I'll be honest with you, as much as I love Spiderman, I was done with him in cinematic form. After 'Spiderman 3' caused Sam Raimi's trilogy to come crashing to a halt only for SONY to trot out a rebranded retelling of the exact same story just five years later, I was a little bit burned out on watching what felt like the same Spiderman movie for the 5th time. However, his amazing cameo appearance in 'Captain America:Civil War' completely won me round to the idea of his reappearance in cinema. Of course, even with the almost assured quality that comes with an MCU production, it's a difficult task to portray the most popular comic book character ever in a way that will please die hard fans yet also feel fresh and exciting. In my opinion though, Spiderman Homecoming has absolutely succeeded in that regard.
Following shortly after the events of 'Civil War', Peter Parker has had his life completely transformed through his experience with the Avengers. Under the watchful eye of his mentor Tony Stark, Parker desperately tries to prove his worth and become a fully fledged Avenger. He struggles though to balance the weight of being a hero with all the trials and tribulations that come along with being a teenager in high school. Peter's abilities and resolve are soon put to the test as he attempts to defeat the villainous Vulture who threatens everything that he holds dear.
I'll start with what I believe to be one of the strongest elements in this movie. Tom Holland. He absolutely crushes it. He is Spiderman. He seems almost as though he was built to play this role. Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield both offered some positives in their portrayals, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is the best interpretation of Spiderman we've ever seen put to film. His balance of teenage awkwardness, sarcastic quips and a willingness to do the right thing are all spot on. He's funny, relatable and makes a very satisfying protagonist. His new suit is also great. A near perfect blend of elements from traditional Spiderman lore to please fans mixed with new and exciting upgrades from Tony Stark that are both comical and undeniably cool.
The other top performers are as to be expected. Robert Downey Jr is great as Iron Man as always. Many of the reviewers and podcasters I follow often voice their displeasure about Tony Stark being a terrible person, but to me his story arc throughout the MCU has been an immensely satisfying one. In this film, his personal debate over Spiderman is really great to watch. On the one hand he's eager for Peter to fulfil his potential as a hero but is also anxious that if anything were to happen to him it would be on his shoulders. His relationship with Parker as a mentor/father figure might be my favourite development of his character so far. Yet, despite what the trailers may suggest, he does not distract from Spiderman. His role is much more fleeting than you might anticipate and this is very much still a Spiderman movie. Michael Keaton's Vulture is a fantastic villain. He's a vast departure from his character in the comics, but to be honest I much prefer this interpretation. He's cold and intimidating and whilst he is a clear villain, he's also very relatable. Everything he does is for the sake of his family. You get the sense he doesn't enjoy doing such dastardly deeds, but he feels they are necessary to provide for those he cares for. One of the best villains the MCU has offered so far.
The rest of the cast are a mixed bag. Marisa Tomei is also very different to her comic equivalent, but she's great in her role of Aunt May. Jon Favreau and Gwyneth Paltrow have minor roles but go a long way in tying this film into the cinematic universe. Zendaya's 'Michele' is also good and actually has some of the funniest moments in this film. The B villains, 'The Tinkerer' and 'The Shocker' are both fine, but really aren't given enough to do to warrant any real praise. Peter's love interest Liz is a similar story - she's not bad but doesn't really offer a memorable performance either. Peter's best friend Ned is funny at times, but a lot of his jokes fall flat and you can tell he's clearly been instructed to deliver 'trailer lines' at certain points in the film. Flash is inoffensive, but is a departure from the comics that I personally didn't feel was handled very well.
Marvel Studios deserve some serious credit for the way they've made this film feel fresh and different to other Spiderman movies. For one, they've bypassed the origin story aspect, which I'm grateful for. We've seen his origin twice in the past decade, so for the studio to acknowledge that the audience already knows where he came from prior to 'Civil War' and dive right into immersing him into this current universe is really refreshing. Crucial elements of his backstory, for example the death of Uncle Ben, are hinted at but theres no need for us to see them again. Another element of this film that sets it apart from its competitors, is the portrayal of Peter Parker as a teenager, which I felt was lacking in previous films. Of course, it helps that Holland and his co-stars are actually teenagers playing high schoolers, but the whole atmosphere of this movie gets that point across really well. This film is in some ways a homage to classic John Hughes teen movies, even showing a clip from 'Feris Bueller' at one point. A surprisingly accurate representation of what life is like for kids at high school, contending with bullies, detention and crushes. In addition, the movie really hammers home to the audience that Peter is a kid. He doesn't have complete control of his powers yet and he doesn't have a full understanding of how the worlds works. Theres one scene in a particular where you forget that he's even a superhero as in that moment you only see a scared and broken child. This duality between being a teenager and being a hero bares the main emotional crux of the film and is shown off really cleverly, both thematically and visually.
The action is also pretty good in this film. Some great web swinging and wall climbing, rivalling 'The Amazing Spiderman 2' for the most realistic we've seen. However, all three of the major action set pieces can all be seen in the promotional material which does take some of the sting out of their impact, especially the ferry scene.
Overall, I'm finding it quite hard to compare 'Spiderman Homecoming' to other Spidey movies that have come before is because it is so different in so many ways. However, its certainly up there with my favourites. A heart felt narrative woven into the mould of an action movie, with a refreshing storyline with some excellent twists and the best interpretation of Spiderman we've ever seen on the big screen.
4/5 Stars
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