Line #28 YMMV/SpiderMan2


1	For the sequel to VideoGame/SpiderManPS4, go [[YMMV/MarvelsSpiderMan2 to this page]].
2	----
3	!! The movie:
4	* AccidentalInnuendo: This exchange between Peter and Mary Jane:
5	-->'''Peter''': Picking up where we left off.\
6	'''Mary Jane''': Where was that? We never got on. You can't get off if you don't get on, Peter.
7	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
8	** Did Aunt May figure out on her own that Peter is Spider-Man and is just keeping it to herself? Her motivational speech to Peter about the nature of heroism and sacrifice seems a bit preachy and random if it's directed at Peter, but is ''very'' specific and relevant if she knows she's talking to Spider-Man. Some believe that her encounter with Spider-Man earlier in the film, where Peter runs away and then a minute later Spider-Man is here, and she talks to Spidey and hears his voice, were intended to set this up -- after all, how could May hear Spider-Man's voice, when Peter isn't even trying to disguise it, and not recognize it as the voice of the nephew she raised? There's also the fact that May never seems angry at Peter for abandoning her when Doc Ock showed up, which might imply she knows he was the one who saved her. The film and the sequel never confirm if she knows, but some fans consider it as good as canon.
9	** Did Aunt May give away Peter's comics to help him grow up? Or was a bit of RestrainedRevenge for Peter's (accidental) role in Uncle Ben's death.
10	** Is Mary Jane's cold treatment of Peter perhaps because the guy who lived next door to her and was not subtle about his crush on her for years suddenly friend-zoned her when she asked him out, just yet another man in her life who's mistreated her? After her father, Flash Thompson, arguably Harry and his father (who outright referred to her as an object to be used and discarded), her attitude towards Peter is very realistic behavior of someone who has a long history of being consistently disappointed. Especially since she still tried to be friends with Peter after he rejected her. Plus, Peter ''did'' promise he'd come to the play and, while the audience knows there's a reason he missed it, MJ doesn't. The novelization clarifies that she does initially assume there must have been an emergency but she becomes even more upset when she can't find him afterwards.
11	* AudienceAwarenessAdvantage: As the viewers, we understand that Peter's decision to remain distant from Mary Jane and often breaking his promises to her are because of his responsibilities as Spider-Man. We also understand that he is struggling financially and dealing with the guilt of keeping the truth about what happened to Norman from Harry. However, Mary Jane doesn't know any of this since the only excuse he seems to give her is that there was a "disturbance". From her perspective the man who rejected her, and who she spent the last two years waiting for according to Harry, specifically told her that he would be at her play, and when he misses it doesn't provide a good explanation. There's also the implication that this isn't the first time that it's happened, and the fact he keeps a distance between them would honestly explain why she's unaware of his financial troubles. So it's completely understandable that she would grow angry about her "best friend" being a complete flake who makes promises he doesn't keep, and then won't even give anything except vague excuses for his absences.
12	* AwardSnub:
13	** Creator/AlfredMolina received a Best Villain MTV Movie Award nomination. The winner that year was Creator/BenStiller for ''Film/DodgeballATrueUnderdogStory''.
14	** Losing the Kids Choice Award for Favorite Movie to ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' likely was a very reviled event at the time that it happened. It probably attributed to the creation of the Favorite Animated Movie award the very next year.
15	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Music/MichaelBuble's version of the classic Spider-Man theme that plays during the closing credits.
16	* BetterOnDVD: The film was improved for ''Spider-Man 2.1'' with extended battles, improved acting, and more longer emotional moments, which makes this an Even Better Expansion of an EvenBetterSequel.
17	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: In ''2.1'', Jameson dressing up as Spider-Man and pretending to be him after his discarded suit was sent to the ''Daily Bugle'' building, while hilarious, adds nothing to the plot, which probably explains why it was omitted from the theatrical cut.
18	* CantUnHearIt:
19	** Many people like thinking of Creator/AlfredMolina's voice while reading ComicBook/DoctorOctopus' lines.
20	** Creator/JKSimmons performance as J.J. Jameson affected how we hear the character so much that he voiced the role in cartoons, and reprised it in the MCU- so it is understandable if that is the voice you hear reading the comics. [[note]] And it is quite similar to the voice we hear in [[WesternAnimation/SpiderMan1967 the 1960's cartoon]].[[/note]]
21	* CompleteMonster: In a previous draft titled ''[[https://davidkoepp.com/script-archive/amazing-spider-man-unproduced/ Amazing Spider-Man]]'', [[ComicBook/DoctorOctopus Doctor Otto Octavius]] lacks his [[Film/SpiderMan2 final product's]] much more tragic, complex characterization, and is thus presented as a complete psychopath [[ItsAllAboutMe driven by his ego]]. Having murdered Richard and Mary Parker years ago for hiding the image refractor from him so as to prevent the completion of Octavius's dangerous fusion machine, Octavius takes their son Peter under his wing and [[ManipulativeBastard manipulates]] the young man into the handing the refractor over before trying to kill him as well. After having his metallic tentacles fused with his torso, Octavius uses them to kill his way out of a hospital and goes on a rampage through New York City, murdering several people and endangering dozens more. Octavius hopes to ally with foreign powers to complete his fusion reactor, fully willing to then [[ArmsDealer hand it over to terrorists]] to use as a WMD so long as he gets to see it in use, and raids the wedding of Harry Osborn to obtain the final missing component to the machine, threatening the hundreds of guests with death if he doesn't get what he wants.
