FORGET Spider-Man saving the day.
In Homecoming, the web slinger’s first movie as part of the ‘Marvel Cinematic Universe’, he is the one who is saved – by the slick producers of the Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America and Thor films.
While fans have recently been relishing the above comic book adventures, Spider-Man had got himself into a tangled web of reboots with Sony Pictures.
The teen hero had basically found himself in a cinematic cul-de-sac until a surprise deal between Sony and Disney (who own Marvel Studios) was made to bring him into the wider superhero world.
We got a taste of that with Spidey’s welcome and playful cameo in Captain America: Civil War. And it is a delight to say that his full outing is just as good.
Picking up where Civil War left off, Jon Watts’ film makes the wise step of avoiding retelling Spider-Man’s backstory that pretty much everyone knows anyway.
As charming as he is versatile, British actor Tom Holland is brilliant as Peter Parker/Spider-Man.
Part of the comic book character’s charm is his vulnerability as a dorky high school teen.
And Holland embodies the confusion and excitement of being that age – while having superpowers. So Homecoming has a suitably lighter tone to some of the other Marvel films. The plot may be sewn up a little too neatly but what makes it stand out is its humour. There are laugh-out-loud moments throughout mostly thanks to the back and forth between Peter and his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon).
Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) acts as Spidey’s mentor and offers a helping hand for some spectacular moments.
And Michael Keaton shines as a villain that makes you think and keeps you guessing. He is Adrian Toomes/Vulture, a ‘salt of the earth’ blue collar everyman who turns bad after getting fed up of cleaning up the superheroes’ post battle wreckage.
Your friendly, neighbourhood Spider-Man is back – and this time let’s hope he’s here to stay.
RATING: 8/10
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