movie review the best man

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The Best Man

Just before his best friend's wedding, the life of a Chicago writer becomes crazy when his best friend guesses that his new book's story is based on his bride's fervent past. Just before his best friend's wedding, the life of a Chicago writer becomes crazy when his best friend guesses that his new book's story is based on his bride's fervent past. Just before his best friend's wedding, the life of a Chicago writer becomes crazy when his best friend guesses that his new book's story is based on his bride's fervent past.

• Malcolm D. Lee
• Morris Chestnut
• 90 User reviews
• 31 Critic reviews
• 61 Metascore
• 8 wins & 11 nominations

Top cast 40

• Harper Stewart

• Jordan Armstrong

• Lance Sullivan

• Julian Murch

• Uncle Skeeter

• Wedding Coordinator

• (as Willie Carpenter)

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

'The Best Man' Cast Through the Years

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• Trivia During the scene after the bachelor party when Harper (Taye Diggs) was at Jordan's (Nia Long) apartment, Jordan slaps Harper. The slap was unscripted. Nia Long improvised because she felt "something was missing." Taye Diggs', "Whoo," reaction was real and he was angry at Nia for hitting him so hard. Once he saw it on screen, he liked the scene.
• Goofs When the guys are playing cards and Lance gets mad and jumps across the table at Q, everything flies off the table. In the next shot the table is back and not disturbed.

Jordan Armstrong : You know, maybe if I had the luxury of getting my ass whooped, I could be calm right now. But I have been drinking tequila shots, my hormones are raging out of control, I'm emotional, I'm horny, and I don't wanna hear about no goddamn peas! Fuck you! Good night!

• Connections Featured in Ginuwine, R.L., Tyrese & Case: The Best Man I Can Be (1999)
• Soundtracks What You Want Written by Tariq Trotter , Scott Storch , Mike Lowe, Jaguar Wright (as Jacqueline Wright), Questlove (as Ahmir Thompson) Produced by Grand Wizard w/ Scott Storch (as S. Storch), M. Lowe, Richard Nichols (as R. Nichols) Performed by The Roots featuring Jaguar Wright (as Jaguar) The Roots appear courtesy of MCA Records, Inc.

User reviews 90

• Nov 6, 1999
• How long is The Best Man? Powered by Alexa
• October 22, 1999 (United States)
• United States
• En İyi Arkadaşımın Düğünü
• New York City, New York, USA
• 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $9,000,000 (estimated)
• $34,102,780
• Oct 24, 1999
• $34,573,780

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours
• Dolby Digital

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The best man, common sense media reviewers.

Violent thriller glorifies guns, pot, drinking; language.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Theme of friendship but no clearly positive messag

In this battle of terrorists versus mercenaries, m

Other than a couple of Latino men in minor roles,

Graphic, bloody violence with frequent shoot-outs

Two characters kiss passionately while fully cloth

Strong language throughout, including "s--t," "f--

Characters drink from a bottle of alcohol and make

A character who's intended to be seen as attractiv

Parents need to know that The Best Man is an extremely violent action thriller starring Luke Wilson. The thin plot centers on a game of cat and mouse between terrorists and special operations soldiers. While the villains are holding people for ransom, they don't hesitate to shoot or stab anyone who's standing…

Positive Messages

Theme of friendship but no clearly positive messages.

Positive Role Models

In this battle of terrorists versus mercenaries, masculinity is equated with bravery and the ability to use weapons.

Diverse Representations

Other than a couple of Latino men in minor roles, the cast and crew is largely White and male. Two female characters exist solely as love interests, lack depth, are depicted in snug clothes/lacy underwear, and lean into being "damsels in distress."

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Graphic, bloody violence with frequent shoot-outs involving assault weapons. Frequent gunshots through the head, with blood splatter and gaping wounds. Stabbings and slashings; a close-up of blood pouring off a knife. Physical fighting with kicks and punches. Character is beaten until face is severely bloodied. Fall from several stories. Female kidnapping victim is tied up in a blood-stained room. Characters are in intense peril throughout. Bystanders are assassinated as if their lives are meaningless.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Two characters kiss passionately while fully clothed in a pool; they wake the next morning in each other's arms -- the man fully clothed, the woman in a lacy bra and underwear. Story revolves around a wedding where a betrothed couple share their feelings of love for each other.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Strong language throughout, including "s--t," "f--k," and more.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Characters drink from a bottle of alcohol and make positive comments about it, indicating potential product placement.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A character who's intended to be seen as attractive/appealing smokes and shares a joint as part of her actions to be seen as sexually enticing. Heavy drinking throughout, including one character who's almost always drunk.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Best Man is an extremely violent action thriller starring Luke Wilson . The thin plot centers on a game of cat and mouse between terrorists and special operations soldiers. While the villains are holding people for ransom, they don't hesitate to shoot or stab anyone who's standing in their way, showing a callous disregard for life. It's violence for the sake of violence: There's nonstop gunfire, blood splatter, graphic deaths, and someone being beaten to a pulp. The two most prominent female characters are love interests who wear snug clothes/underwear and need to be rescued by men. One scene features passionate kissing and the implication of sex. There's heavy drinking throughout, and a couple smoke a joint together as a way of flirting. Strong language includes "s--t," "f--k," and more. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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What's the Story?

At a remote luxury resort, the wedding of the daughter of a business tycoon is interrupted by terrorists who want to hold the guests for ransom. With the kingpin intent on hunting down the bride ( Nicky Whelan ) and her father, the groom ( Luke Wilson ), THE BEST MAN ( Brendan Fehr) , and a wedding guest ( Dolph Lundgren ) must use their skills as special ops soldiers to save the hostages -- and themselves.

Is It Any Good?

