Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Starring Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr.

Directed by Jon Watts

The Story:
After the events of "Civil War," Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is on an emotional high after being recruited by Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) to fight for his side.  He eagerly awaits further instructions for future adventures, but as the weeks go by and no one calls, he starts becoming disillusioned, and becoming bored with performing ordinary saves in New York City.

Meanwhile, Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), a salvage company owner, has been stealing alien technology from the Avengers' New York battle against the Chitari, and has amassed an impressive array of weaponry, calling himself the Vulture.  Spider-Man comes into contact with the men, and decide to investigate on his own after getting the cold shoulder from Iron Man.  As he learns about the extent of his powers and who he can trust, Peter is stretched beyond his means and learns the true cost of being a real hero, while also juggling a high school career and falling in love with his classmate Liz (Laura Harrier) and being aided by his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon).

The Synopsis:
Fifteen years ago, Tobey Maguire brought Spider-Man to the big screen, and the results were very impressive.  The first film grossed over $400 million domestically, and was heralded by audiences and critics alike.  The second film exceeded the first in quality, and also earned over $370 million.  However, the third film failed to deliver, as it was overstuffed with too many villains (Venom, Sandman, Green Goblin), and that stuck a fork in Sam Raimi's series.

In 2012, the Spider-Man franchise was rebooted with Andrew Garfield as the titular hero, and the first film resulted in a satisfactory $260 million domestic cume, with the second drawing in a meager $200 million and also ended that franchise because it once again relied on too many villains in one movie (Electro, Green Goblin, Rhino). 

With the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, audiences were begging for the web-slinger to be included with the likes of Iron Man, Thor, and the Hulk, but it seemed impossible because Sony owned the rights to the franchise, and wouldn't give it up.  Fortunately for fans, after "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" tanked, they allowed Marvel to loan the rights to Spider-Man for their universe.  This newly minted Spider-Man made a cameo appearance in "Captain America: Civil War," and just that glimmer of scene time cemented Tom Holland's Spider-Man as the one to watch, and with his own full-length film, we've finally gotten the Spider-Man we deserve.

Tom Holland's casting was one of pure genius.  He's not an ordinary household name, so people wouldn't associate him as being an actor playing Spider-Man.  He's twenty (much younger than Maguire and Garfield), and more importantly, he looks like he's fifteen, which works perfectly for the role, as Spider-Man is still a high school student, and he passes the bill there.  Finally Holland is naturally charismatic, and he portrays that to brilliance here, as we receive the classic Spidey quips and sarcasm as well as his own search of self-discovery. 

One thing that sets "Homecoming" apart from other Marvel origin stories is that...it's not really an origin story.  Thankfully we're not given the Batman treatment (each movie going back to how he became Batman when his parents were shot, yadda, yadda, yadda) where we see a radioactive spider bite Parker, and him adjusting to his powers, dealing with his Uncle's death, and so on and so forth.  Instead, the film takes place after "Civil War," with Parker already in tune with his abilities (mostly), and we're given a character we've known and loved for decades as he comes into his own.  Sure, it has the staples of a good superhero movie (cool costumes, exciting fighting, a denouement with the Big Bad), but it goes so much deeper than that.

What sets Spider-Man apart from other superheroes is that he's still just a kid.  This was attempted at the two previous incarnations, to limited success.  No one believed Maguire (who was 25 at the time of the first film) was a dorky high school student, and the same for Garfield (who was almost 30), but with Holland, he's able to effortlessly sling across the city and fight dastardly villains while struggling with Spanish class and friendships in a way that seems natural.  Spider-Man has always been an icon to younger comic book fans because he wasn't a billionaire playboy philanthropist, the son of Odin, or frozen in time - he's just a kid - and to see him fully encompassing both personalities on screen was something we've been waiting to see.

