Spider-Man 2.1

It's really hard to describe my feelings for one of the greatest superhero films ever made, because when a movie is this good, there's not enough flowery adjectives to go around. Quite simply put, "Spider-Man 2" is definitely one of those rare breeds of films that top the original from start to finish. Never mind the fact that it's a great second installment in a successful comic book-turned-movie franchise, and that it made gobs of money at the box office during the summer of 2004. "Spider-Man 2" is a rare exception, along the same lines as, say, "Batman Begins" or "The Empire Strikes Back" or even the first "Superman" film, in that everything comes together in one complete package: action, adventure, humor, romance, and real character development and growth that benefits the story.

With the eventual "Spider-Man 3" just around the corner and already released to a number of mixed overseas reviews, it's no surprise that Sony would reissue the film on DVD - this time as "Spider-Man 2.1", with some eight minutes of new footage added to the original's 128-minute running length in an all-new unrated edition. Director Sam Raimi had previously announced back in 2004 that he had planned to revisit the film in an expanded edition, which first premiered on FX earlier this year. Initially, I was skeptical as rumors flew abound of as much as five seconds of new footage - big deal, I thought - and was prepared to write it off. Of course, being the sucker I am for a well-made superhero film, let alone a well-made film at that, I couldn't resist picking it up. In this day and age of so many "unrated" editions floating about, much of that additional footage amounts to more gratuitous sex, language, and violence "too hot for theaters". Prior to this, very few "unrated" editions really delivered all around, the sole exception that graced my DVD player being James Cameron's "T2" special edition.

To my surprise, this was not necessarily the case. "Spider-Man 2.1" (which is now what the film is titled at the start of the main credits) not only includes more action between Tobey Maguire's friendly neighborhood web-slinger and Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus along the skylines and train tracks of New York City, but there's more emotional content that expands on the dramatic elements bridging the first and second films. Here we are treated to more elements in the love-hate friendship between Peter Parker (Maguire) and Harry Osborn (James Franco), who holds Spider-Man responsible for the death of his father Norman Osborn at the end of the first film, yet doesn't want that to affect their friendship. We also have an added moment with Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), who wrestles with her own thoughts of whether or not to marry her fiance' John Jameson or declare her feelings to the boy next door who has been in love with her for years. There's even a humorous new scene involving J.K. Simmons as the irascible Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson prancing around in full Spider-Man costume (And you thought Jameson was crazy enough as is!)

Very much like the previous DVD release, 2.1 is presented in anamorphic widescreen format preserving the original 2.40:1 aspect ratio. While the imagery is quite a treat for the eyes, there is some digital artifacting present once again in the DVD transfer. It won't matter on a standard TV monitor, but you'll really notice it on a HD home theater screen. The sound is a wonderful mix all around, as it is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound in your choice of English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese languages and/or subtitles, in addition to closed-captions. The menu designs on this disc look exactly the same as on the previous release, so there's nothing new there.

Disc 1 has two new feature-length supplements that accompany 2.1. First off is a full-length audio commentary with producer Laura Ziskin and screenwriter Alvin Sargent (who also co-wrote the screenplay for "Spider-Man 3"). Here they talk about the complexities in bringing the film to life, the added elements for the 2.1 edition, and various character and production aspects. I only sampled portions of this audio commentary, to be honest, but it's a pretty decent listen.

The other major new supplement is the optional on-screen "Spidey Sense 2.1" trivia track, which allows you to view production notes, character comments, historical moments in the Spider-Man comics, and other interesting little tidbits. Along the way the trivia track will pause as the film switches to an interactive video mode which allows you to view selected scenes from the film along with behind-the-scenes production footage shot on the different sets. It's the raw footage that I particularly like, as you get to see what goes into filming a scene. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of this production footage present in the commentary, as the trivia track dominates the scene more. I've been used to the trivia track option for the past few years now, thanks to Michael and Denise Okuda's work on the different "Star Trek" DVDs. I wish the trivia track had included a feature to allow you to identify which footage was restored for 2.1, a la DreamWorks' "Gladiator" extended edition.

Disc 2 goes into the technical information behind the production of 2.1. First of all, we have "Inside Spider-Man 2.1", which takes a look at the restoration of the additional footage and the CGI effects that brought the footage to life. It's during this feature that we get to see those new scenes specifically labeled and identified as new scenes. It's a quick feature, to be sure, but it's informative nonetheless. Along those same lines we have a new five-part documentary entitled "VFX Breakdowns", which goes behind the scenes to analyze how the visual effects for the film were created. This can be viewed in one continuous "play all" feature or in individual segments.

Next is "With Great Effort Comes Great Recognition", a seven-minute segment that features new interviews with visual effects artist John Dykstra and the team that brought the effects to life, earning them the well-deserved Academy Award for best visual effects in 2005. From there we have a strange multi-angle piece focusing on the creation of Danny Elfman's musical score for the film, which can be viewed in one of two different angles. While I enjoy Elfman's music, quite frankly his score for "Spider-Man" is not as memorable as his music for the first "Batman" film, and this piece didn't leave me as fulfilled as it should have.

Of course, the release of "Spider-Man 2.1" is all a marketing ploy to promote the next film, so it's no surprise that the full theatrical trailer for "Spider-Man 3" is included on the disc. We also have a sneak peek at "Spider-Man 3", which runs over three and a half minutes and features some brief interview bytes with Raimi, Maguire, and the cast of the new film, along with clips. And to further drive down the marketing, there's even a minute-long teaser for the new "Spider-Man 3" videogame - quite pointless, if you ask me. By the way, there are no hidden Easter eggs on this disc, as opposed to the previous DVD.

As if that weren't enough, Wal-Mart has included a bonus third disc with this release, entitled "The Villains of Spider-Man 3", which is a 13-minute production feature on the visual effects needed to bring Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Venom (Topher Grace), and the new Goblin (Franco) to life. As with the sneak peek, we have more interview segments with Raimi and the cast, along with finished film clips and production video. Why this couldn't have been the advertised "sneak peek" for Disc 2 is beyond me - it could have easily taken the place of the shorter piece on Disc 2, and the latter's absence wouldn't have mattered to me.

Of course, the new release doesn't surpass the original cut and its supplements, so you'll have to hold onto the previous DVD. Double-dipping in this day and age seems to wear down the consumer, and I'm not one to double-dip unless it's well-deserved. Unless studios are going to deliver something really interesting, it eventually becomes pointless. It doesn't matter whether it's a really crappy movie or a really great film like "Spider-Man 2" (or, in the case of this new release, 2.1). But if you're a True Believer, a recipient of those classic No-Prizes (whatever happened to them, anyway?), or just a fan of well-made films, you'll like this new longer cut. See you in the theaters next month for "Spider-Man 3"! (Don't tell my wife that, though!)