Spider-Man Homecoming: Solid 8/10

Released July 7, 2017 (US)

Directed by: Jon Watts

Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, and Robert Downey Jr.

 

*Contains spoilers

Tom Holland is no doubt Peter Parker. He played the perfect portrayal of our favorite web slinging friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Holland already impressed audiences with his first appearance as Spidey in Captain America: Civil War.

This latest reboot takes place after the events of C.A. Civil War, and we find Parker back in school, struggling to figure out the limits of his abilities and trying to gain the attention of his mentor Mr. Tony Stark/Iron Man. (Downey, Jr.) While trying to prove himself a worthy avenger, he comes across black market weapons dealer Adrian Toomes/the Vulture (Keaton) and his goons.

With Marvel and Sony striking a deal we were finally able to see Spider-Man in the MCU.

Not only does Tom Holland look like the web-slinging high schooler, but he nails the Peter Parker persona. He is super likable, and relatable, a smart ass band geek but also vulnerable and naive. He actually looks like a teenager and someone who is still maturing, which makes sense for the role of Spider-Man. Holland actually trained as a gymnast as a child, and has parkour experience. These skills along with his experience as a dancer make him the perfect candidate for the role of our favorite web crawler. (read more on VOX)

I absolutely loved this movie, so let me say that first. I only have minor critiques.

Although I felt Keaton delivered a fantastic performance as the criminal mastermind Vulture, I needed a little more in his backstory for him to go so far off the deep end. I think we needed a more crucial moment for him to become such a menacing villain. I did however enjoy the twist of Liz Allen (Laura Harrier), Peter’s love interest being revealed as his daughter.

I also actually enjoyed Zendaya’s quirky performance as Michelle. I didn’t think her character took away from the film at all. She didn’t even have much screen time, but her “MJ” comment could mean she is a potential future love interest.

I loved the chemistry between the cast. I also enjoyed Peter’s loose-knit group of high-schooler friends, even though some lines felt a little forced it wasn’t a big deal. They added some humor and a sense of high school innocence to the film that helped tell the story of Peter’s personal life.

 

As I said, I love the film. Tom Holland is my favorite web-slinger, but I still felt like something was missing. Walking out of the theater and discussing the film with my friend, my only real complaint was a lack of  Spider-Man’s abilities. There wasn’t enough web slinging for me or actual Spider-Man combat, such as the fantastic slinging effects of the (Andrew Garfield) “The Amazing Spider-Man” franchise. I would’ve liked to see MORE spidey without all the gadgets even though the tech suit was fantastic. I wanted to see “spidey senses” and more aspects of the actual hero Spider-Man himself. However, this was just more of a personal observation and we could see more in the future, this was still a great Spidey adaption.  The casts performance, along with a great story, good humor, cameos, and effects all made this movie so worth it!

Originally, one of my biggest worries was that Peter was going to rely too heavily on Tony Stark and Stark tech. However, I think that the studios ended up doing a pretty good job balancing their relationship. Peter still eventually turned out to be the main hero taking down Vulture all on his own wearing his homemade suit.

There were even a lot of big Easter eggs throughout the film. One of which had the biggest audience reactions, was the Miles Morales reveal. During the arms deal that Peter breaks up, he comes across a man named Aaron Davis (Donald Glover). Who we later discover is the uncle of the character known as Miles Morales. (Miles takes over the title Spider-Man from Peter in the alternate “Ultimate” universe.) This was a very exciting moment for fans of the Spidey verse.

 

Overall, Spider-Man Homecoming is the perfect coming-of-age story, and a positive direction for the 3rd reboot. Every Spider-Man franchise has had its weak and strong points, but Tom Holland is definitely the best Peter Parker and Spider-Man. I’m very excited to see whats next!

Which is your favorite Spider-Man film to date?

 

Solid 8/10