20 Greatest Summer Blockbusters Ever Made

20. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

RottenTomatoes Score: 93% (8.3/10 average)

Box Office: $783.8 million

Why It's Awesome: After Sam Raimi blew audiences away with the first cinematic take on Spider-Man in 2002, he delivered an altogether superior sequel in 2004, boasting a better villain, stronger action sequences and more meaningful character development.

In many ways, Spider-Man 2 is everything a sequel should be: it tops what came before while retaining the soul and core themes of the original. Great as Tobey Maguire is in the title role, the show is frequently stolen by Alfred Molina's Doc Ock, a magnificent creation combining state-of-the-art visual effects (which have aged exceptionally well) and an outstanding turn from Molina.

Spidey 2 gets right what so many superhero films get wrong: it features a thrilling pyrotechnic show while still remembering to plumb the depths of its characters. Sure, there's a little campy cheese here and there, but it's easy to forgive.