Released in 2014, this is the second and final solo outing for Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker. In this installment, Peter is trying to balance his life as a high school graduate, his complicated relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), and his duties as Spider-Man.

The plot is a bit of a "kitchen sink" situation. We’ve got Electro (a disgruntled Oscorp employee turned blue-lightning-bolt-human), the return of Harry Osborn (who is dying of a genetic disease), and the mystery of what actually happened to Peter’s parents. It’s high-energy, high-drama, and definitely the most "romantic" of the Spider-Man franchises—until it isn't.

Even though this movie is over a decade old, it saw a massive resurgence in interest after Andrew Garfield appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Kids who grew up on Tom Holland’s Spidey are going back to the "archives" to see the Garfield era.

Garfield’s Spider-Man is arguably the most "comic-book accurate" in terms of how he moves and talks. He’s sarcastic, he uses the environment to fight, and the chemistry between him and Emma Stone is actually real (they were dating at the time), which makes the stakes feel much higher than your average Marvel flick.

Learn more about why Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man is trending again

If you're an "intentional parent," this is where you need to lean in. Most superhero movies have a "happily ever after" or at least a "the hero saved the day" vibe. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 subverts that in a way that can be jarring.

Without spoiling it for the three people who don’t know: Gwen Stacy dies. It’s not a "maybe she’s okay" death. It’s a high-impact, emotionally devastating scene where Peter fails to save her. For a 7 or 8-year-old who views Spider-Man as an invincible hero, this can be a lot to process. It challenges the idea that the hero always wins.

Harry’s transformation into the Green Goblin isn't just "guy in a suit" like the Willem Dafoe version in the original Spider-Man (2002). It involves a painful, physical mutation that looks a bit like a horror movie. It’s gritty, gross, and might be too intense for kids who are used to the more polished look of The Avengers.

Throughout the movie, Peter is literally haunted by visions of Gwen’s dead father. It’s a heavy-handed metaphor for survivor's guilt. If your family has recently dealt with loss, these themes might hit a little too close to home.

While the rating is PG-13, the "right age" really depends on your kid’s emotional maturity.

Check out our guide on age-appropriate superhero movies

Let’s be real: this movie is a bit of a mess. It tries to set up about five different sequels that never happened (the "Sinister Six" tease at the end is basically a commercial for a movie that was canceled).

Jamie Foxx as Electro is... a choice. He starts as a nerdy caricature that feels like it belongs in a different movie before turning into a CGI lightning bolt. It’s not "brain rot" by any means, but it’s definitely a product of a studio trying too hard to build a "cinematic universe" overnight.

However, the swinging sequences are arguably the best in any live-action Spider-Man movie. The way the camera follows him through the canyons of New York feels like a roller coaster. If your kid is a fan of Spider-Man on PS5, they will recognize a lot of the movement style here.

If you decide to watch it together, here are a few ways to open a conversation afterward:

Ask our chatbot for more discussion starters for The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 isn't the best Spider-Man movie, but it’s the most emotionally raw. It moves away from the "fun" of Spider-Man: Far From Home and into much darker territory.

If your kid is obsessed with the "Spider-Verse" and wants to see every iteration of the character, this is a mandatory watch. Just be prepared for the "Why did she have to die?" questions and maybe have a more lighthearted follow-up ready, like an episode of The Simpsons or a round of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to cleanse the palate.

See our full list of Spider-Man media ranked by "Parental Stress Level"