Spider-Man: Homecoming - Movie Review

You probably don't have much time to read a three page film review and you probably want the basics. We'll make it quick and easy to save you time.

Courtesy of Sony Pictures

Spider-Man: Homecoming reboots the webslinging superhero for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, goes through a bit of a withdrawal after the events of Captain America: Civil War. He wants more action. He wants bigger action. Parker is stuck going to school, while Spider-Man is stuck giving old ladies directions. Then comes Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton). Toomes is a former salvager turned illegal arms dealer, selling Chitauri technology to whoever wants it: mostly small level criminals. With Toomes hanging around Brooklyn, Parker decides that this would be the opportunity to show his mentor, Tony Stark, what he has to offer. In perfect comedic fashion, it doesn't go so well.

Marvel Studios and Sony are at the top of their game with this film. Holland and Keaton are perfect fits for their role, along with the entire supporting cast. The comedy is great, the serious moments are perfectly set up, and everything meshes within the context of the larger cinematic universe that Marvel has created. The only problems lie in the foundations of the universe itself. When Spider-Man: Homecoming was announced it seemed like a question of, "How will Marvel do this without getting other franchise characters in the way?" Simply, put, they couldn't. Tony Stark shows up every once in a while to provide Parker with some hard lessons about life. The beginning of the film focuses on the cleanup in New York from Avengers, and Parker works throughout the majority of the film to get the acceptance of Stark and to join the Avengers. Fortunately, Holland and crew are enjoyable enough that the film becomes more of a character story than an action-flick.

Courtesy of Sony Pictures

I'm not the biggest Spider-Man fan and had a big bias going into the theater. Everything about this film changed my mind. There are great moments of action, but the film centers on Parker and Toomes and their struggles in a post-Avengers world. Marvel Studios has shown that they can have strong character driven films with Iron Man and Captain America: Winter Soldier. Spider-Man: Homecoming only shows that Marvel Studios is still the dominant force in filmmaking today. Sixteen films in and they haven't lost their touch.


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