The overlaying story is a traditional superhero tale: hero grows in his abilities, comes into contact with an arch-nemesis, battles ensue.  All of that is visually exciting and fun to watch, but that is just the icing on the cake, and when you stick the knife in to grab a piece, you discover the full richness that lies within.  Director Jon Watts wanted to tell the story of Spider-Man through the eyes of Peter Parker, and for us to see Parker more than Spider-Man.  He wanted to mix a superhero movie with a John Hughes film, and succeeded on both ends.  While we see Spidey learning the powers of his suit (thanks to his A.I. that talks to him) and battling the Vulture, we also see his internal struggle with keeping his identity a secret - and whether or not he should.  When his best friend Ned accidentally finds out his true identity, he wants Peter to come forward - after all, if you're Spider-Man, you can have any girl you want.  Plus it would stick it to bully Flash, and Parker could get the girl of his dreams - Liz - whom he is constantly fearful of talking to.  Plus there's Michelle, who's a bitter, sarcastic girl every park Parker's equal, and the rest of his academic decathlon team.  There's bits of "The Breakfast Club" scattered throughout, as Peter deals with normal high school angst while also battling baddies.  This is where the film really shines and sets itself apart from other superhero movies, because there's the deeply realistic take on a world that teenagers live through.

Besides Holland's casting, the remainder of the actors were also perfect for their roles.  Michael Keaton finally returns to the superhero world (after playing Batman in the first two Batman films) on the other side of the spectrum, yet still donning a costume where he can fly.  This is great casting on so many levels, not just because of his Batman past, but also because he was recently nominated for an Oscar for the film "Birdman" where he plays a down-and-out actor who used to be a superhero named Birdman.  He deliciously relishes his role, bringing us the best Marvel villain since Loki.

Robert Downey Jr. plays the (reluctant) father figure for Parker, who is there to give sage advice as well as deliver tough love when needed, and Marisa Tomei plays Aunt May vastly differently than her previous counterparts (the first Aunt May was in her late 70s, and Garfield's May was in her 60s, while Tomei plays her in her late 40s) in that she's younger, and much more active in Peter's life.  Jennifer Connolly voices Karen - the A.I. in Spider-Man's suit - which is another casting genius: she is the real-life wife of Paul Bettany, who voiced Jarvis in the "Iron Man" movies.

As far as Peter's classmates, they're a classic hodgepodge of teens you'd find at your local high school.  Jacob Batalon plays Ned, Parker's nerdy, computer-savvy best friend who delivers humorous one-liners and is just a joy to behold overall.  Zendaya plays the mysterious Michelle, who is always around Peter yet just outside his peripheral, and has the personality of someone I want as a best friend - bitter, sarcastic, deadpan, and amazing.  Laura Harrier plays Liz, Peter's love interest who's a natural beauty but also has intelligence and heart, and Tony Revolori (who also played in the must-see film "The Grand Budapest Hotel") plays the classic bully Flash with a very modern take - in other incarnations, Flash is a muscular jock who physically picks on Parker, while Revolori's Flash is scrawny, but he assaults Parker mentally by insulting him all the time.  I loved how they went for the emotional bully approach rather than the physical, because that's something a lot of teenagers go through in life, and Revolori plays it perfectly - I really disliked the kid.

So we got a solid script, a more than capable cast, and fantastic effects and action: everything you'd expect from a summer superhero spectacular.  Yet, for the true comic fan, there's dozen of hidden Easter Eggs scattered throughout the film, the most notable being Donald Glover's role.  I won't give it away, but after hearing his name, a true Spider-Man comic fan will know who he is and who his family is.  Then there's THAT iconic comic book scene brought to life from the pages. They're just some of the several hidden gems in this jewel-encrusted joy.

The Summary:
After fifteen years of seeing our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man on screen, Marvel finally got the character down to a T with "Homecoming," a true delight for moviegoers searching for a fun, exciting superhero flick as well as those loyal to Spidey since his first comic book appearance in 1962, a film that blends the super with the hero, and combines epic action with down-to-earth humanity.

The Score: A+