Despite some controversial decisions, The Amazing Spider-Man franchise is better than most remember. After Tobey Maguire led a cinematic trilogy as Peter Parker, Andrew Garfield took over as Spider-Man for a reboot of the character. Sadly, Garfield would never get to lead a trilogy like both Maguire and Garfield’s successor, Marvel’s Tom Holland. The reason for that was the controversial status of both The Amazing Spider-Man movies, which did not achieve a bigger box office than other Spider-Man films.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2‘s faults, which included character and story decisions, with too much setup for future films, impacted the movie’s performance and the continuation of Garfield’s Peter Parker. Thankfully, the actor came back in the MCU’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, delivering a fantastic performance. That led to fans asking for The Amazing Spider-Man 3 to happen and revisiting Garfield’s Spider-Man films, something that should bring the realization that they are better than remembered.

10

The CGI Still Holds Up

The Amazing Spider-Man Franchise Has Gorgeous Shots

While Tom Holland’s Spider-Man has become one of the most popular characters in the MCU, there is still one major complaint about him. A lot of the time, the MCU Spider-Man suits do not look real due to the CGI used in them. VFX issues related to the wall-crawler were one of the few complaints Spider-Man: No Way Home received when it was released, with Garfield’s Spider-Man looking uncanny when he first appears and when he catches a falling MJ.

In The Amazing Spider-Man movies, the actor never had that problem. Garfield’s two Spider-Man movies had impeccable CGI that still stands as some of the best for superhero movies to this day. Spider-Man’s movements look fluid, and his suit is realistic at all times, looking particularly great in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. The impressive CGI led to kinetic fighting and swinging scenes, with Garfield’s Spider-Man always looking spectacular.

9

The Movies Have The Best Web-Swinging Scenes Out Of The Spider-Man Films

Other Spider-Man Movies Do Not Come Close

Another undeniable strength of The Amazing Spider-Man movies that is directly linked to its great CGI is the fact that none of Holland’s Spider-Man films have been able to beat Garfield’s web-swinging. The Amazing Spider-Man films featured several sequences with Garfield’s hero swinging through New York City, firmly cementing his role as its protector, something that has not appeared throughout Holland’s MCU trilogy as much as fans had hoped.

Every single web-swinging scene in The Amazing Spider-Man movies manages to look incredible. Spider-Man’s suit never feels like CGI either, as the team behind the movie made sure to show all of its creases and imperfections as Garfield’s Peter Parker soared. That gives a sense of realism and dynamic to The Amazing Spider-Man movies that is simply not present in the hero’s other live-action appearances, both past and present.

8

The Amazing Spider-Man Has The Best Live-Action Flash Thompson

The Character Has Some Nuance In The Film

While his participation in the sequel would get deleted, Chris Zylka’s Flash Thompson in The Amazing Spider-Man is easily the best live-action version of the character. In his limited time, Zylka, who is a fine actor with good performances in projects like HBO’s The Leftovers, played the most comic book-accurate Flash Thompson to date. Not only did the actor look like Flash, but Zylka added some nuance to Peter Parker’s bully.

In Maguire’s Spider-Man franchise, Joe Manganiello’s Flash Thompson was just a stereotypical bully with no depth. As for the MCU’s Spider-Man films, Tony Revolori is completely different from the usual Flash, bullying Peter over science instead of physical prowess and being a rich kid instead of someone with a rough life. Zylka started as a torment in the life of Garfield’s Peter Parker, with the character completely shifting to someone who was genuinely sorry and recognized his mistake after Uncle Ben’s death. Zylka would have been perfect for the Agent Venom storyline from the comics.

7

Uncle Ben’s Death Is Handled Well

The Missing MCU Spider-Man Story

One of the most important moments in Spider-Man’s life that defines Peter Parker’s whole world moving forward is the death of Uncle Ben. The Amazing Spider-Man had a tough act to follow, as Maguire’s Spider-Man did an emotional job with the scene and how it impacted the wall-crawler. Still, by updating things to suit the new franchise’s tone, The Amazing Spider-Man delivered another touching version of Uncle Ben’s death.

Garfield’s Peter Parker let a store robber walk away after he gave him the drink the cashier would not allow him to take. Just a little bit later, Uncle Ben died heroically and tragically, trying to take the thief’s gun away after it fell on the floor. After Uncle Ben’s death, Garfield’s Spider-Man starts to violently search for the killer. The MCU has yet to touch on Holland’s Uncle Ben, a choice made after two successful live-action versions of his death.

6

Peter Parker Creates His Web-Shooters

An Exciting Display Among Spider-Man Movies

One of the coolest moments in The Amazing Spider-Man is when Garfield’s Peter Parker attempts to create his web-shooters, failing a couple of times before being successful and glowing from it. That moment cemented the difference between The Amazing Spider-Man franchise and director Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. The reason for that is Maguire’s Spider-Man had organic webbing, which means Spider-Man’s webs came out of his body, not needing mechanical web-shooters.

The MCU’s Spider-Man would follow Garfield’s more popular take on it, though Holland’s Peter Parker mostly wore Spider-Man suits crafted by Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. That led to Garfield’s The Amazing Spider-Man movies being the only ones to really delve into Peter crafting his technological gadgets and Spider-Man suits by himself, being an independent hero. The web-shooter difference between the three cinematic Peter Parkers made for a hilarious conversation in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

5

Aunt May Is Nuanced And More Present Than In Other Spider-Man Movies

One Of The Most Important Spider-Man Characters

All three cinematic versions of Peter Parker’s Aunt May have been charismatic so far. That said, Sally Field’s take on the character in The Amazing Spider-Man movies was the most nuanced yet. Aunt May was happy, sad, disillusioned, furious, and everything in between. Field wore her heart on her sleeve as the character, with The Amazing Spider-Man movies making sure that her Aunt May’s presence was always felt in key moments of Peter Parker’s life.

