All 4 Tobey Maguire ‘Spider-Man’ Movies, Ranked

Spider-Man is a type of characters who’s been performed a number of occasions now by actors in high-profile live-action motion pictures, so that may make choosing the “greatest” Peter Parker/Spider-Man actor tough or, on the very least, doubtlessly divisive. It’s not like Superman, the place the answer is pretty clearly Christopher Reeve (sorry, Henry), but it surely could be slightly simpler than choosing the very best Batman actor, as a result of there have been ever extra high-profile actors who’ve performed that character in live-action. With Peter Parker/Spider-Man, then, the three massive ones are Tobey Maguire, who performed him in a trilogy between 2002 and 2007, Andrew Garfield, who starred in two Amazing Spider-Man motion pictures within the 2010s, and Tom Holland, who had three solo movies as Spider-Man within the MCU (the third of that bunch additionally featured Maguire and Garfield in supporting roles).

It’s straightforward to be fondest of Tobey Maguire’s portrayal, although. He introduced an ungainly allure and endearing on a regular basis high quality to each Peter Parker and Spider-Man, and, sure, nostalgia may additionally play an element in his movies being notably well-loved, regardless of a few of their flaws. What follows is a rundown of every time Maguire performed the character (4 in whole), rating these movies and Maguire’s contributions to them, beginning with the considerably flawed, and ending with one all-time nice superhero film he starred/shone in.

4 ‘Spider-Man 3’ (2007)

Directed by Sam Raimi

It’s potential to really feel slightly torn about Spider-Man 3, because it’s a film of highs and lows (not in an Akira Kurosawa way, although). This was Sam Raimi’s closing Spider-Man film with Tobey Maguire, and the final time the latter performed the hero for a few decade and a half. In an try to go greater than what got here earlier than, Spider-Man 3 does type of over-extend itself, making its titular hero conflict with quite a few villains within the one film, which has the influence of dulling the potential of sure characters. Venom, specifically, will get used fairly haphazardly, however at the least Spider-Man 3 is healthier than a few of his solo motion pictures that started coming out about a decade later.

But, inside the realm of flawed Sony Marvel movies, Spider-Man 3 can’t be thought-about one of many worst, as a result of components of it are a blast. There’s some superb comedy right here that seemingly wasn’t appreciated as intentional camp again in 2007, however has discovered new appreciators because the years have gone on. There are some actually meme-worthy scenes and features discovered all through Spider-Man 3; maybe much more than there have been within the first two Raimi + Maguire collaborations, and such moments make the movie straightforward sufficient to take a seat by means of. There may be nonetheless a barely pissed off feeling one may really feel when watching Spider-Man 3, conscious that there are good moments discovered alongside some shakier ones. It’s an general fairly good film that, if dealt with slightly extra rigorously, may’ve been fairly nice, but it surely’s nonetheless an indication that Tobey Maguire had an excellent run together with his Spider-Man motion pictures if one thing this first rate (roughly) is his relative worst.

3 ‘Spider-Man: No Manner House’ (2021)

Directed by Jon Watts

Thanks to some multiverse-related chaos, Spider-Man: No Way Home finally ends up providing you with three Spider-Males for the value of 1. That’s not almost as many Spider-Individuals as you get in both Into the Spider-Verse or Across the Spider-Verse, but it surely’s the standard quite than the amount that counts right here, as a result of these additional Spider-Males are performed by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, reprising their roles and sharing the display screen with Tom Holland. It’s nonetheless Holland’s film, and possibly the very best Spider-Man movie he’s been in thus far. It will additionally fairly simply rely as the very best Spider-Man film Garfield has starred in (his two solo outings didn’t give him as a lot to work with as he deserved, however he was good).

