Every Live-Action Spider-Man Film, Ranked

It’s finally happening! This week the world will finally get to see Spider-Man: No Way Home, the highly-anticipated capper to the Tom Holland Spider-Man trilogy. If rumors are true of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s respective Spider-Men being included in this film (which involves the multi-verse), this is bound to break the internet.

This year I rewatched all seven of the previous live-action Spider-Man films in anticipation for No Way Home. This included Tobey Maguire’s three films from director Sam Raimi, Andrew Garfield’s two films from director Marc Webb, and Tom Holland’s two films from director Jon Watts. To my surprise, some films were better than I remembered, while others fared worse.

When I first rewatched these films, I wasn’t planning to make a list ranking the films. However, I figured it’d be a fun post to make. And I really did struggle with this! I went back and forth between a few films and their rankings. And after nearly two months of working on this, I have now made my definitive ranking of every live-action Spider-Man film, from Tobey Maguire to Tom Holland.

7. Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Spider-Man 3 has long lived in infamy as the worst Spider-Man film, the one that killed the Tobey Maguire series. The film was overstuffed with characters and new villains (Venom’s inclusion was literally mandated by a producer), and featured wild tonal shifts that angered both critics and fans. Despite this, it’s still the highest-grossing film in the Tobey Maguire series and remains one of the top-grossing Spidey films only after the Tom Holland ones (which is impressive, since Tobey’s films came out in the early 2000s).

Upon my recent rewatch it’s actually not as bad as I remembered! Yes, the film isn’t as narratively strong nor cohesive as director Sam Raimi’s first two (why is Harry Osborn still angry at Peter after finding out his dad was the Green Goblin? Peter kissing Gwen Stacy in front of Mary Jane? A hot mess!), but there’s still a lot to like. Sandman is a sympathetic antagonist who’s only trying to do right by his daughter the only way he knows how, while at odds with a hero who’s supposed to look out for the little guy. He’s a more morally grey villain as opposed to the first two films, which had villains brainwashed into villainy. Some may cry foul at the emo Peter Parker scenes but I actually think they’re great! They call back to Raimi’s campy sensibilities and offer a delightful downfall of Tobey Maguire’s “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” due to the symbiote’s influence. I also loved every scene with Aunt May; they always matter and these scenes are never wasted. Also I didn’t remember how this film ended at all, so when I finally got to the closing shot, it was so touching.

Spider-Man 3 may very well be the worst Spider-Man film thus far, but it’s not a bad one. I say give it another chance because it’s actually quite fun and entertaining.

‘Spider-Man 3’ is streaming on Peacock (premium tier) and is available for rent on digital platforms.

6. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

The Amazing Spider-Man is another one that’s better than I remember. The first two-thirds of the film is solid. This doesn’t mean the final third is terrible, it just not as strong because it falls back on an uninteresting villain (that scene where Peter finds Dr. Connors’s secret lair and the computer just reveals all his plans is awful).

Though it has a similar origin story to Riami’s films, director Marc Webb’s film offers enough new things and differences to stand out: the mystery surrounding Peter’s parents, Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker is excellent and less whiney than Tobey Maguire’s, Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy has more to do than Kirsten Dunst’s Mary Jane Watson did, and Stone and Garfield actually have good chemistry compared to Maguire and Dunst. The romantic scenes are great! The visuals are slick. And some of the action scenes are fun (I especially love when Spidey crawls all over The Lizard like a spider).

The film continues the best aspect of the Raimi films, which is the focus on character instead of action. It felt like at least half the film was missing Spider-Man, instead focusing on Peter’s personal life. It’s nice to see New Yorkers supporting Spidey in his time of need (just like the more memorable scenes from Raimi’s first two Spider-Man films). And that bridge scene when Spidey saves the kid from a burning car is really great. What’s lacking compared to the films that came before it is the reaction of New Yorkers to the presence of Spider-Man. I feel like we don’t really see how his appearance impacts the public, and everyone’s varying opinions. The Raimi films at least had that.