22	* DiagnosedByTheAudience: It's highly suggested that Peter is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder while exhibiting ''many'' textbook symptoms.
23	* EnsembleDarkhorse:
24	** Ursula, the shy daughter of Peter's landlord, who a substantial amount of fans would have preferred to see Peter get together with rather than MJ. It helps that at the time the actress was also playing a minor but highly endearing character on ''Series/JoanOfArcadia''.
25	** Her father, [[CrankyLandlord Mr. Ditkovich]] for being a FountainOfMemes, a DeadpanSnarker and a LargeHam. The sequel shows he has some HiddenDepths, endearing him to fans even more.
26	** Mr. Aziz is well-remembered by being a [[FountainOfMemes meme dispensing machine]]. Helping matters is many fans agree that he's a pretty reasonable boss all things considered, being well within his rights to critique and fire Peter, which he does without malice.
27	* EpilepticTrees: Fans have speculated that one of the two black kids who witnessed Peter Parker doing the backflip from crashing his motorbike is [[ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan Miles Morales]].
28	* EvenBetterSequel: While the first movie is considered very good, this is widely thought of as the better film, and is held up as among the best films in the superhero genre.
29	* EvilIsCool: Alfred Molina's Dr. Octopus is considered a highlight of the film and one of the best portrayals of the character. Much as with J.K. Simmons and J. Jonah Jameson, Molina has expressed interest in returning to the role if future ''Spider-Man'' films ever want to feature Doc Ock again, and that [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/spider-man-3-alfred-molina-returning-as-doctor-octopus the announcement]] he would be doing [[Film/SpiderManNoWayHome exactly that]] got a warm reception from fans.
30	* FanficFuel: The fact that ComicBook/DoctorStrange and [[ComicBook/ThePunisher Frank Castle]] apparently exist in this universe raises all sorts of possibilities relating to the rest of the Marvel Universe existing alongside Tobey's Spider-Man.
31	* GeniusBonus:
32	** The play M.J. is in is ''Theatre/TheImportanceOfBeingEarnest'', a comedy about double identities. [[SecretIdentity Sound familiar?]]
33	** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritium Tritium]] is a real isotope that can be used to produce, or can be produced by, fusion and fission reactions. While there's no such thing as "precious tritium", one could actually HandWave this as referring to ''natural'' tritium; tritium has been produced as a by-product of other reactions for decades, but naturally occurring tritium is indeed very rare, which lines up with Octavius commenting there's only twenty-five pounds of precious tritium on the planet.
34	* GrowingTheBeard: This film is considered the best of Sam Raimi's films for this reason, as there is more relatable storytelling, memorable and emotional scenes like Peter quitting his duties as Spider-Man, and phenomenal music by Music/DannyElfman that fit the scenes so well and are still remembered to this day.
35	* HarsherInHindsight:
36	** Doc Ock's "I will not die a monster" moment at the end of the film can be a bit painful to watch given that his plan in ''ComicBook/EndsOfTheEarth'' is to cause genocide on a planetary scale and be remembered as history's greatest monster. Not only that, but [[Film/SpiderManNoWayHome this Doc Ock canonically came back from the dead... as a villain yet again]]. [[spoiler:Fortunately, it's temporary as Doc Ock is still under the tentacles' sway, having been transplanted from a point in ''Spider-Man 2'' prior to his redemption, and he gets a full HeelFaceTurn when his inhibitor chip is repaired]].
37	** [[https://imgur.com/W6xrveY The train incident in the Philippines in 2014]] happens to be exactly the same as the movie when the front car derailed and overshot at the end of the track, at least no reports of casualties besides few passengers were injured from impact and some motorbikes were crushed. This can be quite HilariousInHindsight since they jokingly comment that Spider-Man actually came to stop the train from overshooting into crowded traffic and spawns photoshops of the incident with him.
38	** In the {{novelization}}, Mary Jane can't help but be annoyed that she's missing her play due to her kidnapping and threatens Doc Ock if she loses her role to her understudy. The sequel has her being fired from her Broadway role in favor of an understudy due to bad reviews.
39	* HeartwarmingInHindsight:
40	** Doc Ock's determination to save the city from his own creation ([[HeroicSacrifice at the cost of his life]]) [[spoiler:can now come across as a hope-lifting moment that foreshadows Doc Ock's role in ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', where his inhibitor chip is finally repaired, and he actually helps the Spider-Men to defeat the other supervillains in the MCU. He's even given a second chance at life thanks to the kindness of MCU Aunt May and Spider-Man, as well as the Arc Reactor to help build a better, safer energy machine for his universe.]]