Writer-director Shane Dax Taylor delivers exactly what viewers who seek out generic action thrillers want: a simple plot, elaborate suspense, and a high body count. When a villain callously orders his minions to use assault weapons to murder the resort's innocent kitchen staff, it's a demonstration that the screenwriters are less concerned with story than with glorifying gun violence. That said, while the script is ridiculous, Taylor's filmmaking skills are decent, and he does create some suspenseful moments that will have audiences holding their breath. And while the perpetually relaxed Wilson may seem like an odd casting choice for an action hero, it's surprisingly delightful to see him pull it off.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence in The Best Man. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

Does the way the movie's female characters are depicted uphold or defy stereotypes? Why is positive representation important?

Movie Details

• In theaters : April 21, 2023
• On DVD or streaming : April 21, 2023
• Cast : Luke Wilson , Brendan Fehr , Dolph Lundgren
• Director : Shane Dax Taylor
• Studio : Saban Films
• Genre : Thriller
• Topics : Brothers and Sisters
• Run time : 93 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : violence, language and brief drug use
• Last updated : May 14, 2023

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REVIEW: The Best Man Feels Like Die Hard at a Wedding

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Setting an action-thriller film in an enclosed space is often a recipe for success. In The Best Man , filmmaker Shane Dax Taylor takes this tried-and-tested formula and creates what's essentially Die Hard at a wedding . So, instead of exchanging vows, the characters are trading blows. Surprisingly, this escalates into an action film where the story is a lot stronger than the physicality on display.

Directed by Taylor with a script co-written by himself and C. Alec Rossel, The Best Man boasts a stacked cast. Cal (Luke Wilson), Bradley (Brendan Fehr), and Anders (Dolph Lundgren) are part of a special ops team sent to save Brooke (Nicky Whelan) from dangerous kidnapers who are holding her hostage. After the mission -- which doesn't come without its casualties -- Cal and Brooke fall in love. Bradley and Anders attend Cal and Brooke's lavish wedding at an exclusive remote resort hotel; however, holy matrimony turns into holy trouble when mercenaries interrupt the proceedings and start to take hostages.

RELATED: REVIEW: Sick of Myself is a Shocking, Hilarious Foray Into a Damaged Psyche

Even though the title of the film is The Best Man , all the protagonists are essential here, including Brooke and her sister Hailey (Scout Taylor-Compton). Due to this storytelling choice, the tension is constantly running on high , as the viewer watches every person put in danger and trying to avoid what seems like an inevitable death. Composer Matt Gates deserves a special mention for the less-is-more musical choices since the sinister score scratches at the anxiety levels as well.

Taylor manages to balance and divide the scenes fairly, allowing the stars to all have adequate time on screen. More importantly, the transitions don't feel choppy or unnatural, as the scenes are cut in the right places to leave the audience on tenterhooks and to pick up at the right moment afterward.

While Fehr may get top billing in The Best Man , the performance highlights belong to Whelan, Taylor-Compton, and Lundgren. Despite being surrounded and accompanied by trained marksmen, Whelan and Taylor-Compton are forced to fend for themselves and make the right choices at critical points in the movie. Even in their most courageous moments, the actors never fail to demonstrate how terrifying the ordeal is, adding a frightening realism to the situation. Lundgren's performance is different from what viewers might expect from the characters he normally portrays. Yes, he's still an action man with all the machismo dripping off his eyebrows, but he has inner demons that he needs to slay if he is to stay alive.

Where the film does fall short, however, is in its fight choreography, which exposes the actors' lack of training and fight skills. The shaky cam shots and super-swift cuts try to hide the film's flaws as best as it can, but there's no getting around the fact the hand-to-hand combat is slow, lethargic, and highly telegraphed. Fortunately, the gunplay sequences are far more exciting , as they move swiftly and have more impact.

The Best Man lives up to the thriller end of the bargain with its magnetic mix of tension and believable performances. The action scenes could have done with a bit more care and attention, but it doesn't entirely derail the film from being a good time.

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Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors, the best man holiday.

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"The Best Man Holiday" has the potential to become a staple of Christmastime movie watching in the 'hood. Writer-director Malcolm D. Lee reunites the cast from his 1999 film, "The Best Man," extending their stories and filling in blanks left in the original. While not as pointed as its 1999 predecessor, this sequel has a richer emotional palette. Lee raises the stakes on characters that fans have cradled to their bosoms, adding a surprising amount of tragedy. He overdoes it, but "The Best Man Holiday" could still teach  Tyler Perry lessons on how to move from overwhelming sadness to broad comedy.

"The Best Man" was a sharp deconstruction of the male ego disguised as a catty, funny character-driven comedy. The plot centered on Harper ( Taye Diggs ), a writer whose upcoming roman-a-clef "Unfinished Business" features thinly veiled versions of his friends. One of those friends, Jordan ( Nia Long ) gets an advanced copy and passes it on to everyone Harper wrote about, including Lance ( Morris Chestnut ). Lance is the last person Harper would want to read "Unfinished Business," as it details the one-night stand between Harper and Lance's fiancée, Mia ( Monica Calhoun ). On hand to watch the ensuing carnage are Harper's girlfriend Robyn ( Sanaa Lathan ), blabbermouth Julian ( Harold Perrineau ) and his mean, snooty, controlling girlfriend Shelby ( Melissa De Sousa ).

Rounding out the group is Quentin Spivey, a character whom I had such a huge man-crush on that I wrote an unabashedly gushing piece about him in 2011 . Though his screen time was limited, Spivey took over "The Best Man" whenever he was onscreen by serving as the film's id. It's a starmaking turn that somehow failed to make a star of  Spivey's portrayer, Terrence Howard , a charismatic actor who finally broke through six years later in " Hustle and Flow ."

The opening credits catch us up on what has happened in the years since we last saw everyone. While Quentin is still the film's randy id, he has finally gone into the family business he had previously evaded. Lance and Mia are still married, and Lance's New York Giants career has put him 176 yards from breaking the rushing record. Julian is now shacking up with *married to Candace ( Regina Hall ), the stripper who worked the bachelor party in the first film. Julian's ex, Shelby, is perfectly cast on a familiar reality show. Jordan is a hotshot on MSNBC. And Harper is still writing, though his latest book isn't a gossipy airport novel success on the order of "Unfinished Business."

