There are several disparate plot threads running throughout "The Amazing Spider-Man 2". They rarely connect as much as they should to form a cohesive narrative, but even if the film isn't always moving in the same direction, it is always moving somewhere, providing solid entertainment and feeling shorter than its runtime of around 140 minutes. It feels a good deal more energetic than its immediate predecessor, which suffered from retelling the same origin story filmgoers had seen only a decade before.
The two worlds of the story could have been connected more effectively. The story sequences that followed Peter Parker's problems (his on/off relationship with Gwen Stacy, rekindling his childhood friendship with Harry Osbourne, and searching for the truth about his parents' fate) were often only tangentially related to the "Spider-Man" sequences (fighting various super villains). The best way to connect the superhero and alter ego segments in a film like this is to make the villain a kind of metaphor for what the hero is struggling with. This wasn't really done here.
Fortunately, the various aspects of the story stand up reasonably well on their own. The primary relationships are believable and well-written. Peter and Gwen play the break up, then make up game a few too many times, but the chemistry between them is palpable, making it almost worth it. Peter's friendship with Harry (the storyline that has the strongest connections to the "Spider-Man" parts of the film) gets less screen time than it should, but is economical with what time it does get. The semi-awkward nature of their reintroduction gives way quickly to a sense of comfort and playfulness, creating a genuine impression of a long-lost friendship rediscovered. A few developments in this plot thread feel a bit rushed because of the minimal time it is given. Taking out one of Peter and Gwen's breakups and replacing it with a few more scenes between Peter and Harry might have helped both storylines.
There's nothing particularly profound to be said about the three villains Spider-Man fights throughout the film. They are handled competently but exist primarily not to help further the film's themes or story, but to provide the film with its action set pieces. In this regard, they do their job admirably. I was especially pleased that the film's climax (mostly) kept itself from getting too broad in scope. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" lost a bit of steam in its climax, which cross cut between several characters, each doing their part to bring down the villain's plan. The climax of "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" is, apart from a few cutaways, Spider-Man fighting the bad guys. This simplicity helped keep the climax from feeling bloated. Even when the first villain is defeated and the second immediately shows up to continue the fight, it didn't feel like the film was pushing it.
While the film had a few problems, it also had enough going for it that my enjoyment was not lessened. While a few tweaks might have elevated it even higher, it is still first-class entertainment.
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