Top 5 Spider-Man films

5) Spider-Man 3

Seven years later and the Saturday Night Fever dance still haunts the dreams of Spidey fanboys around the world. But the truth is, while it would be easy to direct all our frustrations to Peter Parker’s ill-judged emo phase, there’s plenty of other stuff wrong with Spider-Man 3 as well. Characters are spectacularly miscast (who better to play the bitter, physically imposing Eddie Brock from the comics than the chipper, skinny guy from That 70s Show?), emotional scenes turn into unintentionally hilarious ones (MJ and Peter’s break-up in Central Park) and three villains jostle for position as the main big bad, with none of them coming on top. Most upsetting of all is the complete mishandling of Venom, arguably the wall-crawler’s most popular antagonist, who gets a grand total of 6 minutes of screen time. Shame on you, Sam Raimi. Shame on you.

4) The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Despite a surprisingly aggressive marketing campaign in the months leading to its release, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say TASM2 failed to live up to its own hype. In fact, it is plagued by the same flaws that made Spider-Man 3 such a challenging watch. A disjointed narrative suggests the editing process can’t have been a happy one and once again too many villains spoil the proverbial broth, with Jamie Foxx thinking he’s starring in a superhero film from the Joel Schumacher era (i.e. camp and prone to punning). Still, there are a few saving graces that ensure this isn’t a complete train wreck. Hans Zimmer delivers a sumptuous score that is finally worthy of Spider-Man’s stature and doesn’t sound like something out of Batman (Raimi’s trilogy) or Titanic (The Amazing Spider-Man); the most thrilling scene in the film is not an action set-piece, but a suspenseful confrontation in Times Square, as Spidey hopelessly tries to calm down an Electro that’s on the brink of exploding; and Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone’s romantic banter is still bang on the money.

3) The Amazing Spider-Man

Yes, it was the reboot that nobody wanted (yet) and sure, the first half feels like a re-tread of what came before in Sam Raimi’s still wonderful first instalment from 2002, but look past these minor issues and there’s a lot going for The Amazing Spider-Man. Combining themes and key elements from both the classic and Ultimate comic book runs, here was a Spidey film that was surprisingly even more faithful to its source material than the Raimi movies and that had the perfect Spider-Man in the form of Andrew Garfield. A far more versatile actor than Tobey Maguire, some might argue that Garfield’s Peter Parker is a little too cool to begin with (it’s the Twilight hair, apparently), but what can’t be denied is that he effortlessly nails the character’s social displacement and sardonic humour. Furthermore, Marc Webb proved he knew how to portray a quirky couple on-screen with (500) Days of Summer and he pulls off the same trick with Garfield and Emma Stone, who are a joy to watch whether they are playfully bickering or blissfully pining for each other.

2) Spider-Man

It’s very difficult to review Sam Raimi’s franchise starter without being overcome with a fuzzy sense of nostalgia. After all, this movie hails from a time when audiences were not accustomed to superhero blockbusters (X-Men may have arrived 2 years earlier, but it felt more like an outlandish Sci-Fi movie) and no one quite knew what to expect from a Spider-Man film. And while now it does feel dated in places (the web-slinging looks a bit stiff and the fight sequences a little too choreographed), Spider-Man has lost none of its charm. Tobey Maguire may not be a particularly adroit performer, but his boyish demeanour still make him the most beloved Spidey out there and Kirsten Dunst is utterly believable as the girl next door we all secretly want to go out with. Much has been made over the years of the villain’s Toys R Us costume but, truth be told, it’s a far better proposition than James Franco’s snow-boarding gear from Spider-Man 3 and, with that face and cackling laugh, Willem Dafoe simply is the Green Goblin. And then there’s THAT kiss, quite possibly the most romantic moment in the comic book movie genre and the moment teenage boys realised Spider-Man could make a brilliant fist date movie. Make no mistake, Iron Man fans and Guardians groupies… this is where it all began.

1) Spider-Man 2

Marvel Studios have produced their fair share of top notch films since Iron Man in 2008, but hardly any of them can hold a candle to Spider-Man 2, one of the rare instances in which the sequel truly is better than the original in almost every aspect. This is Spider-Man retold as a Byronic hero (hence the poetry references), a romantic character separated from the woman he loves by his own secrets and unfaltering commitment to justice… simply put, this is the one comic book flick where you really want the hero to get the girl at the end. There’s plenty of angst, anguish and heartache but none feel forced or out place, especially as some of Peter’s pains stem from more pedestrian (and therefore relatable) challenges, like making the rent or holding down a job. Adding further pathos to the proceedings is Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock, the franchise’s standout villain, with a fully-developed arc mirroring that of the protagonist. The third act fight scene set on a moving train still remains the action sequence to beat for all comic book movies – see James Mangold try to recreate it in The Wolverine, with decidedly average results. And finally, whenever things seem to get a little too gloomy, you can always count on J.K. Simmons’ J. Jonah Jameson (an impeccable comedic creation sorely missed from the reboot and its sequel) to alleviate the mood with a well-timed quip, often delivered at the top of his voice. Popcorn movies – or rather, Spider-Man movies – don’t get much better than this.       

The Guest

Or How Matthew Crawley’s Balls Finally Dropped. If you’ve been watching Downton Abbey, there’s a lot of fun to be had seeing Dan Stevens graduate from period drama ponce to leading man heartthrob. You could say that The Guest functions as a brilliant audition tape for the British actor, who manages to showcase a decent American accent, an innate charisma and the kind of good looks that teenage girls swoon over. It’s a shame the film itself is a bit of a dud – chilling domestic thriller in the first half, baffling 80’s slasher flick the second. Dan could well be the next Ryan Gosling, but he certainly isn’t the new Jason Vorhees.

2/5