Lee needs a reason to pull these characters back into each other's orbits. He finds one in the old cinematic standby, the holiday dinner. Of course, it goes horribly awry, much like real-life versions of this event. You would think movie characters by now would know better, and would run from these invitations like bats out of Hell. But no; like us, they go, and live to regret it later. Lee plays this hand, but the trump card is that his characters' regrets are not the ones we expect.

Mia invites everyone and their families to spend Christmas week at Lance's huge mansion. Since Lance is scheduled to break the record during the Christmas Day game, Mia figures it's appropriate for their closest friends to join them. Unfortunately, Lance and Harper haven't fully reconciled the events from "The Best Man," so drama is probably imminent. With rivals Shelby and Candace under the same roof, drama is definitely imminent.

Once Lee gets everyone in Lance's house, he basically throws the kitchen sink at them in terms of plot. But it's a damned effective sink; its taps run hot with sadness and cold with humor. The actors are comfortable re-inhabiting their roles. They reconnect onscreen in ways that make us feel the passage of time. Their characters are given bigger moments and more to do, and their relationships are deepened.

As in many sequels, some of the issues are bigger and more explosive. Robyn's paranoia over Harper's relationship with Jordan (Harper's "one that got away") is exacerbated not only by being under the same roof with Jordan but by Robyn's hormonally charged ninth month of pregnancy. Harper finds a way to not only upset Robyn but to make Lance even angrier than he was in "The Best Man." And Quentin finds even more incendiary ways to be an instigator, this time zeroing in on Julian's secrets rather than Harper's.

All this leads up to the aforementioned tragedy, which I will not reveal but you'll figure out 15 minutes into "The Best Man: Holiday." It's powerfully rendered and acted by all, especially Monica Calhoun, whose Mia, I realized, is the catalyst and center of both films. The first film was all about the guys, but "The Best Man Holiday" is dedicated to its ladies, who band together to strengthen not only themselves but their men as well. Long, De Sousa, Hall, Lathan and Calhoun do commendable work.

Malcolm D. Lee is a fascinating, underrated filmmaker. Even in his less successful features, he's fascinated with the notion of masculinity, specifically Black masculinity, a topic that runs through his entire canon. He is not afraid to paint his males as, to quote " Pulp Fiction "'s Mia Wallace, "worse than a sewing circle," nor is he unwilling to call b.s. on the extra levels of societal machismo that seem to get layered on African-American men. "Undercover Brother," the film Lee did with " 12 Years a Slave " screenwriter John Ridley , both idolizes and mocks this convention. With each subsequent film, Lee has gone into deeper, more dramatic territory with this theme, yet he never forgets the comic potential in it.

Lee continues this examination with "The Best Man Holiday," retroactively elevating his original with the deeper shadings he brings to his characters here. We feel as if all parties have grown, and there are some tender moments between the gentlemen that shatter the stereotypical warrior tough-guy standards of expectation. Diggs, Perineau, Cibrian, and especially Howard and Chestnut, turn in fine, fearless performances.

"The Best Man Holiday" has fun with a myriad of topics Lee casually tosses out. He doesn't always comment on them further, but you can sense he knows how the audience will respond. While everyone can appreciate and understand these, they have a special resonance for darker hued audience members. There's that extra level of comedy running through the film that made me smile with recognition. Watch how Shelby deals with her daughter, or how the crew reacts to Jordan's new boyfriend, a nice guy played by Eddie Cibrian, whom Candace refers to as "a tall vanilla latte." Lee tosses out weight issues, stripper stories, kitchen power struggles, bougie antics, and kiddie performances for the grown-ups. It felt like I was home for the holidays.

"The Best Man Holiday" will endear itself to fans of the first film, which you don't have to see before venturing to this one (though it would help). It's incredibly funny but also incredibly sad. The best way I can explain it is to describe the gentleman sitting a few seats to my left in the theater. During a big emotional moment, I could hear him crying. And not just a little: I mean Baptist funeral crying. Suddenly, in a deep Barry White voice, I heard him say "S--t, I need to pull myself together!" The rich, deep quality of his voice, and his sudden statement of fact, turned the lump in my throat to a huge smile on my face. That's how this movie works.

Odie Henderson

Odie "Odienator" Henderson has spent over 33 years working in Information Technology. He runs the blogs Big Media Vandalism and Tales of Odienary Madness. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire  here .

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The Best Man Review

30 Jun 2000

120 minutes

Best Man, The

Hip novelist Harper Stewart flies to New York to act as best man at his friend Lance's wedding. Relieved to be taking a break from the booming tick of his girlfriend Robin's biological clock, he's nevertheless anticipating a reunion with his college buddies with trepidation. And with good reason. The steamy tome he is about to have published is populated with characters based anything but loosely on his friends. Worst of all, it contains a thinly-veiled reference to a one-night-stand he once had with Lance's fiancé Mia (Monica Calhoun), and he is desperate to keep the incriminating evidence from the groom until after the ceremony. Unfortunately, one of the bridesmaids, Jordan, has obtained an advance copy and is threatening to reveal all. A further complication arises via the unconsummated lust between Harper and Jordan which must be settled one way or another before Robin arrives.

With a plot so gnarly it requires carbon dating, this debut feature from writer-director Malcolm D. Lee doesn't look exactly promising. Happily, it turns out to be something of a gem. The cast are uniformly excellent - particularly Chestnut, as the volatile, overly-possessive Lance and Terrence Howard as likeable lothario Quentin. And they're well served by a punchy, quick-fire script that rides out the looming clichés by focusing as closely on the simmering tensions as it does on the back-slapping and tears.

It all cops out at the end, though, as all wedding pics do, but along the way there's plenty of fine acting, sharp dialogue and sexual intrigue to keep most audiences interested. And any wedding party cool enough to have jazz legends Stanley Clarke and Lenny White in the band has got to be worth attending.

