Finally! A Spider-Man movie amazing enough to want to write home about. Or for me, blog endlessly. Spider-Man: Homecoming is such a delightful start to Peter Parker's journey in the Marvel universe, and I personally do not think they could have done a better job with it. There was plenty of great moments, Easter eggs, and pure heart in this film and there is little that could have been improved on.
For starters, this film felt so fresh in the wake of the Andrew Garfield era. The two Amazing Spider-Man movies were not bad, but they seemed bogged down by the classic style of Tobey Maguire. This movie, however, took a nice turn and did not follow the typical Spider-Man story line. Moviegoers are almost as tired as seeing Uncle Ben die as they are the Wayne parents, and it was pleasant to see that change of pace. Knowing his background already, it was good to just jump into the movie. It was also a good refresher for us to see Parker's point-of-view during the events of Civil War and how he handled his life as the friendly neighborhood web-slinger. Another aspect that I particularly enjoyed was the age of Peter in the film. While I did not initially agree with his whiny voice and spastic attitude in the previous Captain America film, Tom Holland's portrayal grew on me. Parker behaved like a geeky high-schooler, just like his character from the comics should.
I am so relieved that they chose a fresh face and villain for this movie, and Michael Keaton did an amazing job. It felt like more of a grounded story this time around, as opposed to Spider-Man films in the past where the villain craved world domination or revenge. Michael Keaton's Vulture was very motivated by family, which is something that we can all agree with. He also proved himself to be one of the most terrifying villains of the Marvel universe, even though he was fairly small-time. And the moment where he was revealed to be Liz's father took me for a twist. I was definitely not expecting that, but the writers did an outstanding job of hiding and later connecting that moment. Another element that I was very pleased with was the incorporation of Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man. From the looks of the trailers and interviews leading up to the release, it seemed as if Tony Stark was going to play a massive role in this film, being Parker's mentor and father figure. I was happily surprised knowing that this was not the case, and that Parker was left alone for the majority of the film to figure things out by himself. This was much-needed development in Parker, and it was good to see Stark not completely controlling the spotlight.
There were a few major Easter eggs and references in the film that definitely affect what could potentially come next. Zendaya's character in Homecoming was revealed to be MJ, or Mary Jane for non-source material followers. She plays a critical role in Parker's love life in the future, and it was nice getting that confirmation of who her character was after months of speculation. Another aspect that I am sure will get fans riled up is Donald Glover's character Aaron Davis. Our very own Childish Gambino is in this film, and if that does not make you happy enough, maybe the confirmation that Miles Morales exists will, as Glover plays his uncle in a few scenes.
With all great superhero movies comes some criticism, however, as there were a few minor things that bothered me about Homecoming. There seemed to be no difference in tone or general feelings between this film and many previous Marvel films. While it is no doubt that Marvel has built the largest franchise in cinematic history, there is a running trend of mediocre themes. A hero learns to harness his or her true power for the greater good and fights a villain who has a personal connection to the hero. This seems to be the generic theme for all superhero movies nowadays, and it gets very dull after dozens of films. While it was an exciting new part of the Marvel universe, it seemed complacent in its directorial style, which gives Jon Watts mediocre credit. Another aspect that I did not enjoy was towards the last act of the film when the Homecoming dance was taking place. One might think that it would be a big part of the movie, considering it is in the title after all. But it was played off as another one of Parker's excuses for fighting crime, and was not given the attention it deserved. I felt like a John Hughes-style scene at the dance would have worked well, considering it is a high school movie, but we can't always get what we want.
Overall, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a great new addition to the Marvel universe, and the character of Peter Parker was brought back to life after years of production uncertainty. Even though the style seems bland at many points, the film is a fast-paced and witty story worth watching.
My Rating: ★★★★
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