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The Amazing Spider Man 2 3D (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

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11K views 67 replies 34 participants last post by  Wind_Wound 
#1 ·


Check out our review of the second installment in the rebooted film series based on the iconic webslinger as The Amazing Spider Man 2 finds Spider Man/Peter Parker engaged by his deadliest foe yet while struggling to find balance in a life full of difficult choices.




The Review at a Glance:
(max score: 5 )

Film:


Extras:


Audio/3D Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )

90



Details:

Studio and Year: Sony - 2014
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Feature running time: 142 minutes
Genre: Action/Fantasy

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC/MVC
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24

Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, French/Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Campbell Scott, Embeth Davidtz, Colm Feore, Sally Field, Paul Giamatti
Directed by: Marc Webb
Music by: Hans Zimmer
Written by: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinker
Region Code: A,B,C

Blu-ray Disc release Date: August 19, 2014


"Everything comes at a price"


My Take:

We've always known that Spider-Man's most important battle has been within himself: the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man. But in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that a greater conflict lies ahead. It's great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there's no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp.

As a youngster I was a big Spider-man fan. This was actually born first out of watching the cartoon series on TV then going on to read the comics. Spidey was and is easy to like and the character has a transcendent appeal that has endured. When the first film series came out I was initially skeptical about how effectively he could be brought to the big screen. Regardless about what some may think I thought that Tobey Maguire handled it well. What eventually made the series less appealing were the storylines, especially those revolving around Peter’s relationship with Mary Jane, and the unevenly handled plot points associated with villains.


When The Amazing Spider-Man debuted in 2012 I liked the re-imagining of the character and re-boot of the series. The differing narrative spin regarding Peter’s past opened the door for further exploration of the Spider Man mythos. Drawing Peter as more self-confident with a contemporary persona was a welcomed touch as was the introduction of his relationship with Gwen and its significance in the storyline. In The Amazing Spider man 2 we see further evolution of the character on both sides as we get to see Peter and his alter ego continue to struggle to maintain/find balance. Much of this has a tangibility that carries over from the story arcs in the early comics.

The narrative’s tonal shifts from drama/melodrama to action to purposefully integrated levity can sometimes be a bit distracting but I never found it distasteful. There is quite a bit crammed into the film’s 142 minutes including the unanswered questions surrounding Peter’s parents (carried from the first film), the relationship between Peter and Gwen, the backstory and formation of Max/Electro, the introduction of The Rhino, the introduction of Harry/The Green Goblin (with a small accompanying backstory), the battles between Spider Man and Electro, Oscorp’s growing threat and of course the final battle which ends in tragedy.

Both of my kids commented on the overtly quirky nature of Max and how perhaps he could/should have been toned down. To some extent I agree with them although I didn’t find it as bothersome. I liked the book end approach to The Rhino’s implementation and really enjoyed how both The Green Goblin and Electro were integrated into the plot and addressed from a production standpoint. The action sequences are engaging and superbly choreographed. The cast selection is complimentary all around and effectively enhances the film’s allure. While the script does occasionally favor spectacle over substance I found it equally entertaining in this second viewing (I saw it during its theatrical run). As you might expect the conclusion sets the stage for the continuing storyline which revolves around Oscorp and what appears to be the organization of foes that will present Spider man with his greatest challenge yet. I look forward to what is to come…



Parental Guide:

The rating is for sequences of sci-fi action/violence.



AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100/EXCELLENT = 83-91/GOOD = 74-82/AVERAGE = 65-73/BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**


Audio: 94
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

  • Dynamics:
  • Low frequency effects:
  • Surround Sound presentation:
  • Clarity/Detail:
  • Dialogue Reproduction:
  • Low frequency extension * (non-rated element):


3D Presentation: 86
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


  • Depth (Onscreen):
  • Dimension (Beyond the screen):
  • Realism:
  • Clarity/Detail:
  • Color Reproduction:



The Amazing Spider Man 2 3D comes to Blu-ray Disc from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment featuring 1080p MVC encoded video and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 2.5 Mbps.

