I’d like to get one thing straight for anyone going to see
Spider-Man’s solo debut into the Marvel Cinematic Universe: if you enter the theatre expecting the magnificent web-slinging sequences, the graceful poise and the seamless action of previous franchise entries, you’re more than likely going to leave disappointed. Instead, we get a struggling, well-intentioned hero who falls on his face in what is the most grounded take on the webslinger ever made (both literally and figuratively).
**Mild spoilers for Spider-Man Homecoming ahead**
It’s hard to watch
Spider-Man: Homecoming without the inherent meta-analysis that accompanies it; in a pop culture landscape where
Iron Man,
Captain America and the
Avengers have been so thoroughly embedded into and embraced by the general population, just where does Spider-Man fit in after being left behind for so long? Marvel Studios and Sony have answered this with an adaptation of Peter Parker that is equal parts Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s original vision and Brian Michael Bendis’ Ultimate Spider-Man from the early 2000’s.
It’s Peter – not Spider-Man – that takes center stage in a story that is probably the best representation of the character’s early days ever put to film. This isn’t an Amazing Spider-Man that learns how to do everything in a 2-minute montage sequence. This Spidey falls, fails and loses (a lot), but just keeps getting back up again to do the right thing.
Tom Holland gives a truly magnificent performance, delivering wit, frustration, youth and determination in equal and satisfying ways. It finally feels like both sides of the character have been embodied by the actor playing him.
If you’ve watched the film’s trailers, there’s certainly not anything you’ve missed in terms of the plot. Director
Jon Watts evokes classic 80’s films such as
The Breakfast Club and
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in a story that focuses squarely on Peter Parker’s struggle with being a 15-year-old superhero who's caught between the realities being a kid and the dreams of being an Avenger. While it’s straightforward, it never becomes too predictable, delivering plenty of laughs, twists and turns. The film (thankfully) skips the origin story, but it’s still a little strange to not hear a mention of Uncle Ben, though it doesn’t hurt the film in the slightest, and the themes of power and responsibility still get explored through a post-
Avengers lense.
Speaking of the Avengers, fans can cool their jets over any fears of
Iron Man “taking over” the proceedings.
Robert Downey Jr. serves his purpose in a few effortless scenes as
Tony Stark/Iron Man, but his inclusion never feels shoehorned or overbearing.
Chris Evans also briefly appears in what are some of
Captain America’s (and the film’s) funniest scenes. The supporting cast is quite a change from what fans are used to, but lend themselves well to the high school setting.
Jacob Batalon shines as Peter’s awestruck best friend
Ned Leeds, while Peter’s decathalon team is a charming addition.
Zendaya’s “identity” as
Michelle (if you can even call it that) ends up as very underwhelming, as the character was made to seem a lot more important than she is, only appearing briefly (though very humorously) in a handful of scenes.
Marissa Tomei also isn’t present enough to really get a good grasp on her version of
Aunt May.
Of course, every hero needs a villain, and
Michael Keaton delivers a memorable – and probably too brief – performance as
Adrian Toomes/The Vulture. Keaton doesn’t touch previous franchise heights set by Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin by any means, and doesn’t have a whole lot to work with until the film’s third act, but manages to give the character a menace, motivation and drive that surpasses anything written in the comics. Toomes’ team of the Tinkerer (Michael Chernus) and the Shockers (Bokeem Woodbine and Logan Marshall-Greene) are serviceable as minor baddies.
The film isn’t without some issues; longtime fans might be weirded out over Peter’s extremely teched-out Stark costume, and while it’s awesome to see the suit’s many functions (most of which Peter truly struggles with), those hoping for a self-sufficient, D.I.Y. Spider-Man might end up a little deflated. The shadow of the MCU (specifically
The Avengers) also hangs heavy over the film, and while it’s necessary for the premise and never truly overbearing, it will be satisfying if the sequel gets to explore more of the wall-crawler doing his own thing. The film is definitely one of the most lighthearted affairs Marvel has produced, and the lack of spectacular action might surprise some; there’s a lot of humor, but unlike some of Marvel’s previous films, the laughs are mostly natural and never undermine the tension during a dramatic moment.
At its core, Spider-Man: Homecoming is not the love-letter to the character that Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 was, but it carves itself a very unique space as one of the best iterations of the iconic superhero. The film is full of humor, youthful charm and a tremendous amount of heart that proves the franchise is in safe, caring hands for the foreseeable future.
A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.