Year: 2017
Director: Jon Watts
Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey, Jr., Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, and Laura Harrier
Tagline: Homework can wait. The city can't.
Synopsis: Teenage Peter Parker deals with the struggles of high school while trying to prove his worth as Spider-Man.
Tagline: Homework can wait. The city can't.
Synopsis: Teenage Peter Parker deals with the struggles of high school while trying to prove his worth as Spider-Man.
Review
I'll get straight to it: I was disappointed. I wanted so much to completely love this new iteration of the neighborhood web-slinger. And there is much to love in Spider-Man: Homecoming. And because it got so many things right, I'm all the more saddened by where it dropped the ball.
The trouble is, I can't really explain why I'm disappointed without spoiling important plot points. So if you want to see the movie, by all means, go see it. And maybe the things that are stuck in my craw won't bother you. I seem to be in the minority on this one.
But let's get into what I can discuss without spoilers.
Tom Holland is the best Peter Parker. Hands down. He was terrific in Captain America: Civil War and proves himself capable of carrying his own film. He brings a nerdy, teenage charm to the role. Although Holland is in his 20s, he believably passes for an awkward teenager who doesn't even know how to drive a car, even though he can pick one up with his bare hands. It's also refreshing to see a superhero who has little to no idea what he's doing. He's making stuff up as he goes along. He goofs and blunders. A lot. Yet his heart is always in the right place. I look forward to more adventures with this iteration of Spidey.
I'll admit, Ned -- Peter's best friend -- started getting on my nerves not too long into the story. But he is a believable addition to the story, as are all Peter's classmates. The film is as much a high school story as it is a superhero story, which helps ground it. It's also a nice change from the world-saving of other Marvel movies. This is our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
As with other Marvel movies -- yes, I acknowledge that this is technically Sony -- there is a good deal of humor in Homecoming. Much of it flows naturally from the characters, especially Peter and Ned. I also quite enjoyed Spidey's interactions with "suit lady." Spidey's suit is a bit over-equipped. And it's quite humorous.
Going into the film, I was worried about Tony Stark's role in it. But I liked how they used him. He sort of serves as a mentor, but not necessarily a very good one.
Which leads me to Uncle Ben. I get that the filmmakers didn't want to do yet another origin story for Spider-Man. But to not even mention Uncle Ben even once? That seemed strange and left the film lacking. Uncle Ben is a key character in Peter's life and in his learning to be a man/hero. Without Uncle Ben, it felt more like Peter was only ever trying to prove himself, and not necessarily trying to do the right thing for the sake of the right thing. Yes, I wanted some version of the "with great power comes great responsibility" line. It's a lot more emotionally powerful and resonating than Peter being told he doesn't deserve his suit, which is what Tony tells him.
After Tom Holland, the best part of the film is Michael Keaton as Adrian Toomes (aka the Vulture). He isn't after world-domination. He's not out for revenge. He's a businessman and a self-proclaimed scavenger (more properly a thief). As such, Adrian is a welcome change from the villains we've been encountering in all these superhero movies. He's is also smart, pragmatic, and ruthless. He's also doggedly loyal to his family and friends, which keeps him realistic and even makes him a little sympathetic.
I wanted so much to love Spider-Man: Homecoming. And there is much in the film that I thoroughly enjoyed. But the plot holes (detailed below) really dampened my appreciation of the film. There were also a few things I could have done without, such has the half-uttered F-bomb or Ned using "watching porn" as an excuse (he's not, but that's the explanation he gives for why he's alone in a computer classroom). Despite its flaws, there is much to be hopeful about with this new iteration of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. And I do look forward to his future adventures.
*** Spoiler Section ***
Homecoming makes a big point about establishing that it takes place shortly after the events of Civil War. And yet the theme of Civil War seems to be completely forgotten in this movie. At no point is Spider-Man ever held accountable for all the messes he makes. And he makes a lot of messes during the film. He's a kid with superpowers after all. The worst that happens is Tony takes his suit. That's it. The government (and Tony) spent an entire movie trying to hold Captain America and the others responsible for their actions in saving the world, yet now there are no repercussions at all.
For instance, an alien bomb goes off in a teenager's backpack inside a national monument. And there are no repercussions for that? No inquiry as to where an alien bomb came from or how it got there or why? If nothing else, where's J. Jonas Jameson shouting about how Spider-Man is a menace? Because in this film, Spider-Man is a bit of a well-intentioned menace.
