Amazing Spider-Man 2: The Untold Finale Edition, The
Updated
User reviews
23 reviews
Overall rating
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
9.7(23)
Audio Editing
9.8(23)
Visual Editing
9.9(23)
Narrative
9.2(23)
Enjoyment
9.1(23)
(Updated: March 07, 2024)
Overall rating
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
9.0
Enjoyment
9.0
EDIT: I want to go back and say my feelings have since evolved on this edit, and now consider it probably the best version of ASM2 that can exist. I think my initial feelings at the time were informed by a sense of not having the fate of Peter's dad resolved, which to be fair would really require the existence of a third film that never got made (due to studio interference, other nonsense).
I will still stand by initial feeling that I think the airplane scene could have worked better here than being moved to ASM 1, to mirror/foreshadow Gwen's fate, but that's more a nitpick than a significant enough criticism to not recommend it. I will include the original review unaltered for historical reference, but just know my opinion has since evolved on it.
NOTE: unlike Masirimo’s two edits of ASM 1, which are almost identical apart from the inclusion/exclusion of a single subplot, his two edits of ASM 2 are so different you really can’t compare them. As a result of which I’ll be viewing BOTH of his versions, and writing seperate reviews for each. For now, however, I will leave my thoughts regarding the “Untold Finale Edition” below.
This edit is, quite simply, amazing (no pun intended). There are still problems with the film in this form, but they’re minor problems at best; and to be fair, they’re problems that I don’t think any editor could have really fixed, seeing as they’re inherently baked into the film. I refer specifically to the blatant recycling of things from the Raimi trilogy; such as the Graveyard/loss imagery, the dynamic between Harry/Peter/Peter’s love interest, the conflicted love vs duty arc, etc. I expressed in my review of the “Untold Extended Edition” of ASM 1 that the new additions outnumbered the stuff that was recycled, yet — while that’s still true here — there are a lot more of these recycled conventions from past Spider-Man films here than in the one prior. That being said, the unique additions still outnumber the recycled content, and that’s largely thanks to Masirimo’s excellent work resurrecting Marc Webb’s vision.
In fact, his work here was much more signifiant than his work on ASM 1. In regard to that film, there really wasn’t that much needed to be saved; since studio interference with that film moreso took the form of deleting close to a half-hour of the film, as well as sloppily re-ordering what scenes remained. Here, however, Marc Webb’s vision was muddled more by what the studio ADDED rather than what the studio DELETED. I like the return to what was closer to the original script order, and I like the reduction of the unnecessary subplots. I even sorta like the deletion of the Roosevelt subplot for the most part, despite my reservations about it in my review of the “Untold Extended Edition” (though I’ll still be talking about that). The biggest liberty, however, that Masrimo takes is his decision to reframe the film’s theme toward running out of time. This was probably the majority of the film’s focus in the first place, with the clock/countdown imagery, and I like moving the scene with Harry to the beginning of the film to establish that; excellently using the opening shot of his watch to come full-circle with the latter shot of the clocktower, since both events are linked to him running out of time.
It’s a bold decision… that deviates from Webb’s vision. In fact, that’s the one element I didn’t like. I understand his decision to delete the Roosevelt subplot, I really do. The film was already bogged down with so many plotlines, the biggest being the conspiracy behind Oscorp. The Roosevelt subplot being an extension of that, I realize it arguably benefits AMS 2 to delete it (while probably just slightly hurting ASM 1, as I expressed in my review of its “Untold Extended Edition”). However, there is one byproduct of this that seriously hurts ASM 2: the deletion of the plane sequence.