This film wasn’t shot natively in 3D however its high definition rendering on Blu-ray is terrific. The film was shot using a mix of live action and CGI and the integration digital effects, wide angle background elements and reproduction of color is excellent. Depth varies with some scenes exhibiting an appreciable sense of dimension while others have a less discernable sense of virtual space. Like the 2D presentation resolution is rarely questionable in close ups and brightly lit interior/exterior sequences but it varies some in limited lighting. The sporadic use of 3D effects that transcend the boundaries of the screen can seemingly make for a less involving experience especially for a film of this type. Fortunately when applied, predominantly during the action based sequences (the finale in the clock tower is a great example) there is effective use of the platform which bolsters the entertainment factor. I didn’t notice any overt instances of crosstalk or other video related anomalies. The end result is a very decent 3D video presentation that compliments the source material.

Action films like this live or die by their soundtracks and this DTS-HD Master Audio mix gets it right. This is an engaging surround sound mix that features a host of well-placed sound effects that at times prove very involving. I appreciated the attention to detail that went into creating the surround mix as it effectively replicates the various character specific sounds and environments featured in the film. Near field sounds are accurately placed within the sound field which gives them multi-dimensional perspective that places you right in the middle of the action. During the battle sequences with Electro beginning with the one in Times Square the room is illuminated with a blend of sounds that are both directional and ambient in nature. Low frequencies are rich, and room energizing as they accentuate the audio’s excellent dynamic range with palpable richness and room trembling impact (listen for the low frequency resonance in Electro voice). Dialogue intelligibility is never a problem even during the film’s active moments. This is a great surround sound presentation that makes for an entertaining home theater experience. Be sure to give the volume knob an extra turn.


2D Video Quality:


Video: 100
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


  • Resolution/Clarity:
  • Black Level/Shadow Detail:
  • Color Reproduction:
  • Fleshtones:
  • Compression:


The Amazing Spider Man 2 comes to Blu-ray Disc from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 24 Mbps.

This “Mastered in 4K” rendering from Sony is a superb looking and faithful Blu-ray presentation that delivers high level detail, razor sharpness and resolute definition that brings out the lifelike textures captured by the camera lens. Detail perception is nearly flawless with lucid visual acuity and fine rendering throughout. Colors are vividly pleasing with satisfying primaries and warm tonality. Flesh tones appear natural with appreciable delineation among the varied complexional types in the cast. Spot on contrast and inky blacks enhance sequences containing mixed content. Shadow detail is discerning which adds depth to the film’s variety of sequences shot in low lighting. From what I could see there are no compression related video artifacts or noise present in this whistle clean high definition video transfer that looks superb on my big screen.




Bonus Features:
  • 3D Blu-ray – The Amazing Spider Man 2
  • 2D Blu-ray – The Amazing Spider Man 2 (Plus the following bonus features):
  • (HD) 4 All-New deleted scenes with director commentary
  • Filmmaker commentary
  • (HD) Alicia Keys “It’s on again” music video
  • The Following content is exclusive to Blu-ray:
  • (HD) 9 additional deleted scenes (including “Peter meets his father”) with director commentary
  • (HD) The wages of heroism - The making of Spider Man 2 (6 segments totaling 103 minutes):
    1. Lessons learned: Development & direction
    2. Heart of the city: shooting in New York
    3. Triple threat: Attack of the villains
    4. A more dangerous world: Transforming Electro and the Green Goblin
    5. A bolt from the blue: Visual effects
    6. Spidey gets his groove back: Music and editing
  • (HD) The music of The Amazing Spider Man 2 with director Marc Webb – 8 minutes
  • Bonus DVD
  • Digital HD Copy



Final Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed The Amazing Spider-man 2. As with its successor it revitalizes the superhero’s big screen promise, while revving up the action and setting the stage for what it to come. It swings onto Blu-ray in this 3D/2D Blu-ray Combo pack from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment that features reference quality high definition audio/video and a solid 3D presentation. The supplemental package is well worth exploring if you’re a fan. If you enjoy 3D this is the set to pick up. Otherwise the standard Blu-ray release should suffice. Either way The Amazing Spider-man 2 is a worthy addition to your Blu-ray collection.






Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews



Reference Review System:

JVC DLA-RS4910 3D Ready 1080p High Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Calman 5 & C6 Meter from Spectracal)
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16x9 Screen
Carada Masquerade Horizontal Masking System
Marantz AV8801 11.2 Channel Audio/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-103D Universal Disc/3D capable Blu-ray Player (With Darbee video processing)
Panasonic DMP-BDT310 3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
System Controller: Apple iPad/iRule Pro HD Universal Remote Control
Canton "Ergo" Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SVS PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
SVS PC12-NSD
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Wireworld, Better Cables (Silver Serpent) - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
 
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1 21
#3 ·
Thanks Ralph, I too enjoyed the new Spider man. Much closer interpretation of the comics than the one from Raimi and his organic web shooters !!???
 
#4 ·
I liked a lot about the movie. It looked and sounded great, had good actors in their roles, and a genuine surprise, but it fell victim to what I think of as the Kurtzman-Orci style of screen writing.

Instead of writing an engaging story that allow for action to happen naturally (Days of Future Past for example) they just come up with a handful of major scenes that they want in the movie and haphazardly connect them. Things just happen because they have to so we can get to the next special effects scene.
 
#5 · (Edited)
This movie was a floating turd. Random scenes of decent special effects connected by a poor story line. Not to mention, the script completely wastes cast members Chris Cooper and Paul Giamatti. Jamie Foxx was god awful in his role. His acting was so bad, it was almost laughable and I actually like his acting in most movies. Just a really horrible choice for that character. And, at risk of spoiler, the scene with the airplanes was so stupid. It added nothing to the movie whatsoever. I was so distracted by the scenes clumsy inclusion that it sucked me right out of the film. A disappointing follow up to a really great first effort. I may be done with this franchise.
 
#6 ·
I could barely stay awake when I watched this in the theater. Slow, pondering, boring, convoluted. Agree on Jamie Fox's acting or lack thereof.

I just don't think Garfield is a good fit for the role either. I'll be renting it so the kids can watch it but won't be looking forward to it.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Great review dad, I'm glad you didn't find this movie to be "a floating turd."

To be fair, I didn't find Jamie Foxx to be bothersome, just a little over the top with his appearance and so forth. While I don't think that the development of Max Dillon was flawless by any means, it really didn't have to be. He's not an overly important antagonist in Marc Webb's universe, he really has no impact on Peter Parker's life at all; both times Spider-Man encounters Electro he calls him "Sparkles"... and it's funny each time. He really doesn't take Max seriously from the moment they meet-- he's just trying to dodge his electric bolts, save the city, and move on, and that's really what Electro is in this movie. He's a villain that's a good match for spidey, and it's simply awesome to watch them battle it out.

On the flip side, I feel like the development of Harry was taken much more seriously, especially considering how close he is to Peter. So from the moment we see Harry transformed in a hideous Goblin get-up staring down Peter and Gwen (putting the pieces together) the tone is much more dramatic, and it works so well.

What's important about this movie, which I think you made clear in your review, is that it really portrays Spider-Man well. This movie really captures the look, the wit, the comedy, the romance, and the struggles of Peter Parker/ Spider-Man quite well, which I don't think Sam Raimi really perfected (although I do miss JJJ).

Again great review and I'm so glad you liked it :)
 
#10 ·
Great review dad, I'm glad you didn't find this movie to be "a floating turd."