And while the first person POV of Spider-Man crawling, jumping off buildings, and swinging around is neat, it’s not as memorable or thrilling as Raimi’s scenes showing Spidey swinging across New York City. Also that alien looking-ass suit is terrible! It’s definitely the worst suit out of all the Spider-Man films.

Read my original review of The Amazing Spider-Man here.

‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ is available for rent on digital platforms.

5. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Before you cancel me, hear me out! If you ask any fan what’s one of the best Spider-Man films, they’d likely say Far From Home is like top three. And they’re not wrong! Spider-Man: Far from Home is highly entertaining, and it’s still one of the better contemporary superhero films. The screenplay from Chris McKenna (Community) and Erik Sommers (The Lego Batman Movie) is infused with a lot of energy and good jokes. However, as a Spider-Man film, I personally think Far From Home is one of the weaker ones.

I couldn’t help but have mixed feelings about the creative decisions in the MCU's Spider-Man. I've never read the comics so I could totally be ignorant, but having Spidey's suit be so tech-heavy threw it off for me; it's a long way from the friendly "neighborhood" hero. And having Mysterio become yet another Tony Stark-created villain made this feel more like another Iron Man-centered story rather than Spider-Man's. 

Also, Peter's crush on MJ appears literally out of nowhere considering his lack of interest in MJ in the previous film, Spider-Man: Homecoming (also Peter crushing on two half white/half Black girls back to back seems like a fetish, no?). And the fact that Tony made hundreds of killer drones that can be controlled by a kid makes Tony seem even worse than he already does from his previous mistakes. Good lord this man's a war criminal.

But hey, at least Jake Gyllenhaal is great as the unhinged Quentin Beck, and though I have mixed feelings about how he has a connection to Tony Stark, he's definitely a unique villain that stands out among the pack. That final battle, especially when Peter has to rely on his Spidey senses, is great (even if it’s too CGI-heavy). The characters and actors are all likable, and it's a breezy film that keeps you entertained, but I want to go back to a Spider-Man film that's less impacted by The Avengers and more focused on Spider-Man himself.

Also, that mid-credits scene featuring the return of J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson from the Tobey Maguire films, and revealing Spider-Man’s secret identity, was brilliant!

‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ is available for rent on digital platforms.

4. Spider-Man (2002)

The film that started it all! Alongside Bryan Singer’s X-Men, this was the film that helped reinvent the superhero genre.

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man features a memorable cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, and especially Willem Dafoe (he’s so good!). The film is only one of two films to feature Uncle Ben, and his scenes, especially his death, were made iconic due to this film (the version in Amazing Spider-Man just doesn’t pack the same emotional gut-punch).

The Green Goblin suit is a bit wonky but it’s not a complete disaster. I like the craziness the Green Goblin brought to the table, especially that fire scene when he pretended to be a woman. There was so much excellent tension between Peter and Norman, especially after Norman found out Spider-Man’s secret identity. That blood-falling scene is so good! Also great is Danny Elfman’s iconic theme music (why don’t the MCU films have iconic hero themes?).

There’s nothing quite like seeing Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man swinging around New York City; it’s comparable to seeing the Transformers transforming for the first time. I appreciate that the third act isn’t a big CGI battle compared to most other superhero flicks. That line at the end of the battle “I have a father. His name was Ben Parker” Oof! My heart! And best of all, Raimi’s Spider-Man films are the only ones that actually feel like they’re set in New York City.

‘Spider-Man’ is streaming on Peacock (premium tier) and is available for rent on digital platforms.

3. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

I know what you’re thinking. “Kent, what the fuck is wrong with you?” But despite how most people feel, I absolutely love The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Yes, it suffers from The Avengers effect by trying to jumpstart and rush into a new cinematic universe, but I also has fun watching it! I love the first shot of Spidey when he’s free falling from the sky—combined with Hans Zimmer’s underrated score, it’s perfect. Also the new Spidey suit here is the best one out of any live action Spider-Man film. Yes, I said it. It looks like it could’ve been taken straight out of the comic books.

