Grade: A+
Spiderman is an iconic comic character with a plummeting career on the silver screen. Think back to 2002, with Spider-Man, when the red-and-blue hero was welcomed with open arms. At the helm of director Sam Raimi, Spider-Man 2 continues a decent story. You will probably recall those years when the franchise was at its prime as good. Then Raimi lost touch with Spider-Man 3, and garbage entries with Andrew Garfield quickly followed. We feared that we would never see another worthy to wear the mask. Those fears are easily forgotten thanks to director Jon Watt’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. Notable as the best Spidey movie to date, it’s highly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny while keeping you on the edge of your seat.
Actor Tom Holland did a perfect job of playing Peter Parker; he perfectly portrays a young hero learning the ropes faster than he is ready. While “interning” for Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), his continued tangos with Vulture (Michael Keaton) cause him to try and cut corners with his training. Soon, he and everyone else realize he bit off more than he can chew. The endearing nature, wit, and sense of justice that Holland portrays in character compel the audience to champion these juvenile antics, despite the misfortune they keep bringing. You really want to root for him to prove to the world that he is more than the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
Yet his youthfulness, naivety, and novice experiences make this adaptation of Spider-Man the best thus far. He can get the job done in his quirky way, similar to his source material, even though he hasn’t fully figured it all out. It was a refreshing, welcomed element to the movie. Before this feature, the Marvel Cinematic Universe would depict superheroes already dialed in on their skill sets, ready to fight the enemy, as if they woke up already on their own. In Spider-man: Homecoming, Spider-Man is literally in a crash course training to superhero-ing, only focused on keeping to his code of not killing anyone in the process. It was very well done!
The acting was great all around. Keaton, who finally gets to play a bird in a good flick, does a great job portraying Vulture. Let it be noted that I still vehemently believe that Birdman was garbage, and the Academy was paid off for it to win best picture. Still, in Homecoming, his villain had depth, realism, and openness about the plight of the “little guy,” causing the moviegoers, and Parker, to wonder if his crimes were warranted.
Coupled with amazing acting were even better special effects and a fantastic score during the movie, which kept the energy flowing, and enhanced the cinematic experience. Following Spidey soar through New York on an IMAX canvas was a stunning visual experience. The Staten Island Ferry scene alone is worth the price of admission. Even when our favorite wall-crawler brought both acrobatics and aerial views from his “vlog,” the realism was, dare I say, amazing.
The script was well written, keeping you thoroughly engaged for over two hours of the picture’s run time. Each scene flew by smoothly, as there was hardly a dull moment. It may appear that each scene quickly leads to the next at a frantic pace, but only because the picture tackles a ton of story at once. I won’t get into spoilers, of course, but the numerous storylines woven throughout the film may have some wanting to return to the theaters for multiple showings.
The best part of this comic-to-screen hero story is that Spidey is truly funny. The scenarios he is placed in, from saving The Big Apple to trying to fit in at high school, wrapped in the director’s homage to 80’s coming-of-age movies, easily make this a box office hit.
Spider-man: Homecoming needs to be viewed on the big screen. Funny, energetic, and captivating, everyone should web sling to their local theater for the summer’s best blockbuster!
Rated: PG-13 (for sci-fi action violence, some language, and brief suggestive comments)
Director: Jon Watts
Screenwriters: John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein, Jon Watts, Christopher D. Ford, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers
Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya Coleman, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr.
Genre: Action, Adventure
Synopsis:
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 superhero in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, living 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 Peter holds most important will be threatened.