Years before “Iron Man” and the rest of the MCU dominated the box office, director Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy helped usher in the golden age of superhero blockbusters. 2002’s “Spider-Man” and its two sequels — 2004’s “Spider-Man 2” and 2007’s “Spider-Man 3” — are pathetic superhero movies at their peak, and I’m sad to say they’re leaving Netflix very soon. But you still have time to binge them before then.
On August 31Sam Raimi's “Spider-Man” trilogy, as well as Andrew Garfield's role as the web-slinging superhero in “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” will all be removed from Netflix's library. That leaves you with about a week and a half (at the time of writing) to watch the films that helped make superhero movies the Hollywood tour de force they are today.
You'll still be able to catch all five films, as well as the MCU “Spider-Man” movies starring Tom Holland, on Disney Plus. Be sure to check out our handy guide to watching all the Marvel movies in order for your next binge-watching session.
What is Sam Raimi's “Spider-Man” trilogy about?
![SPIDER-MAN [2002] – Official Trailer (HD) – YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/t06RUxPbp_c/maxresdefault.jpg)
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Stop me if you've heard this phrase before: “With great power comes great responsibility.” The phrase has become synonymous with the web-slinging hero, so much so that Tony Stark cut the MCU's version of Peter Parker short before it could be completed. But audiences first heard it on the big screen in 2002's “Spider-Man,” which introduced us to Peter Parker, played by Tobey Macguire in a career-defining role.
While on a school trip with his high school senior, gentle, outgoing Peter is bitten by a genetically engineered spider that grants him increased strength, a web that shoots in his sleep, and other superhuman powers. As he learns to control his newfound powers, he enters a wrestling competition, hoping to use the prize money to buy a car to impress his crush, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst), but his winnings are stolen.
When a thief makes off with the prize money, a still-bitter Peter lets him escape—a decision that will forever change the trajectory of his life. The thief shoots Peter's uncle, Ben (Cliff Robertson), and as he lies dying, he utters the iconic line that convinces Peter to start using his powers for good.
He must balance a budding photography career and a potential romance with Mary Jane, all while battling the Green Goblin, who is terrorizing New York City. Raimi uses innovative camera techniques, like quick zooms and shifting pans, to evoke the aesthetic of the original Spider-Man comics, making this classic superhero origin story stand out even more than two decades later.
The sequel manages to be just as impressive as the original, seeing Peter go up against Alfred Molina's Doc Ock, the de facto villain of his era and the template for fleshed-out superhero villains in years to come like Thanos.
Yes, 'Spider-Man 3' is as bad as you remember…but that's part of its charm
While the third act of the trilogy was disappointing and didn't live up to expectations, Spider-Man 3 is still a fun movie to watch if you go into it with moderate expectations. I love the unnecessarily dark and bold makeovers that franchises have gotten left and right throughout the 2000s, and Spider-Man 3 is one of the most iconic.
After being corrupted by the Venom symbiote, Peter's mood swings between meditating in a black Spider-Man suit in the rain atop the Empire State Building and dancing in the street in a scene that goes on uncomfortably long. I remember how awkward my friends and I were watching it in theaters, and it's just as unnerving watching it again.
The film has been so used in meme movies in the decades since that it's easy to forget what an absolute fever dream it is. That said, between its kitschy “of a time” aesthetic, Thomas Haden Church's performance as the lovable villain Sandman, and the special effects that still hold up surprisingly well, it's become something of a cult classic since its disastrous release.
Sam Raimi's “Spider-Man” trilogy is streaming on Netflix until August 31.