I love the “Song for Zula” scene. The romance between Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker and Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy tops both the Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland ones. I love seeing Spidey save a kid from getting bullied. Spidey wearing a fireman’s hat while spraying down Electro is fun. Harry and Electro killing a man and then bringing him back to life was wild!

Gwen Stacy is no damsel in distress. She’s smart, capable, and helps solve problems. Her death scene and funeral were well-executed and packed an emotional punch (Spider-Man’s web forming into the shape of a hand reaching out to save her? Bitch I almost cried). Also kudos to Sony for being the only studio bold enough to kill off a major character and have them stay dead. Even Marvel didn’t have the balls to do this until Endgame!

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 also has perhaps the best ending to a Spider-Man film yet. The specific “shot” isn’t amazing (it looks too fake), but the overall feeling, message, and idea is perfect.

‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ is streaming on fuboTV and available for rent on digital platforms.

2. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Tom Holland is the best Peter Parker / Spider-Man. He’s the perfect mix of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's respective takes on the web-slinger: the friendly neighborhood hero, his arrogance, but also his charm. The Maguire Spidey films excelled in showing what Spider-Man meant to New Yorkers; Garfield's Spidey films excelled in the romance between Peter and Gwen Stacy; Holland's Spidey film excels in depicting an actual teenaged superhero. Maguire’s films barely spent time in high school before moving onto college and post-grad. Garfield was never believable as a teenager nor as an outcast (I mean, look at him!). But Holland looks like a teenager and his unpopularity is actually convincing. Director Jon Watts’s film is meant to invoke the spirit of John Hughes’s films and, for the most part, they do a good job making this feel like a coming-of-age high school film.

Michael Keaton is fantastic as The Vulture, and is probably the best on-screen Spidey villain yet. That plot twist showing Keaton's character as the dad of Peter's love interest is brilliant, and that car ride scene is filled with so much tension it's a franchise standout. Also that scene with Peter under the rubble is great, calling back to an iconic Spidey moment from the comics!

I don’t like the Iron Man of it all (which is repeated in each of Holland’s sequels), which almost keeps it from being Spider-Man’s film. And I wish it grappled more with Peter’s loss of Uncle Ben (whom we never see, not even a flashback). I get Marvel didn’t want to repeat something we already saw twice in the previous films, but it would’ve made Peter’s longing for a father figure more impactful.

But still, Spider-Man: Homecoming remains one of the best Spider-Man films. Let’s hope they can end this trilogy on a strong note.

‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ is available for rent on digital platforms.

1. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

“Woah, he stole that guy’s pizzas!”

Spider-Man 2 is one of the best superhero films of all time, which is remarkable considering we’re living in a time where countless superhero films are released on a yearly basis. It’s a strong character-focused film that isn’t just about superheroics. Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker is struggling to balance his dual identity as a superhero and a student, friend, lover, and son. He’s forced to make tough sacrifices no one else has to make.

There are so many memorable scenes! The hospital scene is terrifically terrifying, allowing director Sam Raimi to briefly return to his horror roots. That car being thrown into the cafe—iconic. And Peter trying to stop the runaway train—brilliant. This train sequence has a similar scene to the first film, in which New Yorkers stand up for Spider-Man, and it’s even more memorable and emotional here.

I appreciate how the action scenes are both thrilling and coherent. There’s a defined sense of space and you always know where the characters are, where the action is taking place, and what’s happening. And Alfred Molina is excellent as the villain, with many over the years calling his Doc Ock one of the best cinematic supervillains.

And even more notably, Spider-Man 2 feels like one of the only contemporary superhero films in which the hero actually has a fully-realized life outside of fighting crime (this is a strength of all of Raimi’s Spider-Man films and most of the others ones too). There are large gaps in this film in which the villain isn’t mentioned nor involved at all! It has real drama, convincingly depicting a Peter Parker who’s truly struggling to keep his life together, which involves fighting crime while balancing jobs and a social life.

17 years later and Spider-Man 2 still remains the best Spider-Man film!

‘Spider-Man 2’ is streaming on Peacock (premium tier) and is available for rent on digital platforms.

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