So, it’s a testomony to the very best Tobey Maguire Spider-Man flicks that No Manner House is not his greatest. He is likely one of the greatest components of it, given the movie will get off to a barely rocky begin however actually finds its footing once the first act is over… and Maguire + Garfield do take some time to indicate up, with their inclusion treated like a twist (one which’s in all probability not stunning to many viewers these days, although). It’s price it, in the long run, to see the trio of Twenty first-century live-action Spider-Man actors collectively, and for the very fact it brings again a handful of iconic foes (plus their actors) for the Spider-Males to battle. No Manner House will be messy, is probably a tiny bit overstuffed, and lacks a sure visible spark/fashion the Raimi motion pictures have, however all the great right here does inevitably outweigh many of the not-so-good.

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Spider-Man: No Manner House

With Spider-Man’s identification now revealed, Peter asks Physician Unusual for assist. When a spell goes mistaken, harmful foes from different worlds begin to seem, forcing Peter to find what it actually means to be Spider-Man.

Launch Date

December 17, 2021

Solid

Tom Holland , Zendaya , Benedict Cumberbatch , Jacob Batalon , Jon Favreau , Jamie Foxx , Willem Dafoe , Alfred Molina , Benedict Wong , Tony Revolori , Marisa Tomei , Andrew Garfield , Tobey Maguire

Runtime

148 Minutes

2 ‘Spider-Man’ (2002)

Directed by Sam Raimi

You may’t level to Spider-Man as the primary big-budget superhero film to be a mammoth important and business success, given motion pictures like Superman (1978), Batman (1989), and X-Men (2000) pre-dated it, but it surely actually contributed to elevating the superhero genre overall. Since Spider-Man’s launch in 2002, there have been too many large-scale – and largely profitable – comedian e-book movies to rely, which might render this explicit film slightly quaint in hindsight. However therein lies its allure, too. This can be a easy and simply approachable film that is not afraid of being both sincere and a little goofy. There’s a tough tonal stability to stroll, however Spider-Man does it surprisingly nicely, even when its sequel – launched two years later – did it even higher.

Spider-Man is an origin story for Peter Parker/Spider-Man, going over some story beats which are acquainted by now, however in all probability felt contemporary for an excellent many viewers in 2002 who weren’t acquainted with comics. Tobey Maguire and the opposite actors right here won’t be tremendous convincing as youngsters, however Maguire does carry a youthful vulnerability to Peter Parker, and his willingness to commit wholeheartedly to each the humorous and unhappy scenes right here does make the character extra compelling. Peter has his flaws and struggles, as well as his heroic qualities, and Maguire proved capable of deal with all elements of the character. When the subsequent movie gave him even higher materials to work with, he shone even brighter, someway. Talking of…

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Spider-Man

After being bitten by a genetically-modified spider, a shy teenager beneficial properties spider-like talents that he makes use of to struggle injustice as a masked superhero and face a vengeful enemy.

Launch Date

Might 3, 2002

Runtime

121 minutes

1 ‘Spider-Man 2’ (2004)

Directed by Sam Raimi

Proving even funnier, extra action-packed, and customarily extra emotional than Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 seems like a pretty much perfect sequel. It goes greater when it must, however by no means overdoes it. The motion is extra thrilling, however as a continuation of Peter Parker’s story, it arguably will get extra introspective and private. It will get to the center of what being Spider-Man at a difficult point in life (young adulthood) may realistically really feel like. In methods each small and monumental, Peter Parker is challenged, with the world attempting to beat him down repeatedly, forcing him to confront the alternatives he is made and whether or not he can proceed being the masked hero New York Metropolis wants.

Which may make Spider-Man 2 sound gritty and intense, but it surely’s additionally simply as bombastic and wacky a comic book e-book film as Spider-Man and Spider-Man 3 can get. It combines silliness and sincerity in such an entirely involving method, feeling like a labor of affection in the case of the way in which it’s written, directed, put collectively, and acted. Maguire can be at his greatest right here, and Peter Parker’s dilemmas and struggles have scarcely been so involving and dramatic – once more, each in massive and small methods. Spider-Man 2 is actually considered one of the best movies of its decade, and will nicely be an all-time great superhero/blockbuster movie, too. It’s a basic, and few motion pictures of its sort come close to touching its greatness.

Launch Date

June 25, 2004

Runtime

127

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