Also, how is it that a highly classified, incredibly secure Damage Control storage facility doesn't have a single security camera? Not one. Spider-Man is allowed to just hang out in the facility with nobody the wiser. And then he sneaks out on a truck. His blue and red outfit aren't exactly camouflage. Nobody noticed? Nobody cared? Or is Tony Stark now paying off everybody to leave his protege alone?
If those were the only plot holes, I could forgive them and move on. But the one that irked me the most was what happened with the Vulture.
Nope, I didn't see the Vulture as Liz's dad coming. Not at all. And that made it perfect and made that scene genuinely tense. It was terrific. I was on the edge of my seat watching Peter fidget while Adrian puts all the pieces together.
And then there's the confrontation between Spidey and the Vulture. It's a brilliant scene. The Vulture actually uses monologing against our hero before bringing down a building on top of him. Clearly the Vulture is smart, clever, and ruthless. Which is why what happens a few scenes later irks me to no end.
Spider-Man has, yet again, thwarted Vulture's best-laid plans (albeit making a big mess in the process). Spidey knows that Adrian is the Vulture. The Vulture has already shown on multiple occasions that he has no qualms with killing Spider-Man. And yet, when he finally has a dazed and disoriented Spider-Man in his clutches, he drops him and turns his attention to a box of arc reactors. He just leaves Spider-Man to regain his senses and come after him again. It makes no sense and is completely out of character.
And then Spidey is the one shouting that the Vulture armor is about to explode. Adrian has worked with alien technology for over eight years. He should be smart enough to recognize his wings are on fire and that he is in danger of a serious malfunction. But he doesn't. Again, it makes no sense and doesn't fit with the character.
It's as if the script writers got to the end of the movie and suddenly realized they'd created a villain that 15-year-old Spider-Man had no chance of defeating. So they simply dumbed down the villain in that final scene in order to give Spidey a chance. The movie deserved a better resolution than that. Spider-Man and the Vulture deserved a better resolution than that.
Lastly, I truly hope that Michelle isn't going to be the MCU's "MJ." She is not MJ and I simply cannot fathom her and Peter becoming a couple. I truly hope Kevin Feige was serious when he said calling her MJ was a joke.
The trouble is, I can't really explain why I'm disappointed without spoiling important plot points. So if you want to see the movie, by all means, go see it. And maybe the things that are stuck in my craw won't bother you. I seem to be in the minority on this one.
But let's get into what I can discuss without spoilers.
Tom Holland is the best Peter Parker. Hands down. He was terrific in Captain America: Civil War and proves himself capable of carrying his own film. He brings a nerdy, teenage charm to the role. Although Holland is in his 20s, he believably passes for an awkward teenager who doesn't even know how to drive a car, even though he can pick one up with his bare hands. It's also refreshing to see a superhero who has little to no idea what he's doing. He's making stuff up as he goes along. He goofs and blunders. A lot. Yet his heart is always in the right place. I look forward to more adventures with this iteration of Spidey.
I'll admit, Ned -- Peter's best friend -- started getting on my nerves not too long into the story. But he is a believable addition to the story, as are all Peter's classmates. The film is as much a high school story as it is a superhero story, which helps ground it. It's also a nice change from the world-saving of other Marvel movies. This is our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
As with other Marvel movies -- yes, I acknowledge that this is technically Sony -- there is a good deal of humor in Homecoming. Much of it flows naturally from the characters, especially Peter and Ned. I also quite enjoyed Spidey's interactions with "suit lady." Spidey's suit is a bit over-equipped. And it's quite humorous.
Going into the film, I was worried about Tony Stark's role in it. But I liked how they used him. He sort of serves as a mentor, but not necessarily a very good one.
Which leads me to Uncle Ben. I get that the filmmakers didn't want to do yet another origin story for Spider-Man. But to not even mention Uncle Ben even once? That seemed strange and left the film lacking. Uncle Ben is a key character in Peter's life and in his learning to be a man/hero. Without Uncle Ben, it felt more like Peter was only ever trying to prove himself, and not necessarily trying to do the right thing for the sake of the right thing. Yes, I wanted some version of the "with great power comes great responsibility" line. It's a lot more emotionally powerful and resonating than Peter being told he doesn't deserve his suit, which is what Tony tells him.
