4) Train Brawl – Spider-Man 2
As I just mentioned, the end battle in Avengers is indeed impressive, but in the end it can’t compete with the Train Brawl sequence that unfolds in Spider-Man 2 – the best Spidey film to date. And the reason is: consistency, emotional investment and controlled chaos (just to name a few).
The life of dear M.J. serving as the motivator, the sequence has Spidey return to fight Doc Ock – and boy oh boy do they go at it. And I really do mean it. They go from fighting on top of a clock tower to fighting in mid-air to fighting on top a moving train (I’m beginning to sense a pattern here).
All in all, it’s an amazing sequence, and though the CGI is exactly the same as in Matrix Reloaded’s case, it definitely earns its spot as one of the best action sequences of all time.
Now if Marc Webb just could pull off something even remotely close to this, I’m sensing good things in the Webhead’s future.