Spider-Man: Homecoming

(Sony)

Leading up to the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming, a lot of people asked whether another Spider-Man reboot was really necessary. After all, the first two entries in Sam Raimi’s trilogy were respectable comic book films and Marc Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man films rehashed a familiar origin story and ended up imploding by desperately trying to kickstart a series of spin-off films. What could another iteration of the Webhead bring to the table now that it was back under the (partial) control of Marvel Studios? Did the world really need another Spider-Man film?

Spider-Man: Homecoming answers that question with a resounding “yes!”

The character’s small role in last year’s Captain America: Civil War hinted at a world of possibilities and Homecoming absolutely delivers on them. This is a knockout summer blockbuster full of excitement, laughter, and charm—a perfect film to kick back to with a bucket of popcorn and just have a great time at the movies.

The main reason Homecoming works so well is because it completely understands its legendary hero and revels in the opportunity to finally make a film that stays faithful to what made the Spider-Man comics so great in the first place. Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is just a high school sophomore, finally played by an actor who looks like an actual kid! He has to worry about things like Spanish quizzes, participating in the Academic Decathlon, and finding a date to the school dance. He has a crush on a popular senior girl and builds Lego sets with his best friend Ned. It just so happens that he can also climb up walls and stop a bus with his bare hands. The reason Holland’s Spider-Man is so endearing is because, at some point in our lives, we’ve all been the same innocent kid.

Peter’s struggle to balance his desire to be a big-time Avenger with that need to be a teenager is at the heart of Homecoming. He desperately wants to impress Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and get promoted to the big leagues, but is it worth it if he has to miss out on a school trip to Washington D.C. or a classmate’s house party? Peter feels that he’s ready to do great things, but maybe the adults in his life are right. Maybe he doesn’t get how the world really works yet. Maybe he isn’t ready.

Holland imbues Peter with such a youthful charm and energy that you can’t help but love watching him. He’s excitable and funny while also effectively carrying the film’s emotional weight when required. In short, he’s the perfect Spider-Man and a completely relatable hero.

However, this relatability doesn’t stop with the titular character. Homecoming defies the typical Marvel movie expectations and delivers us a compelling villain in the form of Michael Keaton’s Adrian Toomes. I was initially hesitant with Keaton’s casting (his absolutely astounding performance in Birdman suggested his time spent in the comic book movie genre didn’t have the greatest impact on his life) but the actor is a joy to watch here.

Homecoming dedicates its opening scene to establishing Toomes as more than just your run-of-the-mill comic book villain. He’s a working-class average Joe screwed over by the Tony Stark-assisted creation of the Department of Damage Control, an organization meant to clean up the Avenger’s collateral damage.

Toomes only turns to crime to support his family and the families of his employees. He admittedly ends up getting corrupted by the “more, more, more” mentality (after all, he’s still a villain) but we are always able to understand and even sympathize with this Heisenberg-type character. Keaton is a delight in the role, lending it both the necessary menacing and human qualities. Homecoming gives him time to shine but I still wanted to see more of him—a testament to the success of the character.

That thought applies to most of the other cast members as well. Marisa Tomei’s younger, spunkier Aunt May (who nails the high waisted pants look almost as well as Joaquin Phoenix did in Her) is wonderful in her few scenes. Peter’s classmates, including, but not limited to, Jacob Batalon’s Ned, Zendaya’s Michelle, Toni Revolori’s Flash Thompson, and Angourie Rice’s Betty Brant are all incredibly entertaining additions. Its to no fault of the film that I left wishing these characters had more screentime; it’s merely excitement for what’s to come.

And then there’s Downey Jr. The MCU has already seen plenty of Iron Man, but Homecoming thankfully uses the character sparingly and effectively. Downey Jr. is good in his small role, actually getting the opportunity to do some acting instead of just falling back on his tired Tony Stark-isms.

Director Jon Watts and a grand total of six screenwriters do a great job on the other aspects of the film. Homecoming is very funny, its action sequences are exciting enough, and it takes enough time between set pieces to let the story unfold organically. There is a tiny bit of leftover studio interference from Sony, whose grubby mitts continue to cling to this property for dear life (this is mainly in the form of the occasional heavy-handed product placement). Also, one particularly emotional moment is slightly soured by an unnecessary piece of voiceover.

Regardless, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a total blast from start to finish. This may be the third live-action incarnation of the character, but there are no signs of fatigue here. Homecoming is a terrific summer blockbuster and one of the better installments of the MCU.