Spider-Man Homecoming. It alluded to a lot through its title alone- it was the centre of great expectation and discussion, there were some in full support from the first mention of its impending arrival, and others doubting... so what was the epic about a man-spider hybrid like? (the fifth or sixth time around)
When Marvel announces an addition to their ever-expanding and aptly named Universe, the excitement butterflies begin to flutter. In a testament to their loyalty to and appreciation of fans, they never disappoint, but I must admit, I was a bit concerned when I heard they were giving Spider-Man, a new, new Spider-Man I might add, another movie. I assume that I was not alone in thinking it would be hard to consider the new-kid-on-the-block as Spider-Man, since we've had so many swing into the role in recent years.
With characters like Captain America, Black Widow, and Thor, who we get to follow from their beginnings, we're able to connect with their story and plight, but with Spider-Man's future seemingly always in "hanging-in-the-balance" mode, it's been hard to welcome him into the family.
Cue sigh of relief here- this new Spider-Man made it clear from the beginning that it wasn't going to be a remake, it wasn't going to pretend that the origin story had never been told and go through Uncle Ben's downfall- no,it was going to be independent and very, very clever.
Homecoming finds Spider-Man anxiously waiting to hear from Iron-Man about his next Mission, but like all internships, nothing is happening in a hurry. So a 15 year old Peter Parker very bravely decides to take on tackling crime in his own way.
From the onset, it must be mentioned that Tom Holland is an exceptional actor who takes on the role, makes it his own, and brings new dimension to both the humanity and super-heroism of Spider-Man. With Holland at the helm, the film and character are new and more believeable in many ways. So too, when things go pear shaped, it's hard not to feel sorry for the kid, whose idol doesn't seem to want him involved in the action anymore. Couple this with unrequited love and a best friend too excited about his mate's alter ego to keep a secret, and he's got a lot on his plate- not to mention a new villain set on destroying him and a lot of other things.
There is a perfect balance of comedy, heart felt moments, and action in this film, and not once do you feel as though the story has been told before. The pace is maintained by uncertainties, a new Spidey suit that keeps our hero on his toes, and a determination from the characters to give the story new life through believable interaction.
Hopefully this new Spider-Man is here to stay, as I daresay it will be an impossible feat to replace him AND maintain any sort of following. With at least one sequel already confirmed, fingers crossed Marvel recognise a good thing when they see it.
Four out of five.