• Movie Reviews
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Thursday, April 20, 2023

'the best man' (2023) movie review.

On the surface, The Best Man is exactly the movie it appears to be, and the movie it sets out to be. This is a low-budget DTV action thriller. It stars a familiar genre stalwart in Dolph Lundgren , a semi-familiar face you’ve seen in things but maybe can’t place in Brendan Fehr, and a more recognizable, more mainstream name taking what looks like a money-job in Luke Wilson. It even features two cast members from Rob Zombie’s Halloween II , Scout Taylor-Compton and Nicky Whelan. And the man at the helm, Taylor, and the rest of the creative team generally plies their trade in this milieu. 

[Related Reading: 'Gasoline Alley' Movie Review]

Plot wise, nothing unexpected happens, but again, the film executes it well. To call it Die Hard at a Wedding is a bit reductive and not 100% accurate, but it also gets the general point across. Cal (Wilson) is set to marry the wealthy Brook (Whelan). Bradley (Fehr) is the best man and their buddy Axel (Lundgren) is also in the wedding party, as is Hailey (Taylor-Compton), Brook’s party-girl sister. When mercenaries with a vendetta—a couple vendettas actually—show up, things take a turn toward the violent.

[Related Reading: 'Castle Falls' Movie Review]

Across the board, the acting is solid. Cal, Bradley, and Axel were all part of the same soldier-of-fortune team and, of course, all haunted by a job gone wrong. While perhaps not particularly deep, the trio give it enough weight that it winds up more than a mere plot point. Lundgren plays Axel as a grizzled drunk running from his past, and he’s tipsy the whole time, even as shit goes down, which is fun. Fehr does sturdy work in this type of role, and, for his part, Bradley is more hiding from the past rather than running from it. Wilson’s sweet spot is affable charm masking deeper wounds, and he puts that to good use here. And if he wants to keep splashing around in this particular action pool and cash checks, we can do much worse.

[Related Reading: 'Section 8' Movie Review]

3 comments:

Great movie

Entirely BS. Stupid acting , stupid dialog and stupid plot

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‘The Beast Within’ Review: Kit Harrington’s Werewolf Movie Transforms into a Clunky Metaphor for Domestic Violence

Vikram murthi.

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It’s old hat for werewolves on screen to be deployed as symbols; you can date the practice back to the Lon Chaney -starring monster films Universal Pictures made in the ’30s and ’40s. But “The Beast Within” has nothing much to offer except the domestic violence allegory at its center, so Farrell repeatedly emphasizes, spotlights, and underlines it in red, just in case anyone was unclear about what the film was really about. Werewolves might be the film’s supernatural hook, but “The Beast Within” exhibits little interest in the therianthropic beyond its use as a writerly device. It’s as if someone set a film in space just to interrogate the “black void” that is American federal tax policy.

This approach wouldn’t necessarily be a dealbreaker if the film’s family drama were at all compelling on its own merits, but instead it trades in broad strokes rather than specifics. “The Beast Within” technically follows the 10-year-old Willow (Caoillinn Springall) who lives an isolated life in her family’s compound in the English wilds. She has a respiratory condition that requires her to frequently use an oxygen tank, so she spends much of her time indoors or close to her mother Imogen (Ashleigh Cummings) and her grandfather Waylon ( James Cosmo ). Much of the film features Willow listening in on tense conversations between the haggard adults in her life from behind closed doors or within the shadows.

While the principal actors do their best to imbue the writing with genuine feeling, whether that’s terror or uncontrollable anger or affection, it’s difficult to invest in such rank clichés even correcting for the story’s fantastical elements. Harrington delivers a decent monologue roughly halfway through the film where his character confesses the truth about himself; as he avoids his daughter’s gaze, he wears a potent mixture of disgrace and bitterness as he explains how he’s doomed to be only half a person. But any time he’s required to be a rage case or a superficially sweet father, he relies on generalities and unspecific gestures. Similarly, Cummings tries to embody an abuse victim’s emotional dilemma — stuck between defending a person whom she loves while constantly managing and avoiding their behavior so she doesn’t contend with more savagery — but the character itself feels like an amalgamation of generic tics rather than a full-fledged person. Even Cosmo, who successfully leans on being a sweet, tough old man, mostly goes through the motions of being a father forced to watch his daughter stay married to a monster.

Granted, folklore tends to elide pesky details for the sake of mood, but the internal logic of “The Beast Within” feels flimsy at best. It’s unclear what triggers Noah’s transformations other than “nighttime,” and while the English countryside might be a perfect place to stow a werewolf away from civilization, it seems like the worst locale for a child with severely compromised health. (Without spoiling much, however, Willow’s oxygen tank turns out to be more plot device than characterization.) The film’s temporal fuzziness also baffles: everything screams mid-19 th century except for the appearance of cars and headphones. Sadly, these are nitpicking queries that arise when the film itself fails to garner much involvement on its own. Even the traditional horror and suspense elements in “The Beast Within” feel uninvolved. The jump scares are predictable and tacky, and the final confrontation drags on forever.

“The Beast Within” is now playing in theaters.

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Where does 'Deadpool & Wolverine' rank among all 34 Marvel movies?

With 34 blockbuster movies and counting since 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has created a cosmos of big stars, from Robert Downey Jr.'s armored Iron Man to Chris Evans ' star-spangled Captain America. 

There's only one MCU movie on the docket in 2024, but it has some high-profile rookies: Ryan Reynolds's motormouthed Deadpool and Hugh Jackman's iconic X-Men member Wolverine, veterans of Fox's Marvel movies, are introduced into the Disney world of Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy with "Deadpool & Wolverine" (in theaters Friday).

But how does the third "Deadpool" movie fit into this seemingly  never-ending superhero saga ? Here’s the definitive ranking of all the Marvel movies so far:

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34. 'Iron Man 2' (2010)

Let’s accentuate the positive: The sequel gave us Scarlett Johansson's  sleek Black Widow and put Don Cheadle in the War Machine armor. Everything else was a scattershot mess with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) taking on the wholly underwhelming villain Whiplash (Mickey Rourke).

