PLEASE NOTE - THE FOLLOWING IS A SPOILER FREE REVIEW. I WILL NOT REVEAL ANY MAJOR PLOT POINTS FROM THE MOVIE. Since his debut in Amazing Fantasy no. 15 in 1962 Spiermand has become a fan favourite the world over and become the mascot for Marvel comics. One of the reasons for his enduring popularity is because he seems so "real" - he was a kid who had relatable problems, like making rent and keeping his job, as well as having superpowers he used to protect the city.
Through a variety of animated series in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s (and a short lived 1970s live action tv series), the Webhead finally got the big screen treatment he deserved from Sam Raimi in 2002. Given how often superhero movies are released these days, it may seem strange to think back 15 years and realise that the landscape of movies was very very different. Blade, X-men and Spiderman showed that comic book movies could be made, be made well and be massively successful. And yet, since his big screen debut for various reasons, the films have faltered.
While the MCU has thrived as comic book movies have become a legitimate movie genre, Spiderman has been rebooted twice. Some people liked Tobey Macguire's performance but some said it wasn't quite right. Many people praised Andrew Garfield's performance, while some said he was a bit too cool and wasn't quite right. The Amazing Spiderman 2 did the unthinkable; it damaged the Spiderman brand a little. And then came the unprecedented: two major movie studios, sharing a character, working together to release a major motion picture.
With his awesome debut and extended cameo appearance in Captain America: Civil War, I think it is fair to say that audiences have been clamouring for more of Tom Holland's Spiderman, despite the fact this is the third reboot of the character. Head honcho of the MCU (our lord and saviour Kevin Feige) stated they wanted the new movie to be reminiscent of the classic John Hughes high school movies of the 80s. So, have Sony/Marvel managed to successfully reboot the character, make his appearance in the MCU seem natural, have a credible stand alone movie and capture the John Hughes essence that Kevin Feige wanted?
The story/plotFollowing the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker is plonked back into his old life, with a brand new superset courtesy of Tony Stark. While struggling to deal with that enormous entity known as high school, can Parker find a balance between being a teenager and being a superhero, especially when a new super-villain called the Vulture appears on the scene.
Overall opinionWhen I first started collecting comics back in the early 90s, Spiderman was my favourite character. His suit was cool, his powers were great, he was the quippy superhero long before Deadpool ever existed and most importantly, he was relatable and believable (to me, he was one of the few superheroes I felt could actually exist in the real world as he wasn't fantastical, god-like or seemingly perfect). I still say that Spiderman 2 is one of the best comic book movies ever made and while I enjoyed Andrew Garfield's portrayal, The Amazing Spiderman 2 was an unfortunate mess. My faith in ever seeing an accurate representation of the comic character I loved received another blow…..and then came Civil War. Despite his limited screen time, Tom Holland managed to capture everything I had grown-up loving about both Peter Parker AND Spiderman. So, when the Sony/Marvel deal was announced and Homecoming was given a release date, my expectations for a great movie were high. And the movie…IS…AWESOME!
Spiderman: Homecoming is, in my humble opinion, the funniest MCU movie to date. Every joke hits and is genuinely funny, to the point where (like in the Naked Gun or Airplane) it is almost hard to keep up. But that is not a bad thing. All the jokes land really well and do not feel forced. However, it this film s not just a comedy. The movie has some touching moments, as well as moments of genuine dread, suspense and OMFG!
The Peter Parker we have in this movie is a genuinely awkward 15 year old. You may be pleased to hear that, unlike so many other comic book movies, this movie is more about exploring Spiderman's journey to becoming a hero, rather than an origin story. Also, you will be very happy to hear, that despite what the trailers and marketing suggest, this is not an Ironman film featuring Spiderman; Ironman/Tony Stark appear sparingly, but with enough presence to link this film to the wider MCU.
The PerformancesTom Holland - Peter ParkerIt helps that Holland is only 20 but looks younger, as you convincingly buy into him as a high school teenager with superpowers. He is equal parts recognisable awkwardness, charm, funny and exhibiting the inherit need to do good that is essential for the character. It also helped pull me into the performance, knowing that Holland is an incredible acrobat in real life and that he performed many of the flips, tumbles and twists in the movie himself.
Robert Downey Jr - Tony StarkAfter 6 films and almost 10 years, it is hardly surprising that RDJ can play this character in his sleep. Despite the fears of some fans that RDJ would overshadow the main character, this is a very inclusive performance from RDJ, bringing Stark to life once again, but allowing the films star to shine.
Michael Keaton - Adrian Toomes/VultureMichael Keaton has always been a fantastic actor and, after his self-imposed break from acting in the late 90s, it is great to see him back on screen playing a really memorable villain. If there's one thing the MCU is known for is forgettable villains (as Kevin Feige has always wanted the focus of the films to be on the heroes). However, here we have a villain that is menacing and memorable without being over-the-top; I don't think Keaton raised his voice once. And yet there is tension whenever he is on screen.
Zendaya - MichelleNot being a teenager or privy to lots of American shows, I had not heard of Zendaya before she was cast in the film. However, she brings a fresh spin onto the character that is enjoyable to see on-screen.
Marissa Tomei - May Parker Hot Aunt May returns, having a little more to do in this film than her brief appearance in Civil War.
Donald Glover - Aaron DavisA brief appearance, but he brought his usual level of charm and snark to the role.
Jacob Batalon - Ned LeedsFans of the comic will recognise this character's name and it will be interesting to see if they take this character in a similar direction in future movies. For now, Jacob is the best friend to Peter and the comic relief in the high school scenes.
OTHER STUFFThe action
Some of the best set-pieces I have seen in a DC movie yet. The standout would definitely have to be the no man's land sequence, closely followed by the Amazons vs soldiers on the beach. Not once did it stray into 300 territory, which it could have done easily as Zack Synder collaborated on the actions scenes. A couple of times slo-mo was used unnecessarily, but on the whole, great action. Final fight was not bad, but could have been better.
The pacing
Pacing in movies is a very hard thing to do and I feel the movie could have been a little shorter (than it's 2hr 13 min run time) if the pacing was a little tighter.
The jokes
The character of Spiderman is well-known for his talking/quips/jokes during fight scenes. And this movie does not disappoint. It didn't hit as hard as it did in Captain America: Civil War (probably because this movie had a different and was way funnier), but every joke hit , and hit hard.
Cameos
Stan Lee does his thing, but it has the funniest Captain America cameos EVER (which is not a spoiler if you have watched any of the trailers).
There was one more, completely unexpected cameo that was a pleasant surprise.
Post Credit scenes
The usual Marvel mid credit and end credit scenes, both of which are really funny.
Final verdictIs this a great Spiderman movie? Hell yes
Has this movie repaired the damage to the character done by ASM 2? Hells yes.
Is this the greatest Spiderman movie ever? It's hard to say right now as I am writing review fresh off the back of seeing the movie. However, for right now, I will say that it is definitely on a par with Spiiderman 2 (by Sam Raimi). Time will tell whether I where my ultimate opinion lands.
The studio experiment sharing a character, definitely worked. The way Spiderman is portrayed in this movie slots him very nicely and effortlessly into the MCU.
Score - 8/10My Movie rating system
10- Citizen "F*%king" Kane (A+)
9- Bloody Great (A)
8- Really rather good (A-)
7- Pretty decent (B+)
6- Definitely above average (B)
5- Middle of the road average (C)
4- Mediocre (D)
3- Meh (E)
2- Crap (F)
1- Why the hell did I waste my my time and money on this abomination (unrated)