HERE ME OUT! I agree that it felt out of place in the theatrical cut of ASM 2, because it came near the finale rather than where it was probably originally intended (at the beginning, as a prologue). I don’t think the inclusion of the sequence itself was ever a bad decision, I think it just didn’t come at the right point in the film (due to studio meddling). The problem with altogether cutting it — which I also mention in my review of the “Untold Extended Edition” of ASM 1 — is that it serves as an important thematic parallel to the death of Gwen Stacy. Peter’s dad loses the love of his life, as a consequence of his devotion to do good. Likewise, Peter loses the love of his life, as a consequence of his devotion to do good. Thus, the deleted scene where Peter’s dad returns alive in the graveyard is really impactful, because his dad can relate to what he’s going through in that moment (coming full-circle with the beginning of the film). Without the prologue, the film loses its thematic setup and thus it hurts this latter sequence…
…which results in an editing decision I disagree with more strongly. To fix this problem — of the deleted graveyard scene losing impact, without the bookend of the plane sequence to parallel it — Masirimo chooses to cut the return of Peter’s dad from the film altogether. I really don’t think this works, considering it’s what is supposed to motivate Peter to return to being Spider-Man in the first place. It also hurts this film working as the end of a series. For this film to work as a finale, it has to come full-circle with where the series started: Peter’s connection to his dad. By deleting the graveyard scene with him, at the end of the film, that connection to an overarching story is now lost; resulting in a strong lack of connective tissue between the two movies.
As much as I understand the motivation behind cutting the Roosevelt subplot from this film, Masirimo has expressed his goal with this edit was to restore Marc Webb’s vision. Because Webb’s vision was for the plane sequence to thematically parallel Gwen’s death — as well as parallel the latter graveyard sequence he was forced to cut — I would honestly say, in that regard, Masirimo has failed. Connecting the series overarching story to Peter’s story, through loss of a loved one, was part of that vision. To not even have it in the film contradicts Webb’s vision rather than serving it.
I wish there was a perfect cut of ASM 2; essentially, in my opinion, it would be this exact version with only one small change… inserting the plane sequence back to the beginning of the film, per Webb’s original cut (as well as the bookend graveyard sequence). Albeit, Masirimo was probably right to cut the Roosevelt subplot, but just those two scenes inserted back would work nicely. The plane sequence would parallel/foreshadow the death of Gwen, and it wouldn’t even be that hard to insert back in. All one would have to do is put it at the beginning of the film, as a pre-title sequence, then it cuts to black... leading perfectly into the voiceover narration. Without this sequence, there’s just a lack of connectivity to ASM 1, as well as a lack of impact if you include the graveyard scene (which I think should’ve stayed).
I will still go as far as to say this; this is, BY FAR, the best edit of ASM 2. I’m also confident I will still feel that way after watching Masirimo’s earlier “Ultimate Edition” of the film, since the changes are far more significant in this updated cut. I just really feel there is a lack of an overarching story between ASM 1 and ASM 2, because of almost completely cutting Peter’s father from this film.
I will still stand by initial feeling that I think the airplane scene could have worked better here than being moved to ASM 1, to mirror/foreshadow Gwen's fate, but that's more a nitpick than a significant enough criticism to not recommend it. I will include the original review unaltered for historical reference, but just know my opinion has since evolved on it.
NOTE: unlike Masirimo’s two edits of ASM 1, which are almost identical apart from the inclusion/exclusion of a single subplot, his two edits of ASM 2 are so different you really can’t compare them. As a result of which I’ll be viewing BOTH of his versions, and writing seperate reviews for each. For now, however, I will leave my thoughts regarding the “Untold Finale Edition” below.
This edit is, quite simply, amazing (no pun intended). There are still problems with the film in this form, but they’re minor problems at best; and to be fair, they’re problems that I don’t think any editor could have really fixed, seeing as they’re inherently baked into the film. I refer specifically to the blatant recycling of things from the Raimi trilogy; such as the Graveyard/loss imagery, the dynamic between Harry/Peter/Peter’s love interest, the conflicted love vs duty arc, etc. I expressed in my review of the “Untold Extended Edition” of ASM 1 that the new additions outnumbered the stuff that was recycled, yet — while that’s still true here — there are a lot more of these recycled conventions from past Spider-Man films here than in the one prior. That being said, the unique additions still outnumber the recycled content, and that’s largely thanks to Masirimo’s excellent work resurrecting Marc Webb’s vision.
