Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Review

With No Way Home coming out tomorrow, it is time to watch the first two solo films of this version of Spider-Man and that starts with Homecoming and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Peter Parker struggling with his lack of challenge as Spider-Man when he must go against a real threat - The Vulture. 

Main Character

Tom Holland made his debut as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War to great acclaim and in his first solo film he knocks it out of the park again. He really nails that boyish charm, he actually comes across as a real teenager and that innocence really helps build up the character and really helps with his portrayal as Spider-Man. You really feel like this is a teenager trying to please his idol and use his powers for good but not understanding the consequences. 

Supporting Characters 

Michael Keaton plays Adrian Toomes/The Vulture and he is so good as the villain here. He looks intimidating in The Vulture costume but is a really interesting character that you do have some sympathy for him. He also gives a real intense performance as just a guy and the scenes that he and Holland have are really effective. Marisa Tomei plays Aunt May and she is great, the dynamic between her and Holland feels incredibly real like a real mother/son relationship which is more effective then the other dynamics in the past. Robert Downey Jnr reprises his role as Tony Stark which lets face it he could play in his sleep. He isn't in the film much but it is a really vital role and I will never get tired of the dynamic between Iron Man and Spider-Man on screen. Jacob Batalon plays Ned and I really like the friendship between him and Peter. Having a friend linked to both Peter and Spider-Man was a really great idea and allows for more banter then maybe previous films have had. 

Story 

The story is really good, it skips over the whole origin story and really focuses on Peter wanting to transition into a high level super hero while dealing with normal school life. The film balances this well, the schools scenes aren't boring and then obviously the superhero stuff is really effective and exciting. 

Script

The film is really funny, it is easily the funniest Spider-Man film up to this point. The banter flows really naturally and Holland is clearly a natural in the role. The drama is also really great, you see this young man really develop as both a person and a superhero throughout. 

Style 

The film looks great, both Spider-Man and Vulture have great costumes and their action scenes are fun to watch. The tone is really well done and the balance between humour and drama is pretty much perfect with it being a fun watch. But my only issue is a bit of the pacing, the 2nd act falls a little flat for me, it picks back up for the finale but I just can't give this my highest score because of the slight lull in the film. 

Overall

Overall, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a fantastic film that does such a great job of giving this new Spider-Man the spotlight. This is a film for veteran fans of the character and new ones that rivals the best the character has seen. 

Rating - 9/10