41	** The same film seems to establish that Otto and Norman were friends at one point. This makes his determination to help Oscorp come off as someone trying to help his friend's struggling son.
42	** And of course, [[spoiler:the scene of Peter triumphantly returning as Spider-Man is sweeter to watch following Creator/TobeyMaguire's epic comeback in this very role during the same film]].
43	** [[spoiler: Peter's promise ''"I'll always be Spider-Man"'' becomes this when ''No Way Home'' reveals he has made good on that promise and had continued his career as a superhero well into his forties.]]
44	* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: Creator/TobeyMaguire does an amazing job performing the film's dramatic scenes, such as when Peter reveals to Aunt May the truth about Uncle Ben's death.
45	* HilariousInHindsight:
46	** Jameson briefly implies that ComicBook/DoctorStrange exists in the movie's 'verse. He would later join the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse just one film after [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Spider-Man did]]. ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' takes it a step further, with Spider-Man getting caught in the same plot thread as Doctor Strange and effectively becoming his teammate for the film's course.
47	*** More so, Creator/JKSimmons as J. Jonah Jameson is also now part of the MCU, with his appearance in ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome''.
48	*** And then the hilarity reached an entirely new level when Creator/SamRaimi, the film's director, was announced to be helming ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''. This didn't go unnoticed by Raimi himself, who remarked in interviews soon afterward that he wished he could've known he'd be getting the ''Doctor Strange'' gig when making ''Spider-Man 2''.
49	*** And to top it all off, Doc Ock -- [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/spider-man-3-alfred-molina-returning-as-doctor-octopus this movie's iteration of Doc Ock]], to be precise -- is now appearing alongside the MCU's Doctor Strange in ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''.
50	*** You’d think this is where it would stop, but nope, there’s more: [[spoiler: In ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', this iteration of Spider-Man, as played by Creator/TobeyMaguire, actually gets to meet the MCU version of Dr. Strange in the climactic battle as well.]]
51	** Roshan Fegan, one of the two boys Peter talked to early in the film, would later portray Ty Blue, the older brother of Creator/{{Zendaya}}'s character Rocky Blue in the Creator/DisneyChannel series '' Series/ShakeItUp''. Creator/{{Zendaya}} herself would star in the Film/MCUSpiderManTrilogy.
52	** J. Jonah Jameson's SkywardScream of "'''''I WANT SPIDER-MAN!!!!!!'''''" quickly followed up by a newspaper headline saying "[Spider-Man]'s back!" is this in light of Sony and Marvel patching things up in 2019 and striking a new deal, effectively returning Creator/TomHolland's Spider-Man to the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse''.
53	** Because of TroubledProduction, Tobey Maguire was almost replaced by Creator/JakeGyllenhaal. When Creator/KatieHolmes dropped out of ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'' it was Jake's sister Creator/{{Maggie\|Gyllenhaal}} that replaced her as Rachel Dawes. As for Jake, he ended up being Mysterio in ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome''. [[spoiler: And Jake (via archive footage) and Tobey both appear in the sequel, ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'']].
54	** During [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2_MdoyMGmQ a behind-the-scenes prank]] on the set of this film, Creator/WillemDafoe pretends to be Doctor Octopus while wearing Otto Octavius's goggles and reading his lines in his Green Goblin voice. Fast-forward to ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', where not only do Dafoe and Creator/AlfredMolina co-star as their respective characters, but Norman also gets a redesigned costume that comes with goggles resembling the ones he wore during the aforementioned prank.
55	** The scene where Doctor Octopus is shown using one of his tentacles to choke Peter after he begs him to shut off his machine no longer feels quite as dramatic after viewing ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', as that film reveals that moment was exactly when [[spoiler:Otto accidentally warps to the MCU. One can't help but imagine Dr. Octavius freaking out as he disappears in a flash of light, leaving the Peter of this universe confused as to what happened. And maybe moments later, a [[HeelFaceTurn reformed version of him]] returning right there after the events of that film.]]
56	* HypeBacklash: Its status as the best sequel or best Spider-Man film leads to this, particularly amongst younger fans, especially after the [[Film/SpiderManHomecoming MCU]] [[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome Spider-Man]] [[Film/SpiderManNoWayHome films]], and ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse''. Some argue that the film is overpraised with its flaws being ignored, such as Mary Jane's unsympathetic behavior towards Peter and the film constantly making Peter's life such a living hell that it makes the film feel too needlessly cynical.
57	* IconicSequelOutfit: While the suit that Spidey wears in this movie is nearly identical to the one in the first movie, the new suit has a darker shade of blue, a thicker, more prominent black spider on the chest, and a larger red spider on the back with more spindly legs compared to the suit in the first movie. This second red/blue suit was the version added to ''VideoGame/SpiderManPS4'' after much fan demand.