In fact, his work here was much more signifiant than his work on ASM 1. In regard to that film, there really wasn’t that much needed to be saved; since studio interference with that film moreso took the form of deleting close to a half-hour of the film, as well as sloppily re-ordering what scenes remained. Here, however, Marc Webb’s vision was muddled more by what the studio ADDED rather than what the studio DELETED. I like the return to what was closer to the original script order, and I like the reduction of the unnecessary subplots. I even sorta like the deletion of the Roosevelt subplot for the most part, despite my reservations about it in my review of the “Untold Extended Edition” (though I’ll still be talking about that). The biggest liberty, however, that Masrimo takes is his decision to reframe the film’s theme toward running out of time. This was probably the majority of the film’s focus in the first place, with the clock/countdown imagery, and I like moving the scene with Harry to the beginning of the film to establish that; excellently using the opening shot of his watch to come full-circle with the latter shot of the clocktower, since both events are linked to him running out of time.
It’s a bold decision… that deviates from Webb’s vision. In fact, that’s the one element I didn’t like. I understand his decision to delete the Roosevelt subplot, I really do. The film was already bogged down with so many plotlines, the biggest being the conspiracy behind Oscorp. The Roosevelt subplot being an extension of that, I realize it arguably benefits AMS 2 to delete it (while probably just slightly hurting ASM 1, as I expressed in my review of its “Untold Extended Edition”). However, there is one byproduct of this that seriously hurts ASM 2: the deletion of the plane sequence.
HERE ME OUT! I agree that it felt out of place in the theatrical cut of ASM 2, because it came near the finale rather than where it was probably originally intended (at the beginning, as a prologue). I don’t think the inclusion of the sequence itself was ever a bad decision, I think it just didn’t come at the right point in the film (due to studio meddling). The problem with altogether cutting it — which I also mention in my review of the “Untold Extended Edition” of ASM 1 — is that it serves as an important thematic parallel to the death of Gwen Stacy. Peter’s dad loses the love of his life, as a consequence of his devotion to do good. Likewise, Peter loses the love of his life, as a consequence of his devotion to do good. Thus, the deleted scene where Peter’s dad returns alive in the graveyard is really impactful, because his dad can relate to what he’s going through in that moment (coming full-circle with the beginning of the film). Without the prologue, the film loses its thematic setup and thus it hurts this latter sequence…
…which results in an editing decision I disagree with more strongly. To fix this problem — of the deleted graveyard scene losing impact, without the bookend of the plane sequence to parallel it — Masirimo chooses to cut the return of Peter’s dad from the film altogether. I really don’t think this works, considering it’s what is supposed to motivate Peter to return to being Spider-Man in the first place. It also hurts this film working as the end of a series. For this film to work as a finale, it has to come full-circle with where the series started: Peter’s connection to his dad. By deleting the graveyard scene with him, at the end of the film, that connection to an overarching story is now lost; resulting in a strong lack of connective tissue between the two movies.
As much as I understand the motivation behind cutting the Roosevelt subplot from this film, Masirimo has expressed his goal with this edit was to restore Marc Webb’s vision. Because Webb’s vision was for the plane sequence to thematically parallel Gwen’s death — as well as parallel the latter graveyard sequence he was forced to cut — I would honestly say, in that regard, Masirimo has failed. Connecting the series overarching story to Peter’s story, through loss of a loved one, was part of that vision. To not even have it in the film contradicts Webb’s vision rather than serving it.
