With only a little over a week left to go until the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home (aka Spider-Man 8), I decided to make and post a list of the 10 best moments from the Spider-Man films. I’m only including the 7 live action films, because 1) they’re the ones that are being tied into NWH and 2) I haven’t seen Into the Spider-Verse recently or enough times to compare it with the others accurately (even though it’s arguably better than the others).
Honorable Mention: I tried to get a scene from each film on here, but no single moment in Amazing Spider-Man 2 stands out enough to include, though there are definitely some good scenes in the movie, the best of which is the scene where Peter and Gwen try to rekindle their friendship with a set of sarcastic ‘ground rules’ (which include Peter saying Gwen has to make her laugh more annoying) and ice cream.
10. Prague (Spider-Man: Far from Home)
The entire sequence in Prague is filled with some of the best jokes throughout the film, and the fact that the resolution to it (the battle with the fire elemental) is written and structured exactly like it’s the actual ending of the film (complete with all of Peter’s close friends being drawn into the battle and placed in danger) makes it even better and showcases the movie’s commitment to showcasing Mysterio as a hero.
9. Crime-fighting Montage (Spider-Man)
One thing we don’t see much of in the majority of Spider-Man films is him tackling low level crimes, which are constantly sprinkled throughout the comics. However, this sequence, presented halfway through the very first film, showcases a lot of good action and we get to see Spider-Man just doing his thing without any super-villains getting in the way or causing problems. It was a great way to introduce his character and the perfect ending to the origin story that made up the first half of the movie.
8. Final Battle (Spider-Man: Far from Home)
Strangely enough, though Far from Home is my favorite of the live action Spider-Man films, it tops out here on this list. The movie is the most consistently good in the franchise, with a lot of great humor and character building, but the high-points don’t rise quite as high as those in the other films. That being said, it presented one of the best finales in the entire series, with Peter taking on a literal army of drones that are targeting his friends. It keeps the humor going, provides spectacular visuals combined with great action and a great sendoff for Mysterio’s character (possibly?).
7. Revenge is like a Poison (Spider-Man 3)
Tucked in between all the terrible CGI fight scenes, bad dancing, nonsensical plot twists and painful relationship drama, there was one great moment of Spider-Man 3. Clad in the black suit, Peter Parker tracks down Sandman and tries to kill him, believing him responsible for the death of Uncle Ben. And he thinks he’s succeeded, and feels happy about it. I very nearly picked that action scene, but the scene it led in to was even better, as it was one of the only quiet character moments of the film, not having to be spoiled with big, CGI effects or dumb humor, as Aunt May cautions Peter about the desire to take revenge, even against someone like Sandman. It was the only time the black suit arc was explored well, and probably the only thing Spider-Man 3 got right.
6. Tony Stark rooftop scene (Spider-Man: Homecoming)
This is one of the most emotional and best written dialogue scenes in the entire series. Coming right after Peter Parker’s actions placed an entire ferry in danger, he is confronted by his mentor and only father figure. The idea that Peter’s sense of responsibility had to be reignited after his initial excitement at getting an upgraded suit from Iron Man is really good, and makes the character’s arc not feel so linear. I would place it even higher if not for the fact that it feels more like an MCU scene than a Spider-Man scene, and because these last six moments are all virtually flawless so it’s hard to choose just one to single out from the top 5.
5. Argument with Uncle Ben (The Amazing Spider-Man)
I will always hold that the Amazing Spider-Man got Spider-Man’s origin story better than the original film, but nowhere is that more obvious to me than the death of Uncle Ben. This scene, where Peter blows up at Uncle Ben for trying to use the memory of his late father to convince him to be responsible, was already emotional enough, but only got more so when you realized that this was the last time the two of them would ever speak.
4. Re-commitment (Spider-Man 2)
This is the pinnacle of the excellent Spider-Man No More arc from the second film, as Mary Jane is kidnapped by Dr. Octopus and Peter Parker finally, and completely, renounces his normal life and embraces being Spider-Man. It was an incredible moment… but one which is spoiled very slightly by the leaps in logic that come immediately before it, like Dr. Octopus seemingly trying to kill Peter Parker, who was his one and only link to Spider-Man. If not for that, this scene might be number 2 on this list, but it still doesn’t spoil how great this scene is.
3. Peter tells Gwen he’s Spider-Man (The Amazing Spider-Man)
After Peter Parker spending two movies not telling Mary Jane his secret, for dubious reasons at best, and then her finding out by accident in the original films, this moment was a breath of fresh air. Not only does Peter willingly tell Gwen he’s Spider-Man, and not only does he do this early in their relationship and not after it’s started to cause problems for them, but it happens only an hour into the movie. It made their relationship feel even more authentic and distinguished the film from its predecessors.
2. Vulture is Liz’s Father (Spider-Man: Homecoming)
Liz was the very first love interest for Peter Parker, appearing years before Gwen Stacy or Mary Jane would show their faces. And in the comics, the only Liz who ever appeared was Liz Allen, whose only connection to any villain was her step brother, Mark Raxton, aka the Molten Man. So, when it was revealed that the Vulture was her father in this movie, every Spider-Man fan lost their minds. What’s more, the reveal is handled so perfectly, relying on the shock value of the moment, rather than over the top musical cues or anything like that, to convey the feeling. It also fundamentally altered the plot of the film, taking it from being a typical Spider-Man adventure to being something far more personal, but in a way that didn’t feel as forced as some of the connections in the earlier movies.
1. Train Fight (Spider-Man 2)
This may be a somewhat predictable choice, but this scene is the pinnacle of any action sequence in a Spider-Man film, and easily in the top 10 (probably top 5) for any superhero movie. The visuals still hold up perfectly, even after 17 years. It fully utilizes an interesting set-piece, instead of some action sequences which think an interesting setting is all you need, without actually tapping its potential. It also displays a great fighting style for the two opponents, as you can see the differences between how each character fights. Of the original three, Spider-Man 2 has the least action and the slowest pacing, but this one battle instantly made up for the previous 90 minutes of mostly dialogue and character building with one of the fastest-paced and most intense scenes in the entire franchise.
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