Review: Spider-Man: Homecoming

I was lucky enough to attend a screening of Spider-Man: Homecoming ahead of its release this week. Although there were other reviewers in attendance, this particular screening was aimed at family audiences. While a room full of children loaded up on sugar watching a movie with you may sound like a nightmare, it is to the film’s credit that it managed to keep everyone engaged right up until (and after) the credits.

The story opens with Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) as he learns that his salvage company is being taken off the New York incident clean-up job from the first Avengers movie. With his livelihood at stake, he decides to start using the tech he has already collected to create weapons and become an arms dealer. The initial focus on Toomes and his crew is actually a good early sign that director Jon Watts wants to give us a true antagonist for Spider-Man, rather than just a run-of-the-mill villain.

After a jump of eight years, we catch up with Peter Parker (Tom Holland), still coming down from the high of working with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and the Avengers. Returning to his life as a friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is not as fulfilling as it once was and he is eager to rejoin the team. This actually forms the primary character arc for Peter as he struggles to balance his school and home life with his crime-fighting. He is so eager to impress Stark that he stumbles into the operations of a now-veteran arms dealer, Toomes.

Holland’s nerdy but nimble demeanour, as well as his well-intentioned but clumsy superhero skill-set early on, immediately get us on his side. During an early scene, where Peter is trying to impress the cool girl at school, Liz (Laura Harrier), he is tempted to use his Spider-Man persona to improve his chances with her. His conundrum is relatable and understandable; a feature of the Peter Parker character that speaks to his appeal overall – he is one of us.

When Holland is portraying Spider-Man, you also get the sense that he is free. The quips fly thick and fast, as do the web shooters. He is in his element and it is joyous to watch. The action scenes are kinetic and fun, never so serious that a visual or verbal gag is out of the question. Watts does a fantastic job of balancing the tone of the movie so you never lose sight of the fact that this is a kid in the suit.

Obviously, with Tony Stark’s involvement, the ties to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe are more apparent in this iteration. However, they function as brief nods to the audience which feel natural. Outside of Iron Man, only one other Avenger shows up in the film but it is in an incredibly funny way that gets funnier as the appearances continue to happen.

Outside of a slight over-reliance on CGI in the final battle, I enjoyed the various action scenes in the film. Spider-Man spends as much time saving people as battling bad guys, which seems to be the right mix for me. My sole criticism is in the lack of characterisation granted to the other people in Peter’s life. Aunt May, Liz nor Ned, his best friend, are truly given enough time to grow but do a serviceable job of supporting Peter’s journey.

Leaving the cinema, I had a smile on my face. Not only did Watts, Holland and co. manage to give us the Spider-Man we deserve, they also nailed the Parker. This feels like a true return to form for the character and certainly ranks on par with Spider-Man 2 for me.

Official Movie Site