33. 'The Incredible Hulk' (2008)

Before ultimately being replaced in other movies by Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton starred as scientist Bruce Banner in this odd duck from the nascent MCU. This mostly forgettable affair exists to serve as a reminder that we still deserve a good solo Hulk film one day.

32. 'Iron Man 3' (2013)

The results are only so-so as Tony Stark tussles with PTSD, criminally underused antagonist Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) and yawn-worthy villain Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce). The threequel also proved that, yes, too many armored suits are a bad thing – heck, even Gwyneth Paltrow gets one.

31. 'Thor: The Dark World' (2013)

Chris Hemsworth’s thunder god has a sequel that’s a blender of familiar fantasy tropes as Thor and love interest Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) have to deal with a dark elf with an Infinity Stone. Tom Hiddleston’s iconic trickster Loki is in fine form and the film’s highlight in every way.

30. 'Thor' (2011)

Not Marvel’s greatest solo movie, but certainly one that takes some admirable swings. A quasi-family drama that boots Thor from the realm of Asgard to Earth in fish-out-of-water fashion – thanks to Anthony Hopkins' big daddy Odin – so the future Avenger can be worthy of his mystical hammer, Mjølnir.

29. 'Eternals' (2021)

Oscar-winning director  Chloé Zhao brings her naturalistic feel to a diverse though overly earnest movie about heroes who protected humanity for thousands of years and have to get the band back together when faced with an existential threat. It charts its own path more than any other MCU installment yet also goes overboard building its mythology.

28. 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' (2015)

Bursting with a packed ensemble, it’s lacking the superteam mojo of the first "Avengers." This episode, however, does create sparks between Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany), plus introduces the secret home life of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). Also: Bless James Spader’s heart for being the world’s snarkiest killer robot.

27. 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' (2023)

The first two breezy, science-y "Ant-Man" films give way to this more generic, messy episode where Paul Rudd's Scott Lang has to protect his teen daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) when their family gets  trapped in the trippy Quantum Realm . The one saving grace is Jonathan Majors as the complex time-traveling space king, Kang the Conqueror.

26. 'Captain Marvel' (2019)

Brie Larson's photon-blasting space warrior debuts in a 1990s nostalgia-fest that's part "Guardians of the Galaxy" and part "Memento": Carol Danvers has to figure out her own mysterious human identity while also warding off an alien menace to Earth . Larson's OK but you'll really dig the sweet relationship between youngish Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Goose the cat.

25. 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' (2018)

The satisfying sequel doubles down on all the aspects that made the original "Ant-Man" joyful with one big (or, small, depending on how you look at it) addition: Evangeline Lilly debuts her winged and awesomely rough-and-tumble Wasp on an adventure that takes its size-changing heroes from San Francisco to the Quantum Realm.

24. 'Doctor Strange' (2016)

Benedict Cumberbatch gets a fantastically weird and trippy introduction to the MCU as a sorcerer supreme who goes from rich jerk to humbled hero. It’s a magical version of Iron Man’s origin and some gags are overly goofy, yet the filmmaking wizardry and effects help create a signature psychedelic experience.

23. 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' (2021)

Shang-Chi ( Simu Liu ) and best friend Katy (Awkwafina) get thrown into otherworldly conflict and learn to be heroes when Shang-Chi's dad (Tony Leung) is up to no good, forcing a magical confrontation between estranged father and son. The film gets lost in its own mythology , but the street-fighting scenes, family drama and Liu's charisma do wonders.

22. 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' (2022)

Director Sam Raimi ("The Evil Dead") introduces a nifty scary bent to the dark fantasy, where Benedict Cumberbatch's magic man throws down with a dangerous foe and meets his multiverse variations. There are monsters, zombies and even surprisingly brutal horror-movie kills, but also fan service that undermines more than helps.

21. 'Thor: Ragnarok' (2017)

Thor and Hulk make a dynamic duo in the third "Thor" solo film (and funniest Marvel project), and anything with the two of them is magic. Taika Waititi's larger narrative features a hostile takeover of Asgard by goddess of death Hela (Cate Blanchett), though you'll remember "Ragnarok" for Jeff Goldblum and various over-the-top shenanigans. 

20. 'Black Widow' (2021)

Marvel finally does right by Johansson's title character with a solid  solo spy thriller , reuniting Natasha Romanoff with her estranged "family" of Russian secret agents. Black Widow aims to right some past sins and deals with a dangerous new threat in a movie that launches Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova  as the franchise's next superstar.

19. 'The Marvels' (2023)

Disney+ teen heroine Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) gets her big-screen debut in an enjoyable, body-swapping space romp that partners her with her idol Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) and superpowered astronaut Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). It mostly sticks to the Marvel formula, except for one scene involving a herd of cats that's an all-time MCU moment.

18. 'Ant-Man' (2015)

The heist comedy with a super-shrinking dude was a bigger risk than "Guardians of the Galaxy." Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly are great together, though, and Marvel gave us something we hadn’t seen yet: a hero who’s also an ex-con dad. (Also, major props to Michael Peña's Luis, who can tell a story like no one else.)

17. 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' (2019)

Puppy love and summer flings abound when Tom Holland's Peter Parker goes on a European vacation to spend quality time with his crush MJ (Zendaya) and instead gets thrown into a few international incidents. High-school high jinks keep it lighthearted, while Jake Gyllenhaal makes an over-the-top splash as the enigmatic Mysterio.

16. 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' (2017)

They had us at “Kurt Russell plays a living planet.” The gravy is everything else : adorable Baby Groot dancing in the middle of a space battle, Dave Bautista’s Drax being the buff, oddball voice of reason, and Michael Rooker’s space outlaw Yondu stealing the show.