To be fair, I didn't find Jamie Foxx to be bothersome, just a little over the top with his appearance and so forth. While I don't think that the development of Max Dillon was flawless by any means, it really didn't matter. He's not an overly important antagonist in Marc Webb's universe, he really has no impact on Peter Parker's life at all; both times Spider-Man encounters Electro he calls him "Sparkles"... and it's funny each time. He really doesn't take Max seriously from the moment they meet-- he's just trying to dodge his electric bolts, save the city, and move on, and that's really Electro is in this movie. He's a villain that's a good match for spidey, and it's simply awesome to watch them battle it out.

On the flip side, I feel like the development of Harry was taken much more seriously, especially considering how close he is to Peter. So from the moment we see Harry transformed in a hideous Goblin get-up staring down Peter and Gwen (putting the pieces together) the tone is much more dramatic, and it works so well.

What's important about this movie, which I think you made clear in your review, is that it really portrays Spider-Man well. This movie really captures the look, the wit, the comedy, the romance, and the struggles of Peter Parker/ Spider-Man quite well, which I don't think Sam Raimi really perfected (although I do miss JJJ).

Again great review and I'm so glad you liked it :)
Greetings,

Well put Matt and thanks so much for chiming in with your thoughts and perspective. :)


Regards,
 
#13 ·
We watched it in a great Galaxy Theater (the one with the amazing seats, sound and picture) in 3D and it was very good. I have to agree that Foxx was a little strange (his character I mean) but all in all a very entertaining movie. The 3D jumping off the building effects were mind blowing.
Thank you again for a very good review.
P.S. I noticed so often that the 3D picture is so much lower rated than the 2D. We don't have 3D yet, so I don't have 3D BD. I guess it comes from the fact that the resolution is only 50% of the 1920x1080 picture for each eye? Should be over with when 4K is really established with 3D movies available in that resolution.
 
#18 ·
We watched it in a great Galaxy Theater (the one with the amazing seats, sound and picture) in 3D and it was very good. I have to agree that Foxx was a little strange (his character I mean) but all in all a very entertaining movie. The 3D jumping off the building effects were mind blowing.
Thank you again for a very good review.
P.S. I noticed so often that the 3D picture is so much lower rated than the 2D. We don't have 3D yet, so I don't have 3D BD. I guess it comes from the fact that the resolution is only 50% of the 1920x1080 picture for each eye? Should be over with when 4K is really established with 3D movies available in that resolution.
I think all 65" > 4K tvs provide the full 1080P resolution during 3D playback. Oddly enough, Sony seems to shaft their 55" 4K sets (the ones that are passive) with half res.
 
#14 ·
I for one think this is the best Spider-Man movie yet! My son was younger when the first three Spider-Man movies came out so we watched them all the time and I was never that crazy about them. That might be partially due to Kirsten Dunst (just watching her makes my skin crawl). The special effects were spectacular and I was really drawn in. In my opinion Jamie Foxx is what made this movie. His acting was just fine for me, but the way they made his voice sound was truly captivating. I can't wait to watch this in 3D at home.
 
#23 ·
I agree with Ralph 100% on the A/V quality, but put me in the "floating turd" category on the overall movie. Horrible start (IMO), decent middle, and then a disappointing ending. In a lot of ways it felt like a Michael Bay movie with stunts repeated over and over again (how many times do we see Spider Man web a manhole cover and use it as a weapon?). While not a horrible movie, it pales in comparison to the first one, which I liked A LOT!
 
#26 ·
I loved the first reboot with Garfield. I had friends over to watch it and they were very skeptical about it being better than the Raimi films, which they loved. All throughout the movie they were telling me how awesome the movie was and were convinced, at the end, that it was better than the Raimi films. Despite the lukewarm reception by many of this second movie, I'm fairly certain I'm going to love it every bit as much as the first. I think Garfield has done a great job as Superman and this is a movie I'm definitely going to pick up.
 
