurrecting, and he, just as Jameson admits he was wrong about Spider-Man, steals his costume back from the Bugle, and goes after Octavius.

As Spider-Man battles Octavius, they fall onto a rapid transit R train. Octavius damages the controls and leaves Peter to save the passengers, which he does at a great physical toll. Fainting from exhaustion, the grateful passengers save him from falling, and bring him into the train, discovering his secret identity, but promising to keep it hidden. Octavius returns for Spider-Man and captures him, then delivers him to Harry.

After giving Octavius the tritium, Harry prepares to kill Spider-Man, only to be shocked to discover his secret identity. Trying to stop Octavius over their feud, Peter convinces Harry to direct him to Octavius' lair. Spider-Man arrives at the doctor's waterfront laboratory, attempting to rescue Mary Jane discreetly. Octavius discovers him, and they battle once again, as the nuclear reaction swells in size. Spider-Man ultimately subdues Octavius, reveals his identity, and persuades Octavius to let his dream go for good. Octavius finally commands the tentacles to obey him, and gives his life to destroy the experiment, redeeming himself as he dies. Mary Jane sees Spider-Man's true identity and feelings, as well as why they cannot be together. Spider-Man returns Mary Jane to John, and leaves.

Harry is visited by a vision of his father in a mirror, pleading for Harry to avenge his death. Refusing to hurt Peter, Harry shatters the mirror, unintentionally revealing a secret room containing the Green Goblin's equipment. On her wedding day, Mary Jane abandons John at the altar and runs to Peter's apartment. After they kiss, they hear police sirens, and Mary Jane encourages him to respond as Spider-Man.