I wish there was a perfect cut of ASM 2; essentially, in my opinion, it would be this exact version with only one small change… inserting the plane sequence back to the beginning of the film, per Webb’s original cut (as well as the bookend graveyard sequence). Albeit, Masirimo was probably right to cut the Roosevelt subplot, but just those two scenes inserted back would work nicely. The plane sequence would parallel/foreshadow the death of Gwen, and it wouldn’t even be that hard to insert back in. All one would have to do is put it at the beginning of the film, as a pre-title sequence, then it cuts to black... leading perfectly into the voiceover narration. Without this sequence, there’s just a lack of connectivity to ASM 1, as well as a lack of impact if you include the graveyard scene (which I think should’ve stayed).
I will still go as far as to say this; this is, BY FAR, the best edit of ASM 2. I’m also confident I will still feel that way after watching Masirimo’s earlier “Ultimate Edition” of the film, since the changes are far more significant in this updated cut. I just really feel there is a lack of an overarching story between ASM 1 and ASM 2, because of almost completely cutting Peter’s father from this film.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Blu-Ray
Owner's reply
January 16, 2022
Once again I appreciate your extensive reviews and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
As I said in your review of my ASM1 edit, I don't think moving the plane scene to the first movie diminishes the thematic parallel of both Peter and Richard losing their partners. I meant for these edits to be companion pieces, and I still think it resonates strongly despite its location.
However, I must disagree that this movie should have ended how it started with his connection with his dad. Yes I intended these to be watched together, but as a movie and it's sequel, not a part 1 and part 2. Also, I never said I aimed to restore Marc Webb's vision for this specific edit, only to fix what I felt needed to be fixed. Frankly, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 should never have been about Peter's pursuit about the truth of his parents. Sure the parallels with Harry and Gwen in addition to the reminders that Peter was abandoned by his parents can still be there--and in fact I kept them for that specific thematic purpose--but the subplot itself has no place in the movie simply because it destroys the film's structure.
Unlike the first film where the subplot can (and in my opinion should) be placed, due to Peter's deep desire and main conflict in the film being finding the truth about his parents (which leads him to the Lizard), Peter's main conflict in the second film is about wanting to be with Gwen. Peter's pursuit about the truth of his parents distracts from that and ironically turns him into an extremely passive character in regards to the main conflict, which even I couldn't completely remedy in my edit. I realize the thematic significance of the Roosevelt subplot in The Amazing Spider-Man 2--that's why I tried to preserve it within the series while still trying to improve the films as much as possible. However the structural detriments far outweigh the thematic benefits in regards to TASM2.
I chose not to include Richard's return simply because I fundamentally disagree with it. Ignoring the improbability of it, his return is simply too much. As Marc Webb explains in the commentary, it "jumps the shark" when it comes to dramatic impact. It's powerful when viewed on its own, but when it's directly after Gwen's death, it doesn't work because it's two shocks to the audience one after another., which they will reject. Heck, if it's still included in an edit where the Roosevelt plot is deleted, then it's even more ridiculous as far as I'm concerned. Finally, as Marc Webb again explains in the commentary, motivating Peter to get back into the suit should be Aunt May's role as his source of wisdom. Indeed, everything thematic and meaningful in that deleted scene is preserved and presented in a much better way with Aunt May's speech to Peter followed by Gwen's graduation speech.
Maybe we just have different interpretations of the films, and I'm sorry these didn't work as well as you may have hoped. But I'm happy they satisfied you regardless.
S
Overall rating
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
9.0
Enjoyment
9.0
I hadn't seen this movie since it first came out, and I remember the disappointment I had at the time with too many plot lines and villains stuffed in. I have to say that revisiting the ASM movies through Masirimso17 "untold" edits has given me a whole new appreciation for this film. The video quality and editing was superb. The only time I caught myself really noticing it was an edit was due a scene location that was outside of Masirimso17's control (Peter walking out of a subway tunnel for no apparent reason and receiving a voicemail from Gwen).
Overall this is a much tighter movie that was much more enjoyable to watch without the extra baggage weighing it down.
