Get excited for another Marvel-ous movie; Peter Parker is back in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, a sequel to the 2012 blockbuster. With amazing special effects, great action, and A+ acting, Spider-Man kept its audience caught up in its webby universe for 2.5 hours, but there was also some room for improvement.

Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone resume their leading roles, along with many new cast members such as Jamie Foxx (as Max Dillon/Electro) and Dane DeHaan (as Harry Osborn/ Green Goblin). All of the actors gave a wonderful performance, and the chemistry between Garfield and Stone is one of the best facets of the film. Garfield was exceptionally notable in creating a balance between nerdy, quiet Peter Parker and the powerful superhero persona, Spider-Man.

The CGI in Spider-Man 2 was also a great part of the film. At moments, you could feel as if you were flying between buildings with the protagonist. The villain’s ominous forms were also intriguing — from Electro’s pulsing blue energy to Harry Osborn’s gruesome transformation into the Green Goblin — the viewers are easily convinced of the menacing and otherworldly qualities of the mutations.

Spider-Man 2 picked up a while after the bittersweet ending of the first movie. Peter Parker is still haunted by the deathbed promise he made to Gwen’s father — that he would stay away from Gwen to keep her safe from Spider-Man’s many possible nemeses. The two start off on good terms despite Peter’s tardiness to graduation and missing Gwen’s valedictory, but have an inevitable argument in which Peter tells Gwen that he cannot see her anymore, much to everyone’s chagrin. This romantic blockade sets one of the major plot points for the movie; will Peter choose his heart over his promise? What could the consequences be? All of the writing surrounding the predicament was superb. However, some other areas of the script could have been better.

One aspect of Spider-Man 2 that didn’t work was the double villain story. Although it allowed for more contrast and constant action, it felt as if the Green Goblin storyline would have been better suited in a separate movie.

In terms of how well the movie emulated the comics, I look to the series’ loyal fans to judge (because I have only read one Spider-Man comic). However, the movie did do a great job of showing off Spider-Man’s sense of humor.

This movie is definitely recommended. If you have not seen its predecessor, it will probably not be too hard to understand, but it is recommended that you see the first one in order to have the full backstory on Gwen Stacy and exactly how Peter Parker became Spider-Man. The positive qualities majorly outweigh the less-than-fabulous ones, and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 would be a worthwhile addition to your weekend!