Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire is a hallmark of superhero cinema, marking the beginning of a long and illustrious era of comic book movies that would eventually spawn the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As beloved as these films have become over the last two decades, they are far from perfect. With the added benefit of hindsight, as well as two additional franchises starring Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland as the web-slinging superhero, Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man trilogy can now be viewed in a more impartial light. As such, there are certain harsh realities that come with rewatching this classic yet deeply flawed franchise of superhero films.
Tobey Maguire first portrayed Peter Parker in 2002's Spider-Man, which, alongside projects like X-Men and Blade, is often credited as one of the most important films in kickstarting Marvel's successful movie run. Maguire later returned for two sequels in 2004 and 2007, respectively, but officially laid down the role when Sony opted to reboot the franchise rather than make Spider-Man 4. Nevertheless, nearly twenty years after the first movie, Maguire made a surprise return in Spider-Man: No Way Home, ing forces with Garfield and Holland's variants for a multiversal adventure. The events of No Way Home have even spawned countless rumors that Maguire's Spider-Man could return for future Marvel projects.
8 James Franco Is In The Spider-Man Trilogy
James Franco plays a key part in the Spider-Man trilogy as Peter Parker's best friend turned enemy, Harry Osborn. However, Franco's real-life actions have severely soured his presence in the Raimiverse. Beginning with a 2018 article in the LA Times, Franco became the subject of multiple sexual misconduct allegations, eventually resulting in a steep downward spiral for the actor's career. Even though Franco's work in the Spider-Man trilogy came long before these allegations, it is still difficult to watch his scenes knowing more details about the actor's unsavory future actions. Similarly, one may find that Franco's portrayal of Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man films is far from his best work.
7 Emo Peter Parker's Spider-Man 3 Dance Is More Cringey Now
Unquestionably the most controversial scene in the entire Spider-Man trilogy sees Peter Parker, under the influence of the Venom symbiote, dancing down the street in what has become known in the realm of memes as the "Emo Peter Parker" dance sequence. This ill-advised scene almost didn't make Spider-Man 3's final cut--and for obvious reasons. The moment, which was cringey even in 2007, has only aged worse with each ing year, as audiences are forced to watch their favorite superhero's painful dance moves as onlookers give him the stink eye. And, while it may be a funny scene, it's for all the wrong reasons.
6 Spider-Man 3's Venom Is Worse After Tom Hardy's Version
Spider-Man 3's main villain is Venom (Topher Grace), a character whose severe mischaracterization is made even worse by Tom Hardy's portrayal of the character. While Hardy's series of Venom films are far from perfect, they do make a genuine attempt to understand the character of Eddie Brock and his relationship with the Venom symbiote. Raimi's version of Venom is as generic as it gets and not at all compelling. He famously didn't want the symbiote in the movie, and his lack of interest in the character shows. In light of the Venom franchise, Spider-Man 3's villain looks even worse.
5 The Spider-Man Movies' VFX Has (Inevitably) Aged Badly
It shouldn't be at all surprising that the Spider-Man trilogy's special effects and CGI haven't aged particularly well. While impressive for the early 2000s, the Spider-Man films' VFX simply doesn't hold up when viewed under a modern lens. There are several scenes that have proven infamous for this very reason, including a moment in the original film wherein Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) incinerates his former business partners, leaving behind laughably fake skeletons. However, while it is easy to fault Spider-Man for its twenty-year-old CGI, it is also important to note that even modern superhero movies struggle with similar problems, including some of the latest installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
4 MJ Is Wildly Different From Marvel Comics' Version
Kirsten Dunst's role as Mary Jane Watson is wildly different from the version of Peter Parker's main love interest in Marvel Comics. MJ's comic book counterpart is fun-loving, independent, and ive of Peter while still fighting for her own needs as an individual. The Spider-Man trilogy's version of MJ Watson is decidedly different, portraying her as somewhat emotionally manipulative and, at times, flat-out selfish. While Kirsten Dunst's post-Spider-Man career has featured many other, better characters, it is still difficult to look past the wildly mischaracterized version of MJ in her early acting days. Thankfully, audiences got a much better version of the character in Zendaya's portrayal in the MCU.
3 Spider-Man's High School Character Actors Are Clearly In Their 20s
A common fault in films centered around high schoolers is that the actors therein are clearly not teenagers. This is abundantly evident in 2002's Spider-Man, which features a cast of actors well into their twenties despite portraying characters in their late teenage years. For example, Peter Parker, who is supposed to be seventeen years old during the events of the first movie, is portrayed by a twenty-seven-year-old Tobey Maguire. The only main actor actually close to her character's age was Kirsten Dunst, who was nineteen at the time of filming. Nevertheless, not a single member of the film's main cast even remotely resembles their high school-age character.
2 Maguire's Spider-Man Quips Haven't Aged Well (Especially After Garfield & Holland)
Despite Spider-Man being a character known for his quips and witty repartee, Maguire's superhero is surprisingly devoid of the hilarious one-liners that have become so closely associated with the character. Maguire's quips are few and far between, and what few jokes he does crack in battle come off as more mean than they are funny. This is something that both Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland improved on in their renditions of Spider-Man, with both proving to be far funnier than Maguire's hero. However, upon Maguire's return in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it is clear that the filmmakers sought to add a bit more levity to his version of the character.
1 Peter Parker & MJ's Romance Is Not Well Done
A major part of the original Spider-Man trilogy is its romance between Peter Parker and MJ which, looking back, is not particularly well done. Neither character treats the other particularly well, as both engage in mind games and emotional manipulation throughout the entire trilogy. This truth is even acknowledged in No Way Home, with Maguire's character itting that his romance with MJ is still "complicated" even twenty years after the beginning of their relationship. Thankfully, the romance between the MCU's Peter Parker and MJ Watson is much healthier, having learned its lesson from the abundantly toxic relationship at the center of the original Spider-Man trilogy.