Overall this is a much tighter movie that was much more enjoyable to watch without the extra baggage weighing it down.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
G
Overall rating
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
9.0
Enjoyment
9.0
I was originally quite disappointed with The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Mostly, because every sub-plot in the movie felt like an afterthought. So, the film became a web of plots that you need to follow through carefully to find where they connect to one another. And even then, the connective tissue wasn't all that strong.
This edit focuses on bringing these connections into the spotlight, strengthening them, and shredding everything that doesn't contribute to this purpose. Through this edit, my appreciation for this movie elevated and I now hold it in higher regard.
If you are a fan of Andrew Garfield's take on Spider-Man, like I am. If you felt disappointed in TASM2 or even if you liked it, I definitely recommend checking this edit out. It is very well done. I suggest checking this edit along with Masirimso's extended edition of TASM1
This edit focuses on bringing these connections into the spotlight, strengthening them, and shredding everything that doesn't contribute to this purpose. Through this edit, my appreciation for this movie elevated and I now hold it in higher regard.
If you are a fan of Andrew Garfield's take on Spider-Man, like I am. If you felt disappointed in TASM2 or even if you liked it, I definitely recommend checking this edit out. It is very well done. I suggest checking this edit along with Masirimso's extended edition of TASM1
B
Overall rating
9.2
Audio/Video Quality
9.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
9.0
Narrative
9.0
Enjoyment
9.0
I absolutely loved the TASM1 version of the untold edits and it is now my definitive version of the movie so I was really excited to see this. And it mostly delivered. it's honestly really good.
Moving the parent stuff to the first movie gives this a lot of time to breathe and just streamlines it quite a bit. I like how Electro's anger is more directed towards the city and I like quite a lot of stuff here, especially the little motivation tweaks. I love thay they went to the effort of adding in custom dialogue. That was really cool and it mostly sounded pretty decent.
Which is why I wonder why they left in that line towards the end where Goblin says "when you said Spider-Man said no" because like, that didn't happen, I just wondered why they didn't cut it or just like dub it with another line, it would only be cutting the words "you said" from the dialogue because "when Spider-Man said no, you mean you said no" still makes sense. But otherwise, it's all great until the end although I would've liked to see the demonstration of the suit from the deleted scenes, it would have barely added 30 seconds and I think it makes us understand the suit better at the end although it's fine if they think it's unnecessary because the suit says stuff like "healing protocol activated" which is enough to get a clue what it does. That's personal preference.
But I think that one of the unintended consequences of cutting the setup after the fall towards the end is that everything feels *super rushed* like the fall happens at 1:47 and the movie is over by 1:55 so you barely even get time to properly process anything before the movie has moved on and is already over. This is a better movie than the theatrical cut by a long shot, I just think the ending needed something more to slow it down a little because it just moves too fast. I honestly don't know what they could possibly put in there but it was just a little rushed. Despite that, this is still by far the best version of this movie and I'm glad it exists.
There were also a few odd cuts like when Peter meets Gwen at Oxford there's a weird jump cut that threw me off. There's a few others too but definitely nothing too major. I do like that the "Peter's DNA made him Spider-Man" stuff was cut out but that also sort of makes Peter's reluctance to give Harry his blood a little weird like he's obviously just being cautious and this edit does play it off like that but that's just a me thing, probably. It works well for the most part and aside from a (mostly forced to be because of a lack of content) rushed ending, this is easily the best version of this movie.
The way this structures the third act is also really enjoyable and it's just a fun time and much more cohesive than the theatrical cut.
Moving the parent stuff to the first movie gives this a lot of time to breathe and just streamlines it quite a bit. I like how Electro's anger is more directed towards the city and I like quite a lot of stuff here, especially the little motivation tweaks. I love thay they went to the effort of adding in custom dialogue. That was really cool and it mostly sounded pretty decent.
