Spider-Man: Brand New Day is officially out, and the verdict is in: audiences love it. Critics, too, have been kind to Tom Holland‘s fourth outing as the Friendly Neighborhood, which sees him dealing with some growing pains as he tries to live a life of solitude and anonymity. The film is currently experiencing massive success, breaking all kinds of records and signaling a positive future for Holland’s version of the character.

The action in Brand New Day is certainly a highlight, but how does it compare to the three previous movies? Say what you will about them, but the action has always been a strong suit of the MCU’s Spidey movies, and this latest effort proves it. Which of the four movies is the best in this crucial department, though? The answer might surprise you. This list will only count solo Spidey outings, meaning no Avengers movies will be included. Not that Spidey needs them, because he has proven himself more than capable of offering explosive spectacle by himself.

4

‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ (2017)

Spidey’s first MCU outing is a safe movie that has aged rather averagely. 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming focuses on Peter’s first adventure as a superhero following his stint at the airport battle in Captain America: Civil War. The film sees Peter learning how to be a proper superhero while facing Adrian Toomes, AKA The Vulture (Michael Keaton), an arms dealer who uses a powerful suit built from Chitauri technology. However, Peter has some much-needed help from Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and his tech gadgets.

A suitably small-scale adventure for a blossoming hero, Spider-Man: Homecoming very much feels like a by-the-book movie, with by-the-book action sequences that never disappoint but don’t quite impress. The highlight is Spidey’s last battle with Vulture, which grounds things in a grittier brawl that makes the stakes feel more personal. The other action sequences are standard superhero fare, from the Washington Monument rescue to the large-scale fight on the ferry. The film is not bad by any measure, but it’s also not particularly impressive or memorable, and the same goes for the action. It’s always a delight seeing Keaton chewing scenery, though, and he brings a physicality to the Vulture that’s much appreciated.

3

‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ (2019)

Spider-Man: Far From Home picks up after the events of Avengers: Endgame, meaning Tony is dead and Peter has just returned after five years of being blipped. While on holiday in Europe, Peter tries to take a break from his superhero duties to enjoy his vacation and confess his love for MJ (Zendaya). However, a new threat emerges in the form of the Elementals, powerful beings based on, you guessed it, the four elements. Peter is then recruited by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) himself, teaming up with the newly emerged supposed hero Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) to stop the Elementals.

Far From Home is often considered the worst of Holland’s Spidey outings, and for good reason. The plot barely makes sense, and the Elementals are a terrible addition; the VFX that bring them to life aren’t great, resulting in bloated action sequences with tons of explosions but very little immersion. However, the film has one major saving grace: Mysterio. Not only is Gyllenhaal having the time of his life playing the sleazy Quentin Beck, but the VFX used are among the best in any Spider-Man movie. The illusion sequence where Mysterio toys with Spidey is probably the single best thing the MCU has ever done with the arachnid, ripped straight out of the comic book page. In fact, the scene is so great that it single-handedly prevents Far From Home from taking the last spot on this list.

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‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ (2026)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

The latest entry in the Holland Spidey saga is probably the best thing the MCU has done since… well, since the last Spidey movie. Spider-Man: Brand New Day takes place four years after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Everyone has forgotten who Peter Parker is, meaning the young hero leads a solitary life centered around his superhero responsibilities. Suddenly, his body starts going through a peculiar transformation as the spider hormones in his body increase exponentially. Meanwhile, a new threat begins targeting the Department of Damage Control, sending the Wall-Crawler on a chase for an enemy he cannot see.

Brand New Day presents a more mature version of Spider-Man, and this shift in tone also applies to the narrative and the action. Pleasantly, a huge part of the narrative focuses on Peter’s personal life, but the action scenes are just as important and, as it turns out, as impressive. The highlights are the battle against the Hulk and the climactic showdown against the Hand. These two set pieces showcase Spider-Man at his best: the former shows Peter at his most resourceful and ingenious against an enemy that could easily overpower him; meanwhile, the latter shows Peter at his more mature, finally coming to terms with his new situation. Besides, the film’s version of the Hulk is the most accurate we’ve seen in the last decade or so, and the fact that Peter is able to keep up with him is nothing short of impressive. Brand New Day is an overall exciting entry in Peter’s journey, signalling a bright future for Holland in the MCU.

1

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Holland’s third Spidey adventure pulled out all the stops, providing fans with the MCU’s first, and arguably best, take on the multiverse. Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Peter reeling from having his identity revealed to the entire world by Mysterio. As he attempts to keep things together in his personal and heroic lives, new threats from across the multiverse arrive at his doorstep following a botched spell from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Now, Peter must find a way to set things right not only for his universe but for the multiversal villains, who might not be lost causes after all.

Spider-Man: No Way Home, or “fan service done right,” is the most ambitious project starring the Wall-Crawler, bar none. The film brings back many beloved actors from the previous Spider-Man franchises to deliver an exciting adventure that still packs quite the emotional punch. In the action department, the film more than delivers, with several exhilarating sequences that allow the villains to shine. The standouts are the fight against Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) at the bridge, the savage brawl at Happy’s apartment building, and Peter’s one-on-one against Doctor Strange in the mirror dimension. Of course, the climactic showdown featuring the three Spider-Men is great, albeit more out of nostalgia and the sheer excitement of seeing these three actors together rather than for the actual quality of the scene.