Spider-Man: Homecoming review: Dir. Jon Watts (2017)

Spider-Man Homecoming review: It’s reboot time for Spidey as Sony team up with the superheroes over at Marvel for the first stand-alone for the webbed wonder in the MCU.

Spider-Man Homecoming review by Paul Heath.

For many, Spider-Man is the most beloved and cherished amongst all of the Marvel characters. With no less than five movies produced in the last 15 years alone, excluding this new attempt, Hollywood has tried and indeed tried again to get it right. While Sam Raimi’s first two outings are lauded amongst the movie community, every one since has fallen way short of expectation.

So here comes reboot number three, Spider-Man: Homecoming – only this time movie license holders Sony have teamed with Marvel Studios for a film set in the current Marvel Cinematic Universe – choosing to sidestep an original story (thank heavens) and focus on Peter Parker at the age of 15 in his senior year at high school.

Tom Holland reprises his role as the webbed wonder/ Parker for this, his second screen outing following an extended cameo in last year’s praised Captain America: Civil War. The movie opens with a glorious, well-judged five minutes or so catching up on his involvement in ‘Civil War’ – a wonderfully staged montage of mobile phone-captured footage of his first major experience with the Avengers. This segways into Parker’s deployment back to civilian life and relative normality in high school in Queens where he waits, and waits for a call-up by mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) and aide Happy (Jon Favreau) – the middleman between Parker and his heroes. Of course, that time doesn’t immediately come, so Parker finds himself filling the void of Avengers action by partaking in acts of kindness and heroism by solving petty crimes on the streets of New York.

It’s here where he runs into Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), a blue-collar contractor who has been working on the colossal clear-up of New York following the destructive exploits of the Avengers in their famous adventure taking on Loki and co. at the end of Avengers Assemble. During said clean-up, Toomes pocketed some key alien hardware and, fast-forwarding a couple of years, has developed the technology into some pretty nifty weapons, including a super-suit of his own, which enables him to take to the skies as the mysterious Vulture. With Happy and Tony Stark dismissing Parker’s call for help – they’re in the middle of a big property move from Manhattan to upstate New York – the young wannabe Avenger must tackle this new threat on his own, and at the same time prove his worth to those that he looks up to.

Of course, there’s so much more going on in this very entertaining superhero movie. As well as the aforementioned, Parker also has to deal with changes in his personal life – like adjusting to life with Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), graduating from high school, peer pressure and nasty bullying from his school mates, and the attraction to the opposite sex – notably the affection he feels for Liz (Laura Harrier), one of the most looked-up-to girls in his class.

What Marvel are good at – and I’m not sure how much involvement they had in the making of this (we’re guessing a lot) – is balancing all of the aforementioned with the action and adventure that we’d expect from a well-rounded superhero movie, while at the same time adding a light-hearted, enjoyable feel to proceedings. Whoever is responsible – they really knocked it out of the park with this one.

First off, Holland is note-perfect as Parker and builds upon the albeit very small foundations he laid in ‘Civil War’. The supporting cast around him are also extremely good – their characters very well-written and performed. Key are the likes of Jacob Batalon, who brings many of the funnies as Parker’s best friend at school Ned, Tony Revolori as Flash – a Parker tormenter who shines in every scene he’s in, and also pop starlet turned actress Zendaya as gloriously obnoxious Michelle, a girl very much on the sidelines in this movie, but excellently played by the young actress.

There’s a lot going on elsewhere too. Donald Glover pops up as career criminal Aaron Davis, someone which may be known to the die-hards, Hannibal Burress as Coach Wilson, a character who uses a very familiar face to motivate students and even a blink-and-you’ll-miss-him Michael Mando (Nacho in Better Call Saul). His appearance is very brief, but do pay attention.

The star of the show is without doubt Michael Keaton. His Vulture/ Adrian Toomes is perhaps the best villain we’ve seen in a comic book movie for many years. Very much grounded in reality with motivations that are very plausible, Vulture steals every scene he’s in – and all of that is due to Keaton’s very unique timing, comedic sensibilities and downright awesomeness. It’s difficult to imagine anyone else in the role.

Spider-Man may have historically been the most difficult superhero character to adapt for the screen, but fear not as the new adventure is deserved of both its history and place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Extremely funny throughout with jaw-dropping action set pieces, Spider-Man: Homecoming is arguably one of the best Marvel movies yet – certainly the best stand-alone.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is also one of the best tentpoles of the year. Huge applause all round.

Spider-Man Homecoming review by Paul Heath, June 2017.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is released in UK cinemas on July 5th 2017.