Spider-Man is arguably Marvel’s most bankable and recognizable super hero. In 2002 he leapt from the pages of a comic book to the big screen in Sam Raimi’s fan-favorite hit. It was the first time the iconic character had been brought to the big-screen for a major blockbuster event. Ever since then, the web-slinging hero has been a constant presence in cinemas. With his newest adventure, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, hitting theaters this weekend, it’s time for a look back at each of his solo-film adventures with a proper ranking.
This ranking will not include films like Captain America: Civil War or Avengers: Infinity War. Despite Spider-Man playing a prominent role in those films, they aren’t technically his movie. With that clarification out of the way, let’s swing into action.
10. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of the hero has become a fan-favorite in recent years. Still, there’s no denying that he was wasting in a series of films that didn’t live up to his talents. This film effectively ended any chance of a trilogy after receiving backlash for its cheesy and convoluted plot.
9. Spider-Man 3
Admittedly, I hold a soft-spot in my heart for this one. Sure, it’s not as solid as the two that came before it, but it holds up in many ways. However, it concluded the trilogy on a weaker note and killed the chances for Raimi’s planned fourth film. It was largely critiqued for its handling of Venom and cramming two many villains into its plot.
8. The Amazing Spider-Man
Following Tobey Maguire’s trilogy, Andrew Garfield gets his shot at the webslinger. He perfectly nailed the quippy, mouthy elements of the character down. However, his version of Peter was criticized for being too cool.
7. Spider-Man: Homecoming
This wasn’t Spidey’s first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; however, it was his first solo outing. It’s a solid entry with a cool villain played perfectly by Michael Keaton, but the suit’s tech abilities and an over-reliance on Iron Man keep this film from reaching its full potential.
6. Spider-Man
The one that started it all. The first of Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi’s trilogy had Raimi’s typical flair for comedy proved that super hero movies could be huge money making successes at the box office. Willem Dafoe was perfectly maniacal as The Green Goblin and Tobey Maguire proved he could play the heroic side of things, as well as the goofy nerd.
5. Spider-Man: Far From Home
Tom Holland’s sophomore entry in the MCU moved the hero out of New York for a fresh setting and gave us one of the series’ best villains, Mysterio. It’s an improvement upon the first entry that shows a protagonist who’s slightly more prepared, but still learning how to be a hero. With fantastic visuals and epic action sequences, this is a great entry in the franchise.
4. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
The first Spider-Man film not to focus on Peter Parker was a massive surprise hit. Featuring a slew of variations on the popular hero, a fresh new animation style and sharp writing make this one of the best film’s in Spidey’s career. Miles Morales proved that he was able to lead a franchise on his own and sequels were quickly announced.
3. Spider-Man: No Way Home
Far From Home was one of the most anticipated films in recent memory with speculation and rumors swirling around its inclusion of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. We know now that the film did feature the two previous actors reprising their roles and the end result was an epic multiverse adventure that featured amazing performances and jaw dropping action.
2. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
As good as Into The Spider-Verse was, Across The Spider-Verse ups the ante in every way possible. It’s a universe-jumping mad-dash with fan-service, and an amazing story. The film gives extra attention to Gwen Stacy and delves deeper into the relationships of its characters.
1. Spider-Man 2
The sequel to the original trilogy has stood the test of time as the greatest film to ever feature the web-head. Doctor Octopus was memorable villain and the train sequence is one of the greatest action scenes to ever be put to film. However, it’s the emotional weight of the film that helps it to stand out so significantly. It perfectly showcases the struggles of being a hero and the sacrifices that come with it.
“With great power, comes great responsibility.”
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