Now that Spider-Man: Far From Home has finally hit theaters, lets go ahead and count down Spider-Man’s various films (spanning various franchises/actors) from Worst to first.
8. (Worst) Spider-man 3
Despite some cult following, and a solid character arc for Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman, Spider-Man 3 is a goofy, overstuffed mess of a film. Sam Raimi’s cap to the original trilogy failed spectacularly in almost every way (aside from box office numbers). A plot overstuffed with undeveloped characters, overacting, and gross miscasting are just a few of the reasons Spider-Man 3 falls last on this list.
High Point: Sandman’s arc
Low Point: Emo Peter Parker
7. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
A close second to last, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 suffers from an overstuffed cast of characters as well, and a plot that is never fully formulated due to cramming in so much. Jamie Fox’s portrayal of Electro and Dane Dehaan’s Harry Osborn/Green Goblin are atrocious, and Spider-Man’s search for answers about his parents just isn’t all that interesting. Luckily the Amazing Spider-Man 2 boasts stunning visuals and a unique score that keep it in the arena of watchable.
High Point: Times Square showdown
Low Point: Jamie Fox/ Dane Dehaan
6. The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man isn’t a bad film, but it doesn’t do anything new or interesting, and the Lizard is a lackluster villain. It ends up being a forgettable retelling of Spider-Man’s origin, with a few solid action sequences and, arguably, Stan Lee’s best Cameo throughout the Spider-Man films. Andrew Garfield does a fine job taking over for Toby Maguire, but never quite lives up to Maguire’s first two outings.
High Point: Andrew Garfield/Emma Stone’s chemistry
Low Point: Lizard’s character design
5. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Spider-Man: Homecoming is great (and shows a huge jump in quality from Garfield’s two runs at Spider-Man). Tom Holland steps in as a much younger Spider-Man and Homecoming does an excellent job of showcasing the many struggles of Peter balancing his normal life with the responsibility he carries as a hero. Michael Keaton’s Vulture is terrifying and formidable, especially when brought to a personal level for Peter.
High Point: The “dad” talk
Low Point: Spider-Man in the suburbs
4. Spider-Man: Far From Home
Far From Home took what Homecoming did well and cranked it up to the next level. Excellent visuals, solid action, humor, a great villain, and an emotional story make it Tom Holland’s best run at Spider-Man. Mysterio’s illusions are trippy and mesmerizing, and Peter Parker’s growth into Iron Man’s successor is touching and very bad ass. The major downfall is it contains a very obvious twist for anyone with knowledge of the source material and some goofy and lame moments.
High Point: Mysterio’s Illusions
Low Point: Mysterio’s awkward toast
3. Spider-Man
Where it all began remains a truly great Spider-Man film. Great characters are everywhere, especially Willam Defoe giving a great performance of the unstable Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, and Tobey Maguire doing an excellent job of portraying the growth of Peter Parker into Spider-Man, as well as learning to harness his powers and realize his responsibilities. Spider-Man balances the right amount of Raimi’s signature campiness, emotion, and great action to make a great, although somewhat outdated, film. Raimi’s style also stands out, making it feel like you are watching the cells of a comic book.
High Point: Catching MJ’s lunch
Low Point: CGI Peter jumping buildings
2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse May be one of the best animated films ever made. Incredibly original animation style that mimics comic book art, fully developed characters, and an emotional story all make for an incredible end product that blends it all together in a way no animated film has done before. Eye popping visuals, great voice acting, way more humor than it gets credit for, as well as a phenomenal soundtrack all help Spider-verse make a run at the top spot.
High Point: Leap of faith (still gives me chills)
Low Point: The few jokes that don’t land
1. Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 remains the gold standard for comic book adaptations. In what is still one of the best sequels of all time, the moral dilemmas of the character, as well as the ever present theme of responsibility are explored in new and gripping ways that make Peter Parker a much more complex character. Alfred Molina follows in the footsteps of Willam Defoe in giving a phenomenal performance as Dock Ock, but adds in more depth and personality to his involuntarily villainous character, which makes for an immensely satisfying redemption. Rosemary Harris’ “Hero” monologue also remains one of the most impactful moments in Super Hero movies to date. Along with all of this, Spider-Man 2 also features some of the best acrobatics and action set pieces of any Spider-Man Movie (I.E. the train sequence). Spider-Man 2 remains, to this day, the best Spider-Man movie to ever hit screens.
High Point: “..I believe there’s a hero in all of us…”
Low Point: (as much as I love the memes) “Pizza time”
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