Which is why I wonder why they left in that line towards the end where Goblin says "when you said Spider-Man said no" because like, that didn't happen, I just wondered why they didn't cut it or just like dub it with another line, it would only be cutting the words "you said" from the dialogue because "when Spider-Man said no, you mean you said no" still makes sense. But otherwise, it's all great until the end although I would've liked to see the demonstration of the suit from the deleted scenes, it would have barely added 30 seconds and I think it makes us understand the suit better at the end although it's fine if they think it's unnecessary because the suit says stuff like "healing protocol activated" which is enough to get a clue what it does. That's personal preference.
But I think that one of the unintended consequences of cutting the setup after the fall towards the end is that everything feels *super rushed* like the fall happens at 1:47 and the movie is over by 1:55 so you barely even get time to properly process anything before the movie has moved on and is already over. This is a better movie than the theatrical cut by a long shot, I just think the ending needed something more to slow it down a little because it just moves too fast. I honestly don't know what they could possibly put in there but it was just a little rushed. Despite that, this is still by far the best version of this movie and I'm glad it exists.
There were also a few odd cuts like when Peter meets Gwen at Oxford there's a weird jump cut that threw me off. There's a few others too but definitely nothing too major. I do like that the "Peter's DNA made him Spider-Man" stuff was cut out but that also sort of makes Peter's reluctance to give Harry his blood a little weird like he's obviously just being cautious and this edit does play it off like that but that's just a me thing, probably. It works well for the most part and aside from a (mostly forced to be because of a lack of content) rushed ending, this is easily the best version of this movie.
The way this structures the third act is also really enjoyable and it's just a fun time and much more cohesive than the theatrical cut.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
T
(Updated: December 22, 2021)
Overall rating
8.8
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
7.0
Enjoyment
7.0
Compared to the first untold amazing spider-man movie it doesn't live up to that movie and to be quite honest I was okay with the first movie on its own and I preferred and recommend Bobson Dugnutt's version instead but even that movie has the same issues such this one too. But the issue isn't really the faneditor's fault but the movie itself in terms of tone and some of its characters whose role should be reduced or just be removed entirely like electro or that german ravencroft doctor and especially the rhino. But because these Sam Raimi-like, over-the-top characters, and villains with maybe the exception of the green goblin are in half of the movie including most of the important scenes too that it is impossible to do so you take what you get when fixing this movie. I've also the recently watched "spider-man no way home" and this fanedit does go well and should coincide more with that movie...except for electro whose personality has done a 180 in the sequel because Jamie Foxx wants to be Jamie Foxx so you might as well trim off some of his scenes that explain his background story as he is an easy to read character without showing and telling who he is as a person. He is pretty much the same character that Dean Dehane(Green Goblin's Actor) played in chronicle and his role is literally the villains' team muscle very similar to bane in batman & Robin but without personality so basically the only scenes that should be kept are his encounters with spider-man and being bullied at work as his home life and desire for a friend isn't really that relevant because he basically just wants to take spider-man's place by taking his life.
I actually appreciated adding Flash Thompson scene in the movie whose role was yet again greatly underused, I could've done without sequel baiting green goblin's return at the end, and I am still surprised that this and other fan edits didn't add peter's reunion with his dad yet which I thought the fan editor was hinting at in the beginning playing his recordings and it's what Peter Parker deserve after going through so much in the movie plus he is now the only spider-man who doesn't know that "with great power comes great responsibility". This movie didn't seem that much different from the original and I hope there will be more updates to this movie in the future.
I actually appreciated adding Flash Thompson scene in the movie whose role was yet again greatly underused, I could've done without sequel baiting green goblin's return at the end, and I am still surprised that this and other fan edits didn't add peter's reunion with his dad yet which I thought the fan editor was hinting at in the beginning playing his recordings and it's what Peter Parker deserve after going through so much in the movie plus he is now the only spider-man who doesn't know that "with great power comes great responsibility". This movie didn't seem that much different from the original and I hope there will be more updates to this movie in the future.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
No
Format Watched?
Digital
N