15. 'Thor: Love and Thunder' (2022)

Two Thors are better than one! Chris Hemsworth's hero returns to figure out who he is in this big crazy world, Natalie Portman's back as his astrophysicist ex – now a buff powerhouse wielding his old magic hammer – and Taika Waititi delivers a surprisingly profound romantic comedy with Guns N' Roses needle-drops and screaming goats.

14. 'Iron Man' (2008)

The beginning, the kickoff, the OG. A crew of Avengers was probably still a pipe dream for fans and most of Hollywood when Robert Downey Jr. first put on the Iron Man suit, but from the start, the signature swagger, attitude and swig of humility he gave Tony Stark set the tone for everything that was to come.

13. 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' (2017)

Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can – and when you're the newest version of the teen hero , you also deal with balancing extracurriculars, getting a date for the big homecoming dance, trying to impress Tony Stark and fighting the Vulture in an epic young-adult adventure.

12. 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' (2022)

Director Ryan Coogler pulls off a stellar sequel that honors Chadwick Boseman and his character while also setting up the future of his Wakandan heroes . Facing global threats, including a kingdom of undersea warriors, a new Black Panther comes to the forefront in a stirring story about life, legacy and loss.

11. 'Captain America: The First Avenger' (2011)

Marvel nailed the origin story of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), the little guy whose heart was bigger than his biceps until a super-soldier serum pumped him up. It offered a great World War II aesthetic, two-fisted adventure and a moral code that created an intriguing thread for his next two movies.

10. 'Avengers: Infinity War' (2018)

The third "Avengers" film is the all-night buffet of superhero fare , with a slew of folks rallying to fend off Thanos, a dude bent on destroying half the universe. It's all pretty tasty, though, with great one-liners, a narrative where good people make some bad decisions, and a stupendous cliffhanger that you'll love to hate.

9. 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' (2023)

Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), the coolest space raccoon of them all, earns the spotlight in James Gunn's trilogy finale, as Chris Pratt's Star-Lord and the gang go on a mission to save one of their own. The threequel riffs on the fabulous first "Guardians" while charting its own emotional narrative about compassion and empathy.

8. 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021)

The emotional and satisfying conclusion of the teen-oriented trilogy featuring Tom Holland's hero also cleverly pays off aspects of Tobey Maguire's and Andrew Garfield's earlier Spider-films. Old bad guys like Alfred Molina's Doc Ock and Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin show up, too, for a stirring story about second chances.

7. 'Deadpool & Wolverine' (2024)

Curse words, cartoonish violence, A-list cameos and meta gags pepper this freewheeling, R-rated adventure, in which Ryan Reynolds' Merc with a Mouth and Hugh Jackman's clawed grump try to save their worlds. A great turn by Jackman and a focus on the characters' vulnerabilities lends needed depth to an entertaining romp.

6. 'Black Panther' (2018)

From hanging in 1990s Oakland to flying through futuristic present-day Africa, the solo film for the late Chadwick Boseman’s warrior king is a magnificent journey with awesome set pieces (including a car chase through South Korea that'll leave you breathless) and a near-perfect villain in Michael B. Jordan's Erik Killmonger . Wakanda forever!

5. 'The Avengers' (2012)

The jam-packed ensemble completely lived up to its giant-size expectations. While the heroes-batting-each-other trope is starting to get played out, the excitement is palpable and fanboy hearts melt when hammers and shield fly as Iron Man, Cap and Thor meet.

4. 'Captain America: Civil War' (2016)

Personal and political stakes are at play as Cap chooses his best friend (and brainwashed assassin) over Iron Man, blowing up the Avengers dynamic. Plus, it has the an awesome superhero battle  and memorable intros for Black Panther and Spider-Man.

3. 'Avengers: Endgame' (2019)

Marvel's greatest-hits compilation is also a secret handshake of sorts for long-invested fans, with three hours of rousing storytelling starring Earth's mightiest heroes that pays off everything that came before it with callbacks and cameos. The climactic battle will knock your socks off, though you'll need a couple of hankies by the uplifting yet heartbreaking finale.

2. 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2014)

Fantastic tunes, a strange cast of characters that inexplicably works, and a story where you’re hooked on a bunch of feelings, from the emotions of young Peter Quill crying over his dying mother to the hilarity of grown-up Peter (Chris Pratt) explaining "Footloose" to new pal Gamora (Zoe Saldana). We are Groot, indeed.

1. 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' (2014)

More political thriller than superhero blockbuster, Captain America’s second solo film – and the best Marvel jam of them all – taps into timely themes of privacy concerns, an enemy growing from within, and military might used in ethically questionable ways. Come for the timeliness, stay for Cap wrecking a bunch of guys in an elevator.

The Best Character in Every Spider-Man Movie

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The Spider-Man franchise is one of the most popular in the superhero genre and arguably the best in the business. However, the wall-crawler himself isn't always the best part of every film. The characters in each film have always been incredibly written and often find themselves becoming fan favorites and even eclipsing Spider-Man himself.

Whether it be Peter Parker's love interest, the villain of the film or another character altogether, these figures command the screen to the point where they might be among the best in superhero cinema. A good character in a Spider-Man film consists of writing that keeps the audience engaged, memorable moments, great performances, design, and an impact on the story overall . And while the friendly neighborhood is the star of the show, sometimes others claim the spotlight.

1 Norman Osborn/Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe)

'spider-man' (2002).

When testing a formula known simply as "Oz," Norman Osborn ( Willem Dafoe ) makes the reckless decision to test it on himself and loses his grip on sanity while gaining newfound super abilities. Equipped with a glider and an armored suit made for the military, he becomes the menacing villain known as The Green Goblin, the greatest Spider-Man villain there is. After dying in Spider-Man , he would come back in Spider-Man: No Way Home through the multiverse and murder Aunt May ( Marisa Tomei ).

In Spider-Man , though, Norman Osborn murders dozens of people and goes on to attack Aunt May ( Rosemary Harris ) in her home and throw Mary Jane ( Kirsten Dunst ) off a bridge soon after. The very definition of a scene-stealing, scenery-chewing performance, Willem Dafoe's work is exceptional and one of the best in all of superhero media. The Green Goblin was already a staple in Marvel history, but the three-time Oscar-nominated actor truly took the character to another level .

