Well, I’d like to rename 2017 “the year that Marvel killed it”. Having already watched Guardians 2 and Thor 3, I finally got around to seeing Spider-Man: Homecoming, and blimey was I impressed yet again.
Firstly, Tom Holland is the perfect Spider-Man. He is a believable nerdy school boy, who has great power thrust upon him. His casting was a stunning choice, and every time he’s sharing the screen with another Avenger we can see the pure thrill in his eyes, not just as his character, but also as a fanboy actor who happens to have the coolest job. However, Tom Holland wasn’t the only stroke of genius casting, because Michael Keaton is incredible as the ‘Vulture’, with a shocking plot twist I never saw coming revealing more to his character than first thought. Keaton’s intensity is always brilliant, and it’s great to see that after 30 years, he can still nail any role in a superhero movie. I was also very impressed with Jacob Batalon as Peters best friend Ned, and he is lucky enough to have some of the funniest lines in the film.
The story is a great balance between Ferris Bueller-type high school escapades and thrilling action. I really liked that after all the colossal worlds destroyed in the various other Marvel films, we get to return back to central New York and see how the world is continuing on with the ongoing Avengers initiative. It’s clear that through all the big explosions and impressive set pieces, this film is one about a young man struggling through adolescence and finding how he fits into the world. Equally, the villain was refreshingly down-to-earth. After the huge all-powerful beings that have been fought previously, I enjoyed the return to a more realistic villain, with understandable plot intentions and an interesting backstory tying him into the back catalogue of the MCU.
The film is filled to the brim with humour, from Captain America’s cheesy public service announcements to Peter’s digs at the other Avengers, and I really enjoyed the lighthearted approach to this Spider-Man reboot. Rather than being bogged down with the darker plot points of the wider MCU, the film instead keeps the action to a smaller scale, and this means because the threats aren’t as world destroying, the tone can be much lighter. That’s not to say there isn’t danger in the film, and the action is able to get intense when it needs to be.
Overall, this film has just continued to fuel my massive anticipation for Infinity War, to the point where it might start to become a letdown. I have been so impressed with the humour, unique direction and story of Marvels three 2017 films, and I hope the hype will be met on April 26th. Bring it on!
Daniel Robinson: From Reel to Real 