“SpiderMan: Homecoming” is coming in July, which makes this the perfect time to rank the Spider-Man movies. One of the most popular superheroes of all time, “Spider-Man” finally made his debut on the big screen in 2002. I already mentioned in a previous post that Spider-Man 2 (2004) is my favorite film so far. But which one’s my least favorite? Let’s take a closer look.

“Spider-Man 3” [2007] For many years, I tried to convince myself that “Spider-Man 3” had some good elements and wasn’t what I would traditionally call a “bad” movie. It may not be a complete waste of time, but it was still a mess, with too many villains, an overstuffed plot, and, surprisingly, an extremely unlikable Peter Parker.  Seriously Tobey, what happened? A third sequel was originally scheduled to be released in 2011. However, Sony had other plans, and a reboot was released instead. So is “Spider-Man 3” truly worthy of its bad reputation? Well, not entirely. It may be my least favorite film of the Sam Raimi trilogy, but it isn’t the worst superhero movie of all time.

“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” [2014] Director Marc Webb and his actor Andrew Garfield won me over with “The Amazing Spider-Man”, but what they couldn’t do is win me over again. At 142 minutes, the movie is too packed with villains (again), too limp in its love story, and too reliant of special effects. Again, is it a bad movie? Not at all. But unlike the first two Sam Raimi films, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is an example of a Hollywood product made to satisfy a commercial demand, as opposed to a movie born out of passion. And that was really disappointing.

“The Amazing Spider-Man” [2012] Fans may argue that this reboot feels a lot like deja-vu, and to be fair, it is almost impossible not to compare it with the Sam Raimi version. But still, Andrew Garfield was a first rate casting choice. He has a genuine, almost effortless charm and his attitude is very reminiscent of the Peter Parker of the comics. I didn’t think I could care about another “Spider-Man” movie at this point, but I did.

“Spider-Man” [2002] First rate action scenes and visual effects aside, “Spider-Man” has a heartbeat that resonates just as strongly as its box-office numbers. Director Sam Raimi gave Spidey fans everything they could wish for, and then some. Tobey Maguire built a real character and I found myself rooting for him, every step of the way. And Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin was a terrific villain. Watching “Spider- Man” in 2002 was a dazzling experience. It still is.

“Spider-Man 2” [2004] You’re probably sick of this by now, but “Spider-Man 2” is by far my all -time favorite Spidey movie. Director Sam Raimi outdid himself in every way possible, staging some of the best action scenes I’ve seen in a superhero movie and casting the great Alfred Molina as the movie’s main villain: Dr. Otto Octavius. Needless to say, this installment had everything, including an unforgettable soundtrack.