After Tom Holland, the best part of the film is Michael Keaton as Adrian Toomes (aka the Vulture). He isn't after world-domination. He's not out for revenge. He's a businessman and a self-proclaimed scavenger (more properly a thief). As such, Adrian is a welcome change from the villains we've been encountering in all these superhero movies. He's is also smart, pragmatic, and ruthless. He's also doggedly loyal to his family and friends, which keeps him realistic and even makes him a little sympathetic.
I wanted so much to love Spider-Man: Homecoming. And there is much in the film that I thoroughly enjoyed. But the plot holes (detailed below) really dampened my appreciation of the film. There were also a few things I could have done without, such has the half-uttered F-bomb or Ned using "watching porn" as an excuse (he's not, but that's the explanation he gives for why he's alone in a computer classroom). Despite its flaws, there is much to be hopeful about with this new iteration of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. And I do look forward to his future adventures.
*** Spoiler Section ***
Homecoming makes a big point about establishing that it takes place shortly after the events of Civil War. And yet the theme of Civil War seems to be completely forgotten in this movie. At no point is Spider-Man ever held accountable for all the messes he makes. And he makes a lot of messes during the film. He's a kid with superpowers after all. The worst that happens is Tony takes his suit. That's it. The government (and Tony) spent an entire movie trying to hold Captain America and the others responsible for their actions in saving the world, yet now there are no repercussions at all.
For instance, an alien bomb goes off in a teenager's backpack inside a national monument. And there are no repercussions for that? No inquiry as to where an alien bomb came from or how it got there or why? If nothing else, where's J. Jonas Jameson shouting about how Spider-Man is a menace? Because in this film, Spider-Man is a bit of a well-intentioned menace.
Also, how is it that a highly classified, incredibly secure Damage Control storage facility doesn't have a single security camera? Not one. Spider-Man is allowed to just hang out in the facility with nobody the wiser. And then he sneaks out on a truck. His blue and red outfit aren't exactly camouflage. Nobody noticed? Nobody cared? Or is Tony Stark now paying off everybody to leave his protege alone?
If those were the only plot holes, I could forgive them and move on. But the one that irked me the most was what happened with the Vulture.
Nope, I didn't see the Vulture as Liz's dad coming. Not at all. And that made it perfect and made that scene genuinely tense. It was terrific. I was on the edge of my seat watching Peter fidget while Adrian puts all the pieces together.
And then there's the confrontation between Spidey and the Vulture. It's a brilliant scene. The Vulture actually uses monologing against our hero before bringing down a building on top of him. Clearly the Vulture is smart, clever, and ruthless. Which is why what happens a few scenes later irks me to no end.
Spider-Man has, yet again, thwarted Vulture's best-laid plans (albeit making a big mess in the process). Spidey knows that Adrian is the Vulture. The Vulture has already shown on multiple occasions that he has no qualms with killing Spider-Man. And yet, when he finally has a dazed and disoriented Spider-Man in his clutches, he drops him and turns his attention to a box of arc reactors. He just leaves Spider-Man to regain his senses and come after him again. It makes no sense and is completely out of character.
And then Spidey is the one shouting that the Vulture armor is about to explode. Adrian has worked with alien technology for over eight years. He should be smart enough to recognize his wings are on fire and that he is in danger of a serious malfunction. But he doesn't. Again, it makes no sense and doesn't fit with the character.
It's as if the script writers got to the end of the movie and suddenly realized they'd created a villain that 15-year-old Spider-Man had no chance of defeating. So they simply dumbed down the villain in that final scene in order to give Spidey a chance. The movie deserved a better resolution than that. Spider-Man and the Vulture deserved a better resolution than that.
Lastly, I truly hope that Michelle isn't going to be the MCU's "MJ." She is not MJ and I simply cannot fathom her and Peter becoming a couple. I truly hope Kevin Feige was serious when he said calling her MJ was a joke.
Quotable Quotes
- "I'm nothing without this suit!" "If you're nothing without the suit then you shouldn't have it." -- Peter and Tony
- "Can you summon an army of spiders?" "No, man!" -- Ned and Peter
- "You gotta get better at this part." -- Aaron Davis, regarding Spidey's interrogation tactics
- "So how long have we been in here?" "37 minutes." "What?!" -- Peter and Karen (aka suit lady)
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