In keeping with the Sledge family tradition of being obsessed with movies, I’ve spent the past few years introducing my kids to everything from Studio Ghibli classics to some of the best superhero movies like Spider-Man 2. And, I must say, it’s been a successful venture, as they have become obsessed with sitting down for family movie night or triple-features on rainy afternoons.
With 2024 being the 20th anniversary of the release of one of the best Spider-Man movies, I recently decided to watch it with the kids. Little did I know that watching Peter Parker’s struggles with balancing the responsibilities of his two lives as an adult would change the way I thought about the movie. But, that’s what ended up happening, and I must say, it gave me an even greater appreciation of Sam Raimi’s classic. Allow me to explain…
Peter Parker Trying To Balance Multiple Responsibilities At Once Really Got To Me
Peter Parker’s balancing act when it comes to responsibilities is a major part of every Spider-Man movie, but it seems like it’s the most paramount in Spider-Man 2. I mean, the stress of trying to save New York City while trying to keep a job while also trying to go to school and keeping up with family is on a whole other level here. I’m not saying I have it as bad as Peter Parker, I feel his pain and frantic thoughts.
As I watched with my kids, I just kept thinking about how as parents we have to keep track of so much stuff in our daily lives – our kids, our relationships, our jobs, bills, friends, our own mental health, etc. – and how that shapes us and forces us to come up with solutions to make it all work. Because, at the end of the day, Spider-Man has to protect his world while we have to protect ours.
The Way Spider-Man Illustrates The Battle Between Saving The World And Saving Your Family Is Great
I’m not saying I didn’t fully understand the stakes of Spider-Man 2 when I first saw the movie back when I was a teenager, but revisiting it all these years later has given me a far greater appreciation of Peter Parker’s core dilemma: save the world or save your family. It’s less in the literal sense compared to the Spider-Man finale where Parker had to decide between saving MJ (Kirsten Dunst) and a cable car full of kids, but it’s still a major factor in the story.
After Peter throws away his Spider-Man suit to focus on being a better friend, nephew, and student, he makes great strides in repairing broken relationships, especially with Aunt May (Rosemary Harris), to whom he confesses he was indirectly responsible for Uncle Ben’s death. While one aspect of his life gets more attention, the other, which protects New York City in this case, goes by the wayside, leaving New Yorkers in danger.
I Also Think Spider-Man 2 Perfectly Illustrates The Consequences Of Our Ambition, Especially With Doc Ock
At the heart of Spider-Man 2 is Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock, the once brilliant scientist who becomes a prisoner of his own creation. More than that, Dr. Otto Octavious becomes a victim of his own ambition, arrogance, and fear of failure. During the test of the fusion reactor, Otto has a chance to shut it down before everything goes to hell in a handbasket, but his obsession with harnessing the power of the Sun in the palm of his hand does him in, as well as his wife.
I often find myself being hurt by my own ambition and arrogance. While I don’t physically destroy a room or harm my family, I get carried away in my work or whatever task I’m undertaking and become obsessed, no matter the cost. Watching Otto’s downfall helped put this more into perspective.
The Movie Says A Lot About Mental Health, And How We Deal With It (Or Don't)
Mental health has been a major part of superheroes’ journeys, and it’s no different with Spider-Man 2. In fact, Sami Raimi’s movie says a lot about the struggles people face when it comes to everyday life. I mean, one of the main plot points in this movie is the fact that the stress and anxiety of Peter Parker’s balancing act causes him to temporarily lose his powers.
I’ve been both honest and vocal about my own mental health struggles over the years, and thinking about my own experiences while watching Spider-Man 2 gave me a greater appreciation for how Raimi decided to tackle the subject in one of the highest-grossing movies of the 2000s. We need more of this, not less of it.
Spider-Man 2 Is One Of The Best Examples Of Superhero Movies Tackling Grief
Grief is prominent throughout Spider-Man 2 and impacts multiple characters in various ways. There’s the scene where Peter reveals the truth about Uncle Ben’s death to Aunt May, which is heartbreaking and adds so much to the story. Grief is part of her journey and she is working through the different stages as the movie progresses. Near the end, she finally accepts that her husband is gone, and then builds the strength to move on with her life.
Otto Octavius, just like Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (also directed by Raimi), is shaped by grief and oddly motivated by it, as if carrying out his plan will bring back his dead wife. Even Harry Osborn (James Franco) is motivated by grief, again in a twisted way of getting over his father’s death.
This Is Totally A Movie About Owning Up To Your Mistakes And Searching For Redemption
Though Peter has incredible superpowers, those don’t really save him in Spider-Man 2. Sure, they help defeat Doc Ock and come in handy during some key moments, but it’s Pete’s ability to learn from his mistakes and own up to them that provides salvation for himself and those around him. See, the movie is about broken people seeking redemption, even when it seems like it’s too late to make a change and become a better person.
Peter learned it, Otto learned it (a little too late), and I’m continuing to understand that redemption is possible, you just have to work hard for it. That’s also true for a lot of things in life, as nothing great comes easy. And, that is one of the greatest lessons a superhero movie can teach us.
Going back and revisiting Spider-Man 2 was a great experience, one that I won’t forget for some time. If you want to go back and watch this 2004 superhero classic, you can watch it and other Spider-Man movies streaming with nothing more than a Disney+ subscription.