Spider-Man (2002)

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2 Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire)

'spider-man 2' (2004).

Spider-Man 2 is known as one of the best superhero films of all time , and for good reason. As Peter Parker ( Tobey Maguire ) begins to question his life as Spider-Man and why he should stay in the hero business if it has such a profoundly negative effect on his personal life, he begins to lose his powers. The timing couldn't be worse, as the menacing Doctor Octopus ( Alfred Molina ) begins to strike in New York.

Peter Parker's personal struggle and character arc in Spider-Man 2 is one of the best in action movie history. Superhero storytelling doesn't get much better than Spider-Man 2 , and it's all because of Peter's relatable and deeply resonating arc, making him the absolute highlight of the film and the reason it is so memorable in the first place. Spider-Man 2 cemented Tobey Maguire's legacy and ensured he would be many fans' favorite Peter Parker.

Spider-Man 2

3 flint marko/sandman (thomas haden church), 'spider-man 3' (2007).

There's a general opinion that, when it comes to Spider-Man films, Spider-Man 3 is among the worst, thanks to being overcrowded in both the character and plotline departments. In an ideal world, Flint Marko ( Thomas Haden Church ) would be the only major antagonist of the film, as he is the most compelling character. His motivation for villainy simply being that he wants to get money for his daughter Penny's ( Perla Haney-Jardine ) medical bills is relatable and, honestly, heartwarming.

Some don't even consider Flint Marko a full villain. His murder of Uncle Ben ( Cliff Robertson ) was a mistake Peter forgave him for, and his motivations are honorable. This unique approach makes him such a compelling villain, and the conflict of Peter having to stop him feels a lot more complex than your standard Spider-Man baddie like Venom ( Topher Grace ). His initial scene as Sandman is one of the most moving sequences in a superhero film, as well.

Spider-Man 3

4 peter parker/spider-man (andrew garfield), 'the amazing spider-man' (2012).

When news came out that, after the critical failure of Spider-Man 3 , Sony Pictures would be rerouting and rebooting the franchise with a new Spider-Man actor, they were hesitant at best. But when the reboot was released in 2012, and the world saw Andrew Garfield in action in The Amazing Spider-Man , so many fans fell in love with the young actor, and he quickly became a fan-favorite.

Peter's writing in The Amazing Spider-Man is actually quite good . The chip on his shoulder feels incredibly reminiscent of the early Stan Lee days of Spider-Man comics, and making him a more flawed individual makes him even more compelling than typical. Ever the charmer, two-time Oscar nominee Andrew Garfield's performance is also deeply layered and profound, bringing incredible emotion to his work and making his passion shine through the entire film.

The Amazing Spider-Man

5 gwen stacy (emma stone), 'the amazing spider-man 2' (2014).

Almost every single person can agree that the chemistry between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy ( Emma Stone ) is the absolute highlight of The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. Emma Stone's immense talent is on full display, and her arc of going off on her own to England while still being in love with Peter is super captivating. Her charm and explosive chemistry with Peter make her death all the more heartbreaking.

One of the saddest moments in superhero cinema is easily the death of Gwen Stacy, and it can't be denied that it's because of how great of a character Gwen is, especially in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 . The writers and Stone herself do an excellent job of making Gwen a three-dimensional character outside of being simply a ploy to Peter's arc. She has an independent arc with agency and exists for herself rather than as an extension of Peter.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

6 adrian toomes/the vulture (michael keaton), 'spider-man: homecoming' (2017).

Spider-Man's first solo venture into the MCU after his introduction in Captain America: Civil War needed to be nothing short of great, changing the game and successfully bringing about a new era for fans to follow. With the new era came a new villain, The Vulture ( Michael Keaton ), a disgruntled everyman who is sick and tired of being pushed over by the bigger guys. Along with his crew, he begins selling alien tech on the black market.

The MCU needed a great villain to kick off Spider-Man's ( Tom Holland ) tenure in their universe. The Vulture came on the scene with both a great performance from the legendary Michael Keaton and an incredible on-screen presence. The Vulture's theme and design are quite intimidating , posing a great threat to Spider-Man early on. His motivation is also incredibly understandable and supports Spider-Man's arc about becoming his own hero and growing out of Iron Man's shadow.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

7 miles morales/spider-man (shameik moore), 'spider-man: into the spider-verse' (2018).

When Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse dropped in 2018, it took the world by storm with incredible reviews and intense fan acclaim. Overnight, people fell in love with the new Spidey on the block, Miles Morales ( Shameik Moore ). His story drew viewers in thanks to its reliability and unexpectedly endearing yet still admirable quality.

Miles is by far the best part of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse due to his wildly emotional and captivating character arc and his heart. Watching Miles get introduced to the Spider-Verse, thus emphasizing his inexperience, makes watching him grow into his role as the new Spider-Man of his Earth emotionally compelling in so many ways. It's what makes his leap of faith moment so impactful and profound.

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)

8 quentin beck/mysterio (jake gyllenhaal), 'spider-man: far from home' (2019).

If there's anything that enhances the viewing experience of Spider-Man: Far From Home , it's the presence of one Quentin Beck ( Jake Gyllenhaal ), AKA Mysterio. Traveling to Europe for a school trip, Spider-Man teams up with presumed up-and-coming hero Mysterio, only to find out that Mysterio is actually using him to get to E.D.I.T.H., Tony Stark's ( Robert Downey Jr. ) last gift to Peter in death. The advanced tech controls an army of drones intended for protecting the planet.

Jake Gyllenhaal brings an awesome performance to his role in Spider-Man: Far From Home . His ability to bounce off of Tom Holland strengthens their connection, making his eventual betrayal hurt even more, even for those who knew it was coming. His illusion tech also brought about some of the most visually innovative action scenes seen in a Spider-Man film ever. Plus, he revealed Spider-Man's identity to the entire world, a feat no villain can say they've done.