#27 ·
I'm not sure if it's my system, but I didn't gel the power in the bass that I would expect, is this filtered, or maybe it's just me and I'll need to take a look back at my setup, as to the movie, enjoyed it enough, but didn't enjoy it as much as the first, and didn't leave me waiting to see a 3rd like Cap & Thor 2
 
#29 ·
Henry Cavill hates you.
Lol, my bad. Too many frickin' superhero movies these days...;)
 
#30 ·
I just watched it and thought it really sucked - bad casting, bad / snarky dialog - electro was OK, but the leading and actress were terrible.
 
#35 ·
I watched this last night via Vudu and was impressed. I did not like The Amazing Spiderman and thought it was too soo for a re-boot and found the guy that played Parker to be freakin annoying. This one was much better IMO and his annoying attributes from the prior film seemed to be dialed back a bit. The story and action scenes all worked well for me and the PQ was incredible, even on Vudu. I enjoyed the first two Spiderman flicks with McGuire but not the third. I've never read a Spidey comic. Those are my disclaimers :p I'll pick this up at some point as I'd like to watch it again and check it out in 3D.
 
#38 ·
I give the movie a C+. There was some good genuine emotion but Electro's transformation didn't work. I never understood why Electro developed a visceral hatred Spiderman.

The Audio quality was very good and the picture quality was fantastic.
It was a joy to see natural flesh tones again on an action film (instead of the usual teal and orange color-grading that is beyond tedious).

- Rich
 
#40 ·
I give the movie a C+. There was some good genuine emotion but Electro's transformation didn't work. I never understood why Electro developed a visceral hatred Spiderman.

- Rich
I sort of expect that in comic book movies. As far back as BATMAN RETURNS, there was no reason for Penguin to hate Batman...they never previously encountered each other! (And that's one of my favorite Batman flicks.)
 
#43 ·
Watched it twice now and really enjoyed it. I have a DLP projector which basically never shows any sort of ghosting with 3D movies. With this one, however, I noticed that, in the first scene where Spiderman is flying around the city, there was a definite separation of the image in one shot in particular. I will find the exact time when I get a chance, but I want to know if anyone else has noticed it. I thought perhaps it was because I had a few drinks the first time I watched it, so the second time I steered clear of the beer and I noticed the same thing. I hope it's not my vision..??? I thought it had pretty great 3D at times, and not much in particular at other times.
 
#44 ·
Was ok

Watched this last night. While the BR is nice, still not feeling it w/ this one, my son and I saw it in theaters when it came out. I like Jamie Foxx, but didn't feel any real depth w/ him as Electro. Again, almost fell asleep towards the end, to long and to shallow AFAIC. There are errors in this story I think according to info from my son and other sources, especially where Gwen Stacy is concerned, I mean how does do writers get away from detracting so much ? Am I wrong w/ this ?

I wasn't to impressed w/ the audio on the BR either, can't stand these AE's that do these mixes where the music is just so overbearing it just drowns out everything else, it just sounds cheap to me. IMO, seems the audio rating for this was a little high.

Hopefully the next one will leave a better taste. Would like to see Scorpion brought in to the series.

What enemies would you like to see.
 
#46 ·
I liked this movie but not as much as the 1st reboot mainly because of the length of the movie and development of Jamie Foxx's character. The Audio and Video Presentation were actually better (my opinion) in this latest entry when compared to the first one that I always felt the need to turn it up past my normal volume levels.
 
#47 ·
Watched this last night and both my wife and I noticed a lot of inconsistencies in the quality of the dialogue. Sounded like some weird clipping at times. Very back and forth. Gonna do some more tests with other movies to ensure it isn't a hardware issue but watched Locke the night before (which is pretty much ALL dialogue) and didn't notice a single thing.
 
#49 ·
I agree with everyone's criticisms of the movie but have to add one more-I wanted to reach through the movie and punch Garfield every time he started to cry- which happened to set an all time record for a superhero movie. I turned to my wife and asked if she switched the movie to the notebook or something.
 
#55 ·
I turned to my wife and asked if she switched the movie to the notebook or something.
Were Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in your picture?

If not, then she didn't switch it to The Notebook.
 
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