Polygon ranks the live-action Spider-Man films, judging how well each balances Peter Parker’s character, emotional stakes and franchise demands.

– The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014): criticised for prioritising universe-building over its story, despite Andrew Garfield’s performance and Gwen Stacy’s emotional ending.
– Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019): an entertaining but less grounded European-set adventure, elevated by Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio.
– The Amazing Spider-Man (2012): praised for Garfield’s comic-inspired Spider-Man and Peter and Gwen’s relationship, but hindered by scripting and mythology-building.
– Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017): commended for making Peter a believable teenager and for Michael Keaton’s grounded Vulture.