20 Best Performances In Superhero Movies
18. Alfred Molina - Doctor Octopus (Spider-Man 2)
It goes without saying that Doctor Octopus is an incredibly difficult villain to adapt to the big screen, but Alfred Molina's intense yet compassionate performance as Dr. Otto Octavius allowed Sam Raimi to deliver a riveting, sympathetic depiction of the iconic antagonist.
Molina walks an incredibly fine line here, switching gears between quiet calm and outrageous hamminess on a dime, yet even when he flirts with going fully over-the-top, he does so without upending the movie's tone or looking down on the material.
Molina impressively makes Octavius both a terrifying and tragic figure without it seemingly at all contrived or shoehorned, as has been a pretty common problem with the web-slinger's screen enemies.
Best Moment: So many to choose from, though Octavius' poignant final moments as he sacrifices himself to save the day are unexpectedly affecting.