58	* ImprovedByTheReCut: This film has a recut, known as ''Spider-Man 2.1'', that was released concurrent with ''Spider-Man 3''. The cut contains eight minutes of extra scenes, as well as some alternate takes of scenes that were in the theatrical cut. Among more notable cases is an alternate take of [[UncomfortableElevatorMoment the elevator scene]] (in the theatrical cut, the man thinks Peter's just a guy in a Spider-Man costume. In the extended cut, the man thinks that he is the real thing, and starts suggesting ways he could improve his public image), a scene of J. Jonah Jameson romping around on his desk in the Spider-Man suit when he thinks no one's watching him, some alternate dialogue during the pizza delivery at the beginning of the movie, and a little bit of additional action during Spider-Man's fights with Octavius at the bank and on the 'L' train. The scene of J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man suit alone has caused the ''2.1'' cut to be considered a slight improvement on an already-great film.
59	%%* JerksAreWorseThanVillains: Mary Jane pulling the JerkassBall in this film has earned her far more detractors that Creator/AlfredMolina's charismatic Doc Ock.
60	* LoveToHate: Doc Ock is a beloved antagonist for being an incredibly smart and dangerous threat while having plenty of depth and sympathetic traits. Creator/AlfredMolina's excellent performance certainly helps quite a bit as well.
61	* MagnificentBastard: [[Characters/MarvelComicsOttoOctavius Dr. Otto Octavius]] is a brilliant, charming [[MadScientist scientist]] defined by tragedy and obsession. An inspiration to young scientists with his work on nuclear fusion, Octavius' life is turned upside down when one of his experiments fails, leading to the death of his beloved wife Rosie and the fusing of his robotic, AI-controlled arms to his spine. Tempted by his arms into embracing his ego and desire to see the fusion experiment replicated, Octavius becomes "[[Characters/SpiderManTrilogySupervillains Doctor Octopus]]", supervillain extraordinaire, and pulls off a successful bank heist by using hostages to throw the police and [[Characters/SpiderManTrilogySpiderMan Spider-Man]] off his tail. Needing more tritium to complete his experiment, Octavius strikes a deal with Harry Osborn for tritium in exchange for Spider-Man, who Octavius captures by kidnapping Mary Jane Watson to lure him out, then sabotaging a train so as to force Spider-Man to weaken himself saving the passengers. Octavius ultimately succeeds in his new fusion experiment, however realizes it's not worth it for the human lives it will cost, and works with Spider-Man to destroy the machine forever, [[VillainsDyingGrace sacrificing himself in the process]] with his final words being a refusal to die as a monster.
62	* MemeticMutation: [[Memes/SpiderManTrilogy See here.]]
63	* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound: Jameson's laugh. The clicking and whirring metallic noises Octopus's arms make are also quite easy on the ears.
64	* {{Narm}}: [[Narm/SpiderManTrilogy Here]].
65	* NarmCharm: The bank robbery. Seeing all the money in New York City kept as gold coins held in sacks is downright cartoonish, with the silliness amplified as Doc Ock starts throwing the money he was trying to steal at Spider-Man. Nevertheless, it's definitely more eye-catching than just watching the villain hack into the bank's data system. And being a comic book movie, it's not that out of place.
66	%%* NeverLiveItDown: Mary Jane can't live down two specific moments in the eyes of the fandom: first, complaining about Peter not coming to her play (when he had promised to and she doesn't know the reasons why he didn't) and second, [[spoiler: leaving her fiance on their wedding day with just a note]].
67	* {{Padding}}: The scene where Peter eats cake with Ursula. While it doesn't seem it was intended to fill out time and is a sweet moment that helps the movie feel a little less cynical, the scene doesn't contribute to main plot regarding Peter trying to be Spider-Man again and realizing the sacrifices he has to make to be Spider-Man, nor does it contribute to the subplots regarding Doc Ock and Harry Osborne.
68	* RetroactiveRecognition:
69	** A pre-''Series/{{Bones}}'' Creator/EmilyDeschanel as the Receptionist at the start of the film.
70	** Creator/DanielDaeKim pre-''Series/{{Lost}}'' and ''Series/HawaiiFive0'' as Raymond, Otto Octavius' lab assistant.
71	** Creator/JoelMcHale pre-''Series/TheSoup'' and ''Series/{{Community}}'' as the Banker who refuses to give Aunt May a loan.
72	** Creator/AasifMandvi as Mr Aziz, Peter's boss at the pizzeria.
73	** There's a bystander standing behind Peter during Octavius's demonstration that is played by Creator/PeterMcRobbie, long before he was Father Paul Lantom in ''Series/{{Daredevil\|2015}}''.
74	** One of the people Doc Ock goes by when climbing a building after the bank robbery is played by [[Series/LadyDynamite Maria Bamford]].
75	** Creator/VanessaFerlito as one of Mary Jane's friends.
76	** Creator/DanielGillies pre-''Franchise/TheVampireDiariesUniverse'' as John Jameson.
77	* RomanticPlotTumor: The trilogy is usually accused of this overall, but this is the one with greatest focus on the romance. Peter Parker spends the majority of film out-of-costume, and worried about his romance with Mary Jane, most of the film's most serious drama is not really about Dr. Octopus and his Tritium experiment but whether the two love-birds [[WillTheyOrWontThey can get together or not.]]
