Review: ‘Spider-Man — Homecoming’ finally gets it right (Includes first-hand account)

In an age of remakes and reboots, it’s becoming frequently common to see one character played by multiple actors in the span of a couple decades. This is especially true in the superhero universe where the stories are seemingly infinite, but the performers’ commitment comparatively brief. Even a multi-picture deal typically runs down in 10 years or less, leading studios to start anew after each cycle. The latest franchise to be rebooted with a fresh face is one of Marvel‘s youngest heroes in tights: Spider-Man. In the first standalone film of the reboot, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter Parker is still learning to flex his superhuman muscles.

After assisting Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in his civil war with Captain America (Chris Evans), Peter (Tom Holland) is ready for more action… but Tony wants to take things slow. He assigns Happy (Jon Favreau) to be Peter’s “Stark internship” liaison, and tells the kid to have fun with his new suit and getting kittens out of trees — i.e. being a friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man and leaving the big stuff to the adults. But during a routine patrol, Peter comes across a new form of weaponry capable of mass destruction. When no one wants to listen to him or help take down the suppliers, Spider-Man takes it upon himself to track down the bad guys.

Holland is the third actor to don the red and blue suit in 15 years, but this new Peter represents some positive changes for the character. Most notably, he’s ditched the broody teen angst for an enthusiastic, fun-loving kid that enjoys his secret ability and saving people. Thankfully audiences are also spared another rehash of Spider-Man’s radioactive origin story since he was experimenting with his powers before Tony even tapped him for assistance. While he dreams of being the newest Avenger, he settles for being “on-call” and ready for action. On the upside, he did get a pretty sweet suit out of the deal — even if all its functionality isn’t available to him.

They seem to have finally pinned down this character by incorporating his naiveté and sarcasm to create a personality that is endearing and entertaining. Also, being able to sporadically include Iron Man in the narrative helps support the smart-alecky energy captured by director Jon Watts; though he’s not the only one popping in for cameos. Captain America appears in several hilarious “the more you know” type videos played for students at Peter’s high school at various points in the film, including gym class and detention. In addition, his best friend (Jacob Batalon) keeps things interesting as he struggles to keep a lid on Peter’s secret identity and occasionally combines their nerd skills to make Spider-Man a better crime fighter (or get him into trouble).

The tea is exceptionally good today. #SpiderManHomecoming pic.twitter.com/HYzTaqSCjm

— Spider-Man (@SpiderManMovie) June 26, 2017

Michael Keaton plays Adrian Toomes, a.k.a. Vulture, the movie’s villain — and is he ever a great bad guy. Toomes feels the world ripped him off enough and now he’s getting what he deserves by any means necessary, which in this case includes stealing and selling dangerous, illegal weapons to other criminals. But he’s also a devoted family man who rationalizes his actions by attributing it to providing for his loved ones. His battles with Spider-Man are pretty standard, but the final showdown is both emotional and epic in typical Marvel fashion.

Although Sony’s superhero movies don’t typically have end-credit sequences, this one has one of the most amusing that’s completely worth the wait (even if audiences are told otherwise).

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

Similar Posts

  • Review: ‘The Intruders’ left something behind (Includes first-hand account)

    Uprooting one’s life to move to a new home, or especially a new town, can be distressing. The unfamiliar can easily become frightening and/or appear threatening. Anxieties are amplified and everything appears alien or suspect. Compound that with existing mental health issues and you get the terror experienced by the young woman at the centre of The Intruders.

  • Review: ‘Manchester by the Sea’ delivers greatness via its performances (Includes first-hand account)

    The death of a loved one, even when somewhat expected, is a very difficult experience. On top of all the emotions involved, there are a lot of arrangements to be made, legalities to handle and people to see. If you’re the one that needs to manage all of these things, giving in to grief is not an option. The responsibility can be a blessing and a curse as the need to concentrate on the details can act as a distraction, while the same details can wrench at your heart and bring long buried feelings to the surface. Manchester by the Sea takes place in the wake of a brother and father’s death as his loved ones deal with the particulars of his passing.

  • Review: ‘Harry Potter’ 4K puts viewers at the centre of a magical rivalry (Includes first-hand account)

    In 2001, audiences were introduced to Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Sixteen years later, it’s hard to believe more time has passed since the first Harry Potter film premiered than the child stars’ ages at the time of shooting (they were between 11 and 13 when they began this journey). The films have been released and re-released a number of times since the series’ conclusion, offering budget options, complete sets and limited collectible boxes. With so many choices, fans have often been selective about which versions they purchase. But it may be time to buy the movies again because Warner Bros. is releasing all the films on 4K.

  • Review: ‘Come Play’ turns your screen into a window of terror (Includes first-hand account)

    It doesn’t take much for a kid to catch a bully’s attention, but being different is like having a giant target painted on their back. Special treatment, vulnerabilities and awkward social behaviour are just some of the things that can make a kid stick out from the crowd — having all three is a recipe for loneliness. But there are worse things than being alone. There are monsters that prey on young people’s isolation, using the solitude to draw them away from their families and into the darkness. Come Play is about a boy whose lack of companionship awakens a creature that wants nothing more than to be his friend.

  • Review: ‘The First Purge’ gets at the heart of the horror (Includes first-hand account)

    According to this franchise, in the near future the United States will condone one night of complete lawlessness. For 12 hours, every American citizen has the right to do whatever they want, including rape, murder and steal. But how could such a heinous event be permitted, let alone supported, by not only the people but their government? We’ve seen a family held hostage in their home, people wandering the streets in masks brutally killing anyone they encounter, disgruntled employees taking revenge on their bosses… and armed military units using the event as cover for the genocide of hundreds of lower income citizens. The First Purge is the story of how it all began.