20 years ago this week...Spider-Man was released- Is it the best superhero movie? 1 1

[dhgladiator]

Yes, we love the print versions of our comics and we love to discuss different artists’ versions of our beloved characters but now that the film versions are reaching important milestones, like the 20th anniversary of Tobey Maguire as the web slinger, we can finally discuss the importance of this adaptation.

So, 20 years on, is the 2002 version of Spider-Man, the best movie adaptation of the character? Is it the best superhero movie ever (at least amongst all the Marvel character adaptations)? Where does the movie sit in your opinion amongst the canon 20 years later?

[Ken Aldred]

You’re bound to get differences of opinion on what the best movie in any genre is.  It’s a subjective choice.

For instance, I think the second film is far superior. 

Edited May 6, 2022 by Ken Aldred

[Cat]

I agree, the second film is far better, and it's nowhere close to being the best superhero film. Offhand I'm still inclined to give that to X2. 

[dhgladiator]

On 5/6/2022 at 7:43 AM, Ken Aldred said:

You’re bound to get differences of opinion on what the best movie in any genre is.  It’s a subjective choice.

For instance, I think the second film is far superior. 

Opinions, of course that’s what I’m interested in. Why is the second movie better than the first? Given that the second movie came out in 2004, 18 years ago, based on all the Marvel movies since then, is the 18 year old movie better than all the Marvel movies since then?

[dhgladiator]

On 5/6/2022 at 7:50 AM, Cat said:

I agree, the second film is far better, and it's nowhere close to being the best superhero film. Offhand I'm still inclined to give that to X2. 

Interesting, X2 will be celebrating its 20 year release date next year. So are you saying that almost 20 years on no Marvel movie beats X2? If so, why? What’s missing from later movies?

[theCapraAegagrus]

I tend not to use "best", because that's usually a descriptor for quality, and most movies are of such high quality these days.

My favorite CBM is probably Man of Steel, not Spider-Man. I love those first two Raimi movies a lot, though.

[EastEnd1]

The Tobey Maguire Spider-Mans are still my favorites among the Marvel movies.  Best superhero movie of all though is still the first (and maybe second) Christopher Reeve Superman to me... just epic in comparison.  Reeve WAS Superman and some of the music still gives me chills...

[Cat]

On 5/6/2022 at 9:59 PM, dhgladiator said:

Interesting, X2 will be celebrating its 20 year release date next year. So are you saying that almost 20 years on no Marvel movie beats X2? If so, why? What’s missing from later movies?

X2 was fantastical, but felt so grounded at all times. There were always moments to remind us this was taking place in the real world, eg Bobby's talk to his parents about being a mutant (ignoring for a moment the obvious allegory there) grounding us right before/after we get a big action scene when the police arrive. It all feels real. 

The story is great, giving us such memorable scenes as the opener with Nightcrawler (who doesn't remember that?) and for the first time ever on the big screen, we see Wolverine in a real beserker rage, and people pay for that. It's what we wanted to see. 

Then we get the poignant ending, after the admittedly funny part where Scott is confessing his love to the Professor and you're thinking they're going to kiss. It ends with the best teaser of all time, of ALL time. The Phoenix symbol visible in the water. 

Really, X 1 and 2 are basically 1 whole film, with the first being a trailer for the second, but even without that, it's fine and manages to hold its own weight. 

[shadroch]

No film caught the sheer fun Spiderman gets from web-swinging like the 2002 movie. I'd always thought swinging from building to building kind of sucked when compared to leaping them in  a single bound but Toby made me realize what I was missing.

[Cat]

On 5/6/2022 at 10:56 PM, shadroch said:

No film caught the sheer fun Spiderman gets from web-swinging like the 2002 movie. I'd always thought swinging from building to building kind of sucked when compared to leaping them in  a single bound but Toby made me realize what I was missing.

[dhgladiator]

On 5/6/2022 at 8:44 AM, EastEnd1 said:

The Tobey Maguire Spider-Mans are still my favorites among the Marvel movies.  Best superhero movie of all though is still the first (and maybe second) Christopher Reeve Superman to me... just epic in comparison.  Reeve WAS Superman and some of the music still gives me chills...

I think a great similarity between the Reeve Superman movies and the First Tobey Maguire movie are the family connections between the hero and their surrogate parents. The dynamic between Peter and uncle Ben and Aunt May when compared to Ma and Pa Kent give both movies a humanizing tone that is mostly missing from other superhero films. There is something about that dynamic that I enjoy. The death of uncle Ben and when aunt May receives the news in the Maguire movie is a scene that still lingers in my memory.

[EastEnd1]

On 5/6/2022 at 9:08 AM, dhgladiator said:

I think a great similarity between the Reeve Superman movies and the First Tobey Maguire movie are the family connections between the hero and their surrogate parents. The dynamic between Peter and uncle Ben and Aunt May when compared to Ma and Pa Kent give both movies a humanizing tone that is mostly missing from other superhero films. There is something about that dynamic that I enjoy. The death of uncle Ben and when aunt May receives the news in the Maguire movie is a scene that still lingers in my memory.