78	* SacredCow: The film is frequently brought up in "best superhero movies of all time" discussions over a decade after its release, and you'd be likely to be run over with angry comments if you don't put this movie in your list of best superhero movies.
79	* SignatureScene:
80	** The scene where Spider-Man stops a runaway train is the first thing that pops up when you remember about this movie. As an added bonus, scientists who have been working on replicating spider silks as a new clothing material like to refer to this particular scene as their source of inspiration.
81	** If one includes scenes that originated memes, then there's Peter delivering pizzas and Jameson laughing hysterically at Peter after the latter asked for his advanced salary. Peter's downright strange and bloodcurdling scream near the end can also count. Peter hurting his back became such a well-known meme that [[spoiler:it gets a CallBack in ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', with Tobey's Spider-Man suffering from back problems later in life]].
82	* SpecialEffectFailure:
83	** Though the effects used to render Doc Ock's tentacles hold up very well in ''almost'' every shot in which they appear, the lone, [[https://youtu.be/p66AWyzFIec?t=257 brief shot]] of Octavius raising his arms to shield himself from the broken glass when [[spoiler: Rosie is killed]] features some bizarrely unpolished CGI--there doesn't appear to be any light ray-tracing or even texture on the tentacles' claws.
84	** A minor example. In the scene where Peter's boss rips the sticker with the pizza place's logo off Peter's helmet, you can see a couple of half-destroyed stickers underneath from previous takes.
85	** After Peter managed to stop the train and loses consciousness, the man on his right is shown touching one of the bar handles with his arm. The bar handles are made of rubber and it shows.
86	* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3jCKP6JujI The]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU1l6CJKrvw music]] used in Otto Octavius' ill-fated test run of the fusion reactor is virtually identical to the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9v2lWZlDb4 main theme]] from ''Film/HellboundHellraiserII''. This was no coincidence -- as the music was used as the scene's "temp music" during the film's production, and Sam Raimi ended up becoming so attached to the temp music that he ordered Creator/DannyElfman to compose a track that sounded just like it. Elfman refused and bluntly told Raimi to just hire Christopher Young, the person that composed the ''Hellraiser II'' music in the first place, to score something identical for the scene. This incident, along with several others, is what caused Danny Elfman and Sam Raimi to have a falling out, and why Elfman did not return to compose the score for ''Spider-Man 3'', with Young himself taking over. (Elfman and Raimi would eventually mend fences, with Elfman scoring ''Film/OzTheGreatAndPowerful'' and ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''.)
87	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter:
88	** John Jameson is pretty much just a SatelliteLoveInterest for Mary Jane, only being there [[RomanticFalseLead to create tension for Peter's relationship with her]]. The comic book version of him had way more of a personality and presence, being a superhero himself. Even ignoring that, he doesn't interact with JJJ, ''his father'', once in the movie, and him rivaling Peter for MJ's affection could've turned him into a part of Spider-Man's RoguesGallery, but nope, he's just there to be the popular rival to Peter.
89	** Many fans feel like Ursula should have been utilized more. The character is kind to Peter and is implied to have a crush on him, but neither she nor her crush are focused on at all. Ursula is only in a few scenes, during which she has very little in plot relevance, which a lot of fans feel is a wasted opportunity.
90	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: It's mentioned that Octavius and Connors are friends, but we're never shown Connors' reaction at all to the death of Otto's wife, the failure of his life's work, or his friend becoming a notorious criminal. Connors is a minor character, and Peter isn't privy to his personal life, but it still feels a bit odd.
91	* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic:
92	** To many, Mary Jane comes across as unlikable here due to seemingly giving NoSympathy to Peter and for emotionally cheating on John before leaving him at the altar. Many feel that even when acknowledging that she's unaware of his double life, Mary Jane never seems to show any concern that Peter is juggling college and two part-time jobs while living on his own for the first time, and feel that she should be considering that instead of immediately getting angry for missing her play. However, AudienceAwarenessAdvantage is at play here as Mary Jane isn't fully aware of all the details in Peter's life, so while she could have been more understanding her anger isn't unreasonable. With John, people judge her for leaving him a note instead of just telling him how she felt herself, and accuse her of having a shallow attraction to John despite agreeing to marry him. The novelization delves more into her reluctance with John and her issues with Peter stemming from her issues with her father, but unfortunately that doesn't help the change the minds of those who just watch the film.
93	** Peter can come across as a bit horrible when he tries to win Mary Jane back ''after'' she's spent two years waiting for him to change his mind and he finds out she's now started dating someone. He then knowingly pursues her and tries to win her back using poetry, and when he quits as Spider-Man attempts to convince her to break off her engagement to continue their relationship only for Mary Jane to point out that they can't resume any relationship because they never had one.