The MCU recently killed Holland’s Aunt May, played by Marisa Tomei, in Spider-Man: No Way Home. The moment was shocking and emotional, but it could have been made even more impactful if Aunt May had done more in Holland’s Spider-Man movies. Field’s version of the character supports, consoles, and pushes Garfield’s Peter Parker, also having her own struggles, like coping with Uncle Ben’s death and trying to pay bills she did not have the money for, which makes her three-dimensional.

4

The Amazing Spider-Man Franchise Has Exciting Fight Scenes

Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man Faced Major Marvel Comics Villains

The Amazing Spider-Man franchise villains include the Lizard, Electro, Rhino, and the Green Goblin. In his two solo films as Peter Parker, Garfield was part of some of the best live-action fight scenes featuring Spider-Man. For instance, the school battle with the Lizard showed the most spider-like style of fighting that a Spider-Man movie has ever gone for with the hero.

Electro’s lighting bolts made sure that his fights with Garfield’s Spider-Man were visually stunning. The Times Square fight in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the perfect use of the wall-crawler and New York City as a character in the Spider-Man movies. The film’s final Electro fight was also something to behold, with Spider-Man frantically escaping the villain’s electric attacks in a power plant of all places. Spider-Man vs Dane DeHaan’s Green Goblin was another great fight due to the high stakes it brought.

3

Peter Parker And Gwen Stacy’s Chemistry Is Off The Charts

The Best Spider-Man Movie Couple

The most important element of The Amazing Spider-Man movies was the chemistry between Garfield’s Peter Parker and Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy. Sparks flew whenever they were in a scene together, with Stone having a lot of screen time as Gwen Stacy in her two Spider-Man movies. It was also for the best that The Amazing Spider-Man movies did not even bother to give Garfield’s Peter Parker another possible love interest.

The Peter and Gwen relationship was the aspect of the franchise that was a constant high point, even when other elements faltered. Despite the popularity of the relationship between Holland’s Peter Parker and Zendaya’s MJ in the MCU, the chemistry Garfield and Stone shared was just off the charts, becoming the best part of The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. Due to that, the couple is easily the best among live-action Spider-Man movies.

2

Andrew Garfield Is Perfect As Spider-Man

There Is No Bad Spider-Man Movie Actor

Sure, the comments that Garfield’s version of Peter Parker was “too cool” for the character have continued since he first debuted as the Marvel hero. However, despite his skateboard skills not being a common Peter Parker trait, Garfield’s version of the character is quite compelling, presenting a charismatic Peter who is a genius and can create his own gadgets and is also capable of exploding on others as he has done in the comics.

While fans could have their issues with how accurate Garfield’s Peter was, The Amazing Spider-Man movies show that when the actor had his mask on, no one else could beat him. Garfield’s take on Spider-Man is the best in live-action, with the actor just transforming into the Marvel hero when suited up, having the perfect quips at all times, heartwarming moments while saving NYC citizens, and Garfield delivering a masterclass of how to act with his body since he had his face covered. His Spider-Man was always able to let his emotions shine through.

1

Gwen Stacy’s Death Is One Of The Most Impactful In Superhero Movies

Emma Stone Was The Heart Of The Franchise

With superhero movies, the stakes are always high for those involved. A great superhero film gives the sense that anyone could die, and that is what The Amazing Spider-Man 2 did. Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy got the character’s iconic death from Marvel Comics, being dropped by Green Goblin and dying. The fact that Garfield’s Spider-Man tried his best to save her but could not was heartbreaking.

Perhaps it was for the best that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was the end of Garfield’s solo Spider-Man movies, as a continuation of the franchise without Gwen would not have worked. Gwen Stacy’s death scene in the movie was so emotional that it led to one of the very best moments in Spider-Man: No Way Home, with Garfield’s Peter saving Zendaya’s MJ in a very similar situation. The death is one of the most impactful moments in The Amazing Spider-Man franchise and any superhero movie ever.

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  The Amazing Spider-Man

  PG-13

  Where to Watch

  *Availability in US

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  In Andrew Garfield’s first film as the iconic Marvel superhero, Peter Parker gains his powers and his alter ego as Spider-Man. Meanwhile, the Lizard is a growing threat, and Spider-Man must use his newfound abilities to save the day.

  Director

  Marc Webb

  Release Date

  
  July 3, 2012
  

  Writers

  Steve Kloves
  , James Vanderbilt
  , Alvin Sargent

  Cast

  Martin Sheen
  , Denis Leary
  , Sally Field
  , Rhys Ifans
  , Campbell Scott
  , Andrew Garfield
  , Irrfan Khan
  , Emma Stone

  Runtime

  136 minutes

• 

  The Amazing Spider-Man 2

  PG-13

  Where to Watch

  *Availability in US

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  In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Andrew Garfield returns to the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, dealing with balancing his life as a high school student and his responsibilities as a hero. After reconnecting with his old friend, Harry Osborn, Peter learns details regarding his late father’s mysterious past and begins to connect the dots that his father’s disappearance, the emergence of new supervillains, and other dark dealings in his city are all connected to Oscorp. 

  Director

  Marc Webb

  Release Date

  
  May 2, 2014
  

  Writers

  Jeff Pinkner
  , James Vanderbilt
  , Alex Kurtzman
  , Roberto Orci

  Cast

  Andrew Garfield
  , Felicity Jones
  , Chris Cooper
  , Emma Stone
  , Martin Sheen
  , Paul Giamatti
  , Sally Field
  , Jamie Foxx
  , Dane DeHaan

  Runtime

  142 minutes