For some time, “they” have been saying that Spider-Man 2 is the most well written superhero movie ever. Well, despite whatever “they” may have to say about it, the fact of the matter is, Spider-Man 2 is actually the most well written superhero movie ever.

Two years after Spider-Man, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is facing major problems on every front. His relationship with his friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) remains strained because he won’t tell Harry who Spider-Man is, and Harry still holds his father’s death against Spidey. His relationship with Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) is strained because he has told her that he was responsible for her husband’s death. His relationship with former girlfriend Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) is particularly strained because he refuses to allow himself to get close to her. To add to the relationship problems, he is failing at school and is struggling to keep either of his two jobs.

Life doesn’t get any easier when Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) has attached mechanical arms to himself and has gone mad with science projects threatening to destroy the city. Or worse – Mary Jane gets engaged. The weight of the world is upon him, and for a period, Parker decides to leave behind the superhero act just so he can straighten up his life.

Fantastically, Peter discovers that being a superhero transcends a costume and that it really entails making the right choice, even when the right thing is a difficult thing to do. Though the script is certainly transparent as to its themes and ideas, it’s sufficiently well written that it’s far from heavy handed. In a genuine coming of age story, Peter resolves, or at least addresses, each of the aforementioned conflicts by making good, though difficult, decisions. Spider-Man 2 is the first superhero movie to tell us what a superhero really is.

Amazingly enough, it also wins my award for best obligatory side romance in a superhero movie. The romantic tension between Peter and Mary Jane, though given only superficial attention, is surprisingly deep. Kirsten Dunst really doesn’t do anything in the film other than sit and stare wide-eyed, but the eyes do their share of work. There’s longing there. As the romantic tension between the two swings and sways, we sense some real depth of emotion on the part of each.

Yes, this is clearly the best written comic book film yet. And supported with humor, romance and high flying action effects, Spider-Man 2 may be the best overall superhero movie ever.

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