94	** Harry teeters close to this by the end. While his resentment of Spider-Man and Peter, from what limited information he has, is understandable, if not sympathetic, the fact that he willingly teams up with Doctor Octopus (who, by this point, has just robbed a bank and endangered many innocent lives including Aunt May) and tells Otto how to use Peter to find Spider-Man (only offering a weak request that Peter isn't hurt), in exchange for giving the doctor the tritium he needs to recreate his experiment (whose initial demonstration Harry witnessed ''fail''), shows him to be somebody so myopic in his revenge quest for his father's death that he doesn't care who gets hurt to achieve it. The only reason he doesn't fully cross the MoralEventHorizon is after unmasking Peter and learning that MJ has been kidnapped and is in danger, he lets Peter go to stop Otto's plan. And even for a brief moment, he prioritizes his vengeance over MJ and the city's safety when he tells Peter "{{you killed my father}}". Later, it's implied (and outright confirmed in the third film) by his discovery of the Green Goblin's lair that not even finding out his father was a homicidal supervillain has erased his desire for vengeance against Peter.
95	* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: To the extent that it won an MediaNotes/AcademyAward for Best Visual Effects.[[note]]''Spider-Man 2'' ended up spending 14 years as the only Oscar-winning ''Spider-Man'' movie, until ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' won Best Animated Feature.[[/note]]
96	** Doc Ock's tentacles, which were largely accomplished via practical effects, with each arm being controlled by a team of puppeteers.
97	** The shot of [[spoiler:Doc Ock's face as he falls into the water during his HeroicSacrifice was completely CGI, yet looks completely real. It was hailed by the effects team as the most realistic CGI face in film at the time]].
98	* WhyWouldAnyoneTakeHimBack: People had this reaction to Mary Jane, wondering why Peter would show any sympathy to someone who hadn't been helpful to him.
99	* TheWoobie:
100	** Otto Octavius, aka Doc Ock. The man tries to revolutionize recyclable energy for a better world, but his initial experiment ends in the tragic loss of both his wife and his credibility. Despite this, he tries his hardest to try to recreate and improve his device, but it's ultimately put into an uncontrollable situation where FailureIsTheOnlyOption. And his criminal activites? [[AIIsACrapshoot The mechanical arms attached to his back]] gaining sentience thanks to their advanced AI and the initial accident destroying their inhibitor. Probably the best example of Octavius at his Woobie-est would be his soliloquy at the docks:
101	--->'''Otto Octavius''': [[TheLostLenore My Rosie's dead]]. My dream is dead. And these [''his arms'']... ''monstrous'' things should be [[{{Foreshadowing}} at the bottom of the river]]... [[AlasPoorVillain along with me]].
102	** Peter spends most of the film struggling with his personal life while still attempting to retain his Spider-Man persona. This costs him jobs and relationships, until all his anguish builds up and leads him to temporarily abandon his super hero identity.
103
104	!! The Game:
105	* AntiClimaxBoss: After he pulls off a convincing alien invasion hoax and a trippy "funhouse of doom", you'd expect [[MasterOfIllusion Mysterio]] to have an imaginative boss fight, especially when the cutscene prior gives him three health bars. Instead, [[ZeroEffortBoss he just stands and boasts while doing nothing to harm you, and one punch does him in]]. Thankfully averted in the [=PSP=] version, which takes full advantage of Mysterio's skillset.
106	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: The soundtrack is written by Music/{{KMFDM}}, making for some rocking action tunes. Michael [=McCuistion=] also returns from the first game, providing excellent dramatic orchestral scores.
107	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The entirety of the Mysterio plotline is this, but perhaps it's at its biggest at the "Funhouse of Doom" section. Spider-Man goes through a bizarre funhouse with wobbly clowns, creepy holographic heads and a hall of mirrors where his reflections come to life and try and kill him... and it's all seemingly within an ordinary apartment building. And all this is never brought up again.
108	* DemonicSpiders: The mooks using PoweredArmor. They're strong, durable, and have weapons that can knock Spidey down for a few seconds. Even worse is that after you first fight them in the plot, they can show up when taking a civilian mission. The best of way of fighting them is to take advantage of their slow turn rate and punch them from behind, but multiple Powered Armor Mooks can make this a tough endeavour.
109	* EndingFatigue: The final encounter with Doctor Octopus makes up the ''third''-to-last chapter of the game. The penultimate chapter consists of getting 50,000 hero points (while every other chapter only required less than 10,000), and the final chapter is just buying the final web swing upgrade.
110	* GoodBadBugs: If you start a race and clip through Daily Bugle's (now-locked) entryway, the race won't end - instead, the timer will still be present while playing as Peter inside [=DB=]. Cool on its own, but pausing the game, canceling the race and restarting it sends you back outside to the starting point, ''still as Peter''! Then just cancel the race without restarting it to be able to free roam as Peter without his costume. Granted, there is ''very'' little you can do (Everything, save for running and basic dodges are disabled) but it allows exploring the city as Peter - just don't fall into water, as it'll show the usual cutscene before the game remembers Peter can't wall climb, [[UnintentionallyUnwinnable causing an infinite loop of Peter falling back in, climbing back and falling back in again]].
