It's hard to remember a time when comic book movies didn't dominate the big screen. Analysts and film enthusiasts expect a franchise film to cross the half-billion mark in a month. The best-performing films can reach up to $1 billion, with a few reaching $2 billion or even more. Superhero properties are the order of the day, and audiences seem to get enough. It wasn't always like that, and it wasn't until the dawn of the 21st century that comic book-based films began their journey to become the monoliths they are today thanks in large part to one Sam Raimi.
The Spider-Man franchise of the early 2000s redefined what a superhero property could be. Sony's webslinger trilogy launched the modern superhero craze and solidified Spider-Man as the definitive hero. A perfect combination of elements made the Spider-Man trilogy a pillar of modern blockbuster cinema, but Raimi's hand pulled the strings, gently guiding them home and turning the first two entries in his Spidey series into two of the best superhero films of all time.
Raimi was the perfect choice to direct a superhero property. His films have a frenetic vibe that injects everything with erratic energy. Raimi pays special attention to movement and flow, and a simple walk from one side to the other can become an exercise in style. A Raimi film will be part of the joke. It will never mock or undermine its characters. It will balance themes with genuine emotion without forgetting the humor behind them. Comic book adaptation has never been known for respecting boundaries or continuity, but Raimi's films are careful and controlled chaos, a perfect approach to the genre.
Raimi's approach to a comic book film was questioned by some. The director was famous for his love of horror. Raimi's career began with the unexpected success of the cult classic The Evil Dead, but it was the sequel,Evil Dead II, that catapulted him to stardom and solidified him as an undisputed horror auteur. Raimi's love for comic books was present in his career. He created his own superhero, Darkman, who starred in the film. Raimi's love of horror and black humor was a perfect fit for Darkman's noir world, and the film received positive reviews from critics and was a hit.
Darkman was an example of how well Raimi's style fit with the comic book genre. Darkman is gruesome and campier than comic books have always been. Even in the broadest scenes, Raimi's film has a sense of tragedy, a veil of gloom that floats over it. Darkman is a hero who is broken and tortured. Darkman is a complex creation that would feel right at home next to modern-day antiheroes like Walter White.
Raimi has always been ahead of his time. His films get reappraised years after they debut to mixed reviews. The cult classics The Quick and the Dead and Army of Darkness have received positive reviews from modern critics and fans. Raimi's style is too in-your-face, bold and overwhelming for some. It's a perfect fit for a comic book adaptation, even if that doesn't work in a revisionist Western.
Spider-Man is the definitive superhero. DC's Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are some of the characters that embody the entire comic book genre. In many ways, Spidey is the ultimate hero: He is brave but not unafraid, always available but fiercely protective of his personal life, charismatic in action, yet infallible in battle. The perfect combination of brains, brawn, and heart is what Spider-Man is. Spider-Man is a tragic character and every win comes with a bigger loss. Spider-Man has lost many people in his life, including his parents, uncle, best friend, and love interest. He never gives up and finds humor in his situation.
Raimi created a film that captured the essence of Spider-Man. The fans wanted Spider-Man in 2002. Raimi was faithful to the comics while still adding his flair to the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man's story. The film was fast-paced and bright, not only embracing but celebrating the inherent ridiculousness of a teenager in tights swinging around New York City. Spider-Man jumped from side to side as the Green Goblin chased him, and every scene was fast and furious. Spider-Man was a comic book that was brought to life.
The comic book genre was legitimized by Spider-Man. The film didn't go for a grounded approach or try to make the web crawler's powers more palatable. The film doubled up on the silliness, making Peter's webs organic and turning Green Goblin into a scenery-chewing, mustache-twirling villain, complete with a suitably unhinged performance by Willem Dafoe. Raimi saw beauty and awe, a chance to inspire and dazzle, and he never took his characters for granted.
The genre's natural absurdity doesn't automatically make it disposable. Raimi provided his characters with intelligent comedy that complemented their human struggles. These crucial elements were discarded in favor of cheap humor in future comic book projects. Raimi understands that a comic book movie and any action movie are more than just explosions and chases.
Spider-Man and, in particular, Spider-Man 2 are perfect examples of the perfect combination of genres and themes. The result is a duo of movies that never stop, going from one genre to another with ease and comfort; it might not be seamless, but it is always entertaining.
Spider-Man 3 ended Raimi's trilogy in a satisfying way. Even as Andrew Garfield's rebooted series came and went and the web crawler joined the massive beast that is the MCU, talks of a possible fourth entry lingered for years. Raimi returned to horror with Drag Me to Hell and explored the fantasy genre with Oz: The Great and Powerful. Fans seemed pleased with Holland and the MCU's take on Spider-Man, and it seemed like Raimi was done with the comic book genre. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness happened.
Fans went into a frenzy when it was announced that Raimi would take over the sequel. The director that launched the modern wave of superhero craze was finally joining the franchise that was directly related to his original trilogy of Spider-Man. Doctor Strange gave Raimi the chance to flex his horror-loving muscles.
He flexed. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is chaotic. Multiverse of Madness is more sinister than anything the MCU has ever done, or will ever do. The Raimi-isms are obvious thanks to the factory-produced films of the MCU. In Multiverse of Madness, the elements of body horror and gore that are typical in Raimi's other films are barely there, yet become bright highlights. It's clear that Raimi didn't have full creative freedom, but he was given enough freedom to make a film with his brand of horror. Raimi's love for the genre comes across in every frame, adding a welcome sense of artistry and appreciation to a franchise that has been looked down on for representing the bastardization of the film industry.
Even before the Spider-Man trilogy, Raimi's cinematic legacy was solidified. One of the most famous auteurs and a highly experimental director, Raimi is revered by critics and filmmakers alike. His influence on the comic book genre is even more impressive. Along with directors like Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton, Raimi redefined what a comic book film could be. He provided a clear and refreshing purpose to the genre, proving that a superhero property could have as much weight as any other film. Raimi humanized a genre that had been out of focus for a long time, and it was validation by its harshest critics.
Without Raimi, the legitimization of the comic book genre would be on Nolan's shoulders. Nolan's approach doesn't work for all superheros. Raimi proved that there is value in the comic book genre and that it sets it apart from other movies. Raimi's heroes laugh at each other. We suffer with them, cry and celebrate because we care. That is the key to Raimi's success. He cares about the suit as much as the man in it. Raimi's superpower is his ability to empathise with his creations. Everyone is a bit of both in Raimi's eyes. If everyone felt the same, the comic book genre would be better.
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