Spider-Man: Far from Home

9 peter parker/spider-man (tom holland), 'spider-man: no way home' (2021).

After having his identity revealed to the public, Peter Parker finds himself in a plethora of trouble. There is immense pressure on Peter to fix his life, get into college, and send the multiversal villains back to where they came from after curing them. It's arguably the greatest struggle any live-action Spider-Man has had to face, and this version of Peter Parker takes it on in stride, enhanced by an unforgettable performance from Tom Holland .

After a good few entries in the MCU that were a lot more lighthearted in nature, Peter gets thrown through the wringer in Spider-Man: No Way Home . His character arc is a rollercoaster ride in all the best ways . After losing Aunt May in the third act, Holland gets the chance to dial his acting abilities up to eleven and become the Spider-Man he was always meant to be.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

10 gwen stacy/spider-woman (hailee steinfeld), 'spider-man: across the spider-verse' (2023).

Within the first few minutes of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse , it becomes clear that the filmmakers wanted to place a bigger emphasis on Gwen Stacy ( Hailee Steinfeld ) in this film. Throughout the movie, Gwen Stacy definitely takes center stage compared to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse , as she struggles to toe the line between being in the Spider Society and being friends with Miles Morales.

Gwen's storyline in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a huge highlight of the film, and she really brings a lot of the heart found at the center of the movie. Gwen is arguably the film's deuteragonist alongside Miles. She brings a lot of relatability and emotion , grounding an otherwise inconceivable story in something raw and real and keeps audiences on the edge of their seats and thoroughly invested.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

NEXT: Every Tom Holland Spider-Man Villain, Ranked

• Spider-Man No Way Home

Prime Video top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now

Here are the Prime Video movies you won’t want to miss

• Best of Prime Video top 10
• Full Prime Video top 10

Looking for something new to watch on Prime Video? The service’s ever-changing top 10 most-watched movies is a great starting point. However, a movie scoring a strong ranking on the list isn't a reliable guarantee of quality. I’ve seen plenty of highly skippable flicks score a spot in the past. 

That’s why I’m combing through the current Prime Video top 10 movies to pick out the films most worthy of your time. Though fair warning, Amazon Prime Video is dominated by Tom Cruise at the moment with "Top Gun" and "Mission: Impossible" delighting subscribers. So, if you’re not a fan of the A-lister's particular brand of blockbuster action spectacle, you might need to look elsewhere (but don’t worry, I’ve included a couple of non-Cruise options below too). 

This article is based on the Prime Video top 10 movies list as of 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 31, and with all that housekeeping out of the way, let’s dive into my top three selections…

Best movies in the Prime Video top 10

“mission: impossible - dead reckoning” (2023).

The “Mission: Impossible” series is a rare enigma in Hollywood. It’s a franchise that is only getting better with age. Rather than trot out tired sequels that merely rehash what came before, “Mission: Impossible” keeps raising the stakes and the fruitful partnership of director Christopher McQuarrie and star Tom Cruise shines ever bright in “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning”, the latest installment in the almost 30-year-old series that is still going strong. 

Initially, billed as “Dead Reckoning Part One", the studio has since shaved off that last bit in recent promotional material. This isn’t an unsatisfying spy romp that feels like merely a longwinded setup for the second part due in 2025. Instead, "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning” feels like a complete movie while teasing intriguing breadcrumbs for the sequel to come next year. The thrilling popcorn action movie sees superspy Ethan Hunt (Cruise) return alongside his ever-dependable IMF team to square off against their most dangerous foe, a rogue AI called the Entity.  

Watch "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning" on Prime Video now

“Bob Marley: One Love” (2024)

I’m far from a scholar of Bob Marley’s music, but despite this, I still have a deep appreciation and respect for the imprint he left on not just the reggae scene, but the entire music landscape. His towering legacy still casts an inspirational shadow to this day, and “Bob Marley: One Love” celebrates the Jamaican singer-songwriter by showcasing his resilience in the face of adversity, and the challenges he faced while leading a musical revolution. 

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Kingsley Ben-Adir is tasked with the job of bringing this larger-than-life character to the screen, and the British actor does a phenomenal job (even his accent is spot on). While the narrative structure is fairly standard for the biographical genre, the listenability of Marley’s music gives the movie a captivating energy, and it’s hard to get bored when your toe is tapping throughout. “Bob Marley: One Love” will delight already committed fans, and probably convert plenty of newcomers, too.

Watch "Bob Marley: One Love" on Prime Video now 

“Lisa Frankenstein” (2024) 

The horror-comedy genre tends to be fairly divisive, and “Lisa Frankenstein” is no exception. The directional debut of Zelda Williams (daughter of the late great Robin Williams), this corpse-centered caper scored a lukewarm 52% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes , but viewers were much more enthusiastic about the zany love story between a rebellious teenager and a Victorian-era corpse scoring it a solid 81%. 

As you may have guessed from this title, “Lisa Frankenstein” is a modern twist on the classic Mary Shelley tale, and sees an angsty teen named Lisa Swallows (Kathyrn Newton) embark on a farcical adventure full of murder, love and body parts with a being known as The Creature (Cole Sprouse). It’s about as ridiculous as it sounds, and certainly won’t be everybody's cup of tea. It’s also set in the same universe as writer Diablo Cody’s “Jennifer Body”, a fun fact that has little bearing on the movie itself but hints at a future crossover. 

Watch  "Lisa Frankenstein" on Prime Video  now

Prime Video top 10 movies right now

• "My Spy: The Eternal City" (2024)
• "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning" (2023)
• "The Beekeeper" (2024)
• "Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black" (2024) 
• "Lisa Frankenstein" (2024)
• "Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)
• "Fast X" (2023)
• "My Spy" (2020)
• "The Magnificent Seven" (2016)
• "Bob Marley: One Love" (2024)

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Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

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