Tom Holland makes his first solo debut in the MCU as the New York web-slinger in a film about responsibility and being a teenager. The film is a direct continuation of “Captain America: Civil War,” where viewers first got to see Holland’s portrayal of the titular hero.
Following immediately on “Civil War,” “Homecoming” follows 15-year-old Peter Parker (Holland) as he finds himself back in Queens, New-York, as he tries to juggle being a teenager with his superhero alter-ego. Fueled by his recent tussle with The Avengers, Peter eagerly awaits his next mission from his mentor Tony Stark (Downey Jr.); but Tony, not wanting to put Peter in danger, keeps him on a tight leash. When the Vulture emerges, Peter takes this as the perfect opportunity to show Stark that he has what it takes to join The Avengers. But in typical Marvel fashion, Peter has bitten off way more than he can chew, soon realising that it’s the man inside the suit that makes the hero, not the technology around him.
The filmmaking throughout the entire MCU is sensational, and “Spider-Man: Homecoming” definitely isn’t the odd one out. The score, courtesy of Michael Giacchino, is exciting, fierce, and adds another level of intensity to the film. Jon Watt’s directorial inexperience doesn’t show at all through the 133 minutes. It explains why he has been tapped, to not only direct all three “Spider-Man” films but Marvel’s heavily anticipated MCU debut of the Fantastic Four.
As well as being visually pleasing, the script is also incredibly well-written. The comedy is well-timed and has just the right amount of emotion weaved into it. But something many Marvel fans will notice is where the film introduced Adrian Toomes (Keaton) in 2012. It skips to the present day with a title card saying ‘8 years later’ which, if you’ve watched “The Avengers,” you’d know it was set in 2012, and “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is set in 2016. But this has been confirmed by Joe Russo, co-director of many other Marvel projects, to be a simple, yet confusing mistake.
One of the good things about this reiteration of Spider-Man is that viewers don’t have to rewatch the entire origin of the hero, bug bite and all. The cinematography and visual aspects of the film are phenomenal. The stylish, colourful aesthetic appeals to viewers of any age and the convincing special effects are a feast for the eyes.
Zendaya and Tom Holland in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” Photo: Columbia Pictures, 2017.
Tom Holland does an excellent job in the leading role. His portrayal of Parker is bubbly, buoyant, and just how you’d expect a teenager in his position to be. He also does a good job separating the nerdy, awkward teenager from the charming neighbourhood superhero. If you weren’t already aware going into the film, you would probably be surprised to discover that Tom Holland isn’t from Queens, but Kingston-Upon Thames in London. Jacob Batalon and Zendaya also give great performances, providing comic-relief when needed.
Like always, Michael Keaton gives an impressive performance as the menacing villain Vulture, aka Adrian Toomes. Toomes is one of the more humane villains to appear in the MCU. Despite not set on world domination or mass extinction, Toomes does have a somewhat unique motivation, but not individual hatred for Tony Stark as many past characters have shown. Robert Downey Jr’.s supporting role in the film wasn’t cheap. With a screen time of only 15 minutes, it’s reported that he was paid around $15 million, which equivocates to $1 million a minute. But that wasn’t a waste as he does a great job portraying the mentor for this young Avenger, and putting Peter in his place when he needs it.
The great thing about “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” is its perspective. For the first time, viewers get to see the MCU from a youth’s point of view. A big theme of the film is patience. Peter is so excited at the prospect of becoming an Avenger that he forgets he’s only 15 and should probably stay close to the ground for a little longer. It relates to the idea that power coincides with responsibility and vice versa. So if you have this great power, make sure you consider the responsibility that comes with it. But as shown in “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” once you take on that responsibility, it’s not just something you can run away from, you have to be consistent and present with it in all aspects.
In conclusion, “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is a film that will appeal to Marvel fans of all ages. It’s one of the more upbeat origin stories of the MCU. It shows how its protagonist matures over the 133 minutes, while still reminding viewers that Peter is still just your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, and not some hot-shot super soldier or billionaire playboy.
