Review of Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) by Griff C — 09 Sep 2017

Though all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies to date have been entertaining, there hasn't been one as pure "fun" since the first Guardians of the Galaxy. Like many, I was surprised Marvel Studios managed to hammer out a deal with Sony to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU.

However, I was worried he might feel shoehorned in, given how long the franchise had been running without his presence. In his first full-fledged appearance, I was relieved that my fears did not come true.

I cannot add anything new that already hasn't been said about Tom Holland's portrayal of Peter Parker. What I was most impressed was how much he convinced me that how he truly wanted to impress Tony Stark (still supremely entertainingly played by Robert Downey Jr.

) and become an Avenger. Most of us remember back to our teenage years and wanted not only to impress the world, but to also be seen as capable equals. The character's inclusion into this universe and Holland's acting allows just that.

Overall, the cast is great, and hats should really go off to Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes. Though I'm a huge Keaton fan, I was expecting the Vulture to be "just another" MCU villain that doesn't reach the heights of Loki or even the Red Skull.

However, Toomes' portrayal (both in acting and writing) in this film places him in that upper echelon of villains, as not only can you empathize with his motivations, but at the same time he can be downright unsettling.

If I have any complaints about this movie, it's that the middle felt slightly long. That doesn't mean it's not still entertaining, though, and it's really a very minor thing. Overall, one can watch this without having seen any of the other MCU movies, and maybe that's one of its greatest strengths.

Though it certainly helps if you know who Iron Man is and watched the previous year's Captain America: Civil War, this manages to stand on its own legs. If you're just now looking to dive into this franchise and want to start with a newer installment, Spider-Man: Homecoming should easily be that one.