111	* HarsherInHindsight: One of the plot points of the game is Spider-Man contemplating on giving up being Peter Parker and just be Spider-Man. [[spoiler:In ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', the MCU version of Spider-Man essentially does just that. [[{{Unperson}} Peter Parker is no more]], [[HeroicSacrifice while Spider-Man lives on]]]].
112	* HilariousInHindsight: The gameplay reveal for ''VideoGame/MarvelsSpiderMan2'' shows that Kraven is trying to hunt the Lizard, which is what he was meant to be doing in the console versions of this game before it was cut[[note]]The idea was later reused for the ''Spider-Man 3'' tie-in game[[/note]]. It's also what he was doing to the Lizard-esque Oscorp cross-species in the ''VideoGame/TheAmazingSpiderMan2'' tie-in game. Apparently, "Kraven hunting the Lizard/Lizard-like monsters in the first sequel" is a recurring theme in ''Spider-Man'' video game franchises.
113	* JustHereForGodzilla: Although the rest of the game is enjoyable, the only reason why this game continues to stay relevant today is its web swinging mechanics, which were incredibly impressive for the time (and still are today) for how accurate and in-depth they are. Most of the praise and discussion revolving around the game is primarily aimed towards the web-swinging and many play it for just that alone. The swinging here keeps the gameplay interesting even when you're just travelling to your next destination, and it's also entertaining enough to just swing around with no particular destination in mind. It was the first to have Spidey attach his web-line to an actual building, unlike [[VideoGame/SpiderMan2000 previous]] [[VideoGame/SpiderManTheMovie games]] (and the PSP version) where his web seems to magically attach to thin air.
114	* MagnificentBastard (PC Version)'s "Mysterio's Calamity": Mysterio, Quentin Beck, is a master illusionist hired by Doctor Octopus to stop Spider-Man from foiling his plan. Trapping Spider-Man in a deadly illusion, Mysterio places several traps inside to catch Spider-Man off guard. Luring him to his secret giant turret when he looks to be losing, upon his defeat, Mysterio admits to being a mere distraction to Spider-Man before he disappears from the scene.
115	* MemeticMutation:
116	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ7n95lCwik&list=PL7A74A4261B906CA3 Ooohh noooo... Doooctooor Cooonnorrrss' claaassss...]]''"
117	*** "''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DELvF8KTfFg If I fliiiip theee pizzaaaasss Mr. Aziz will fliiiip oooouuuut...]]''"
118	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czTksCF6X8Y Pizza Theme]] (actually a cover of the song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW0W7j04iRQ Funiculi, Funicula]]) got a lot of remixes and even some [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqzobHEmH18 covers]], standing out from the rest of the soundtrack mainly due to [[StylisticSuck it likely being ripped straight from a royalty-free source, with no time for compressing the audio]].
119	* {{Narm}}: On one hand, the lizardmen that appear on the combat arena provide an interesting insight on what the mooks of the [[WhatCouldHaveBeen cut]] Lizard looked like. On the other hand, their grunts are reused from a street gang from the previous game, which is [[VocalDissonance extremely jarring]]. Instead of a screech you'd expect from such a creature, these things react to damage with "ugh" and "Eaagh" and similar noises, which is even more awkward if you've played the [[VideoGame/SpiderMan2000 2000 game]][[note]]Which also had lizardmen but with appropriate voices[[/note]] and the [[VideoGame/SpiderManTheMovie previous game]][[note]]So your mind automatically connects the noises to the skull gang they're taken from[[/note]].
120	* SugarWiki/NoProblemWithLicensedGames: The video game adaptation is also held in high regard as one of the best-licensed superhero games of the 2000s, and alongside ''VideoGame/TheIncredibleHulkUltimateDestruction'' and the ''VideoGame/XMenLegends'' games, revived the "Superhero Sandbox" genre after ''{{VideoGame/Superman 64}}'' destroyed its credibility.
121	* OnceOriginalNowCommon:
122	** While ''Spider-Man 2'' is still held up as one of the better licensed superhero games out there and is most certainly top 10 best Spider-Man games of all time, ''VideoGame/SpiderManPS4'' is now widely considered to be the '''definitive''' interactive experience of everybody's wall-crawler greatly expanding on and refining what worked with this particular video game adaptation. Likewise, other superhero sandbox games like the ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'' or ''VideoGame/{{Infamous}}'' would come along years later and provide a more well-crafted polished superhero experience using ''Spider-Man 2'' as a basic template.
123	** As good as the web-based movement mechanics are, a player going back to the game may notice the lack of precision they can have, with the web zip in particular simply launching Spidey forward a bit, unlike the two games based on ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries'' and (more famously) ''VideoGame/SpiderManPS4'' that allow picking specific targets to land on/boost Spidey off of. While this lack of fine-tuned control over Spidey is generally unnoticeable by most, those who've had to endure some of the tighter-timed sidequests may start re-evaluating their opinion on the "slightly-less-physics-based-but-more-controllable" movement mechanics of later games[[note]]The aforementioned [=PS4=] title in particular, as while its swinging mechanics have some oddities, the races in that game have equally tight timing but feel much more doable thanks to Spidey's more controllable nature[[/note]].