Agreed... the best superhero movies to me are the ones that have "heart" at their core and both series have that in spades.

[darkstar]

Maguire makes it unwatchable 

[dhgladiator]

On 5/6/2022 at 9:36 AM, EastEnd1 said:

Agreed... the best superhero movies to me are the ones that have "heart" at their core and both series have that in spades.

Agreed. However, between the two for overall best movie, I’d give the edge to Spider-Man because of the villain.

[EastEnd1]

On 5/6/2022 at 10:24 AM, dhgladiator said:

Agreed. However, between the two for overall best movie, I’d give the edge to Spider-Man because of the villain.

Willem DeFoe over Gene Hackman?!  And don't forget Superman has Brando!  How do you beat Brando!

Just kidding... I agree that the Superman movies definitely need to retire Lex Luthor.  Just one of many steps WB needs to make to restore the character.

(Now General Zod in Superman 2... that was a villain!)

[Axe Elf]

Mystery Men...

"Gentlemen, we've got a blind date with destiny... and it looks like she's ordered the lobster."

[MR SigS]

I loved the first Spider-Man film until there were more films to measure against it. The 2nd was much better. What I do NOT like about the films with Uncle Ben is that instead of just having Ben's murder naturally being a tragedy in itself, they have him and Peter argue beforehand.

I suppose it's an unfortunate sign of the times. Maybe the writer[s ] didn't think the scenario was horrible enough by 2002's standards, so they added an extra element that they felt was more relatable to a 2002 audience than it was to a 1962 reader. Whatever the reason, I just didn't like that both Uncle Ben deaths followed a bitter argument. Having one of the two most important people in one's life being murdered should be enough, but they reduced the legendary bond these two had to just an average one that was close to crumbling with one fight. It didn't feel "natural" to this fan, but then, I wasn't their primary target as I'm sure they assumed I and every other fan would by a ticket without question.

.It's a character flaw neither character had in AF15. I was relieved they didn't go for the hat trick with the Tom Holland version. In fact, the brief mention Peter[Holland] gave to the scenario (I can't recall who he was speaking with- Stark, probably) was the closest to the true origin simply because there was no hint that there was an argument- Just the murder. It was enough for me to forgive them for making Aunt May "unusually attractive."

[MattTheDuck]

I was really excited and nervous about the first Spider-Man movie before it came out.  I was very pleased with the outcome - this was the Spider-Man I knew from my collecting of the title in the 70s.  I thought they treated this project with respect, like it was a real thing not "just" a comic book character.  The only disappointment for me was that they used a technological solution to the Goblin's costume, rather than using the one from the comics.  It's blasphemy, but I only accepted and didn't really like DeFoe's portrayal, particularly some of his facial expressions.  The need to portray him as crazy rather than just schizo/vengeful, incredibly smart and clever was a bad choice.  I was glad to see him smash the helmet in NWH.

That said, I also liked Spider-Man #2 better.  The Doc Ock portrayal was right on the money.  To me the best of the first 5 Spider-Man movies.

Avengers is the best Marvel movie (again, blasphemy) because the story was respectful to the characters I knew and come on - that "And Hulk. Smash!" line is one of the greatest things that's ever happened in any movie ever.  They threw in so many familiar things like that it was - and is - a joy for me to watch.  I've seen it many more times than a mentally healthy person would have.

I have to say that The Dark Knight is way up on my list.  I find most of the DC stuff since then virtually unwatchable and thought it was a horrible error in judgment to recast the Joker so soon after Ledger's portrayal.

In any event, I feel about all the "comic book" movies the way I felt about The Lord of the Rings movies - grateful that someone cared about this material I love enough to try and do it justice, even if they sometimes failed.

[lostboys]

Its still #1 in my household.

[Robot Man]

The first Spider-Man movie to me will always be the best. Spider-Man was my “gateway drug” into Marvel. #3 was the first one I ever bought off the stands. It immediately grabbed me like no comic ever had. Sure he was a superhero but he was first and foremost a regular kid. Stan Lee said it best “with great power comes great responsibility”. A log got a regular kid to deal with.

The film was very accurate to the comic. I could almost feel the pages being turned on the screen. Everything was spot on to me except one thing.

The organic web. In the comics, his web would eventually run out and he had to use head to get out of a jam. Not so in the film. I got over it.

I thought Toby McGuire was a great choice. Like Sean Connery as 007, he his the mark to beat.

Now a hard choice as to my favorite superhero movie.

I would put The Dark Knight neck and neck with Spider-Man. Christian Bale was a decent Batman, no Michael Keaton, but Heath Ledger’s Joker knocked it out of the park and stole the show. Redefined the character.

Now, I’m not a huge fan of superhero movies in the first place. Like superhero comics pretty predictable and often, I feel like to many “liberties” are often taken with the characters. So there are many I’ve never seen.

These two are the pinnicle to me.

Now, I’m still waiting for a Spectre movie. If done well…