124	* PortingDisaster: A downplayed example. When played on an Xbox 360, the game is perfectly playable but suffers from texture issues. For example, some buildings have see-through areas and certain walls are invisible.
125	* TheProblemWithLicensedGames:
126	** While the console versions are very well-regarded, the PC version is completely different, being much simpler and mediocre, having a totally different plot, and lacking the size and complexity that made the console versions so beloved.
127	** The Platform/NintendoDS version isn't exactly liked either. It was [[ChristmasRushed rushed for the 2004 holiday season and also to be a DS launch title]] and it shows. The bottom screen is not utilized that much besides for special moves. The clunky combat does not help things, and neither does the game only having 14 stages total.
128	* TheScrappy: People ''hate'' the kids who lose their balloons. The ''[[VideoGame/UltimateSpiderMan2005 Ultimate Spider-Man]]'' game [[TakeThatScrappy took a jab at it]] by having the first person that the player-controlled Venom kills in the game be an obnoxious little kid with a balloon. In the same vein, the children's crying and whining over their lost balloons for almost every player became really annoying.
129	* ScrappyMechanic: The boat rescues to some. The idea isn't that bad, but they usually need extreme precision, which the controls don't always allow. There's obviously a time limit, and if you hit the water when holding a civilian, [[SuperDrowningSkills they instantly drown]] and you fail the mission. If you touch the water without a civilian, Spidey is sent back to the shore. What could possibly be more fun than having to jump back and forth between small buoys that constantly wiggle around with no room for error?
130	* SignatureScene: The "boss fight" with Mysterio is by a wide margin the most discussed story-based scene in the game.
131	* SongAssociation: Thanks to the wide number of memes revolving around it, the pizza delivery theme has become virtually synonymous with its source song, "Funiculi Funicula", to the point where most people (even on Website/ThisVeryWiki) refer to the latter as "the ''Spider-Man 2'' Pizza Theme".
132	* ThatOneLevel:
133	** "When Aliens Attack" can be rather annoying; at one point, you must web swing to the Statue of Liberty on [=UFOs=], which can be rather finnicky due to their small size, and then you have to destroy eight orbs on the sides of a larger UFO. It's very easy to fall down, and maintaining the right altitude to reach the orbs is difficult. Mysterio's "Funhouse of Doom" in the same chapter is also difficult, and is a borderline MarathonLevel thanks to the final area requiring you to break several mirrors and defeat durable clones that spawn from each one.
134	** The final level "To Save The City". Just like chapter 10, you have to deactivate Doc Ock's artificial sun. But now you have to avoid him and find the ''nine'' consoles while the sun shoots random electric shocks at you. It does not help that you're fighting/avoiding in an abandoned dock, and if you fall in the water, ''you have to start all over again''.
135	* ThatOneSidequest: While the swinging mechanics are good for casual swinging, any timed side mission (Such as MJ's quests and Mega Times for each race) that requires speed ''and'' precision is usually a nightmare, thanks to the swinging mechanics lacking precision - when you're going at speeds that put some planes to shame, it's incredibly easy to get stuck in the scenery, be it the corner of a building, street or a simple wall. The controls and camera also show their ugly side during these challenges, as it's completely possible for Spidey to launch himself into the exact direction you didn't want to go towards. Even with max swing speed, a lot of these challenges can easily turn away players trying to go for OneHundredPercentCompletion.
136	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: There is a stage in the game where some criminals are escaping from a bank they robbed and they drive a truck with a gunman sitting on the back of the truck who aims at Spider-Man with a sniper rifle. The concept is rather fun and could have happened a lot more times thoughout the game, perhaps even with different types of guns (like automatics)... but it only happens that one time in the entire game.
137	* UnderusedGameMechanic:
138	** Of all the different crimes that a pedestrian could tell you about, one of which is very rare: Store Robberies. It's the same idea as the armored car robberies, but without untying cops and it's in a store (the green buildings you see on the minimap). The chances of these happening are low, and to activate it likely requires you to be close to the store and be in a very specific part of the city. Since chances of activating one robbery are so low, you can 100% beat the game (maybe twice) and not ONCE trigger a store robbery.
139	** Another robbery-related mechanic is that sometimes during an armored car robbery, the thugs will make their getaway in a car, forcing you to smash the car, defeat them and retrieve the bag of money. There is also a chance that they could use a helicopter as a getaway vehicle. It's quite similar to when you chase Doc Ock in a helicopter in the story, but it isn't as fast and when the thugs land on a rooftop, that's when you get the chance to stop them. Like the store robberies, the chances of them escaping in a helicopter is pretty rare as well and unlike the store robberies, there doesn't seem to be a specific way to trigger it other than have it happen.
140	* UnintentionallyUnwinnable: The Game Master Award. Due to a programming oversight regarding the timed Trick Races and the completion percent added to the player's total progress (Mega Times can vary between .04% and .05%), it is possible to reach 100.96%, passing over the "100% completion" flag in the code and preventing players from obtaining the award.

Context YMMV / SpiderMan2