Spider-Man: Homecoming

Year: 2017
Genre: Superhero Movie
Directed: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Laura Harrier, Donald Glover, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, Hannibal Buress
Production: Marvel Studios

Okay Marvel, now you're just showing off. Considering that every single expanded universe franchise in the last few years has been, shall we say underwhelming, every movie beyond Doctor Strange (2016) honestly feels more or less like a victory lap. Sure DC managed to showcase its ringer this year with Wonder Woman (2017) and the MonsterVerse is...umm adequate, I guess; but let's face it, Marvel isn't just the best game in town, they're the only game in town.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is in-fact a victory lap but it often feels like the satisfying triumphant victory lap of an underdog who has been continually ignored and undervalued. That's certainly the way Peter Parker (Holland) feels post-Civil War (2016) airport skirmish. In his mind he proved more than capable of being an Avenger yet Tony Stark (Downey Jr.), feels Peter would be best suited as just your neighborhood friendly Spider-Man. Thus when a mysterious weapons dealer known as The Vulture (Keaton) threatens the status quo, Peter decides this may just be his opportunity to prove he's a real hero.

Despite stunning action sequences and obvious tie-ins to the larger world of the MCU, this newest homage to Spider-Man lore is largely a coming-of-age story. One with intimate stakes that aren't necessarily world-ending but provides Peter with much needed dimensions. Many basically coronated Tom Holland as the "best" Spider-Man after Civil War came out - a move I found a bit pre-mature. But thanks in large part to this movie's personal stakes and honest-to-goodness great acting I'm glad to say that Tom Holland just is Spider-man. He's vulnerable, he's funny, he's haphazardly a-dorkable and in his own words "wants to stand up for the little guy."

Speaking of the little guy, Michael Keaton's version of the MCU's version of The Vulture brings with it a certain working-man's charm. His overall MO, a clandestine black market enterprise operating under the nose of The Avengers, has all the inner-logic of a human villain existing within the frames of a fantastical world - one in which a Presidential fitness test is segued by a video Captain America PSA. It's actually kind of weird to consider that other than Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Vulture may just be the most memorable supervillain within the span of sixteen movies.

This guy's Flash now, get over it!

Marisa Tomei, Laura Harrier, Zendaya, Tony Revolori and especially Jacob Batalon all kill it as a comfortable mix of perfunctory and original supporting players. They all strike the appropriate tone, fit tightly within the confines of what the story requires them to do and seem to all be having a lot of fun playing their respective roles. And yes I say this fully  knowing there'll probably be a small contingent of middle-aged comic-book fans foaming at the mouth because "waaah multiculturalism!"

If this movie is to be taken to task on anything it's that it doesn't quite maximize its unique potential. This movie is at once the introduction of Spidey within the context of the MCU yet because we got his bare-tread intro in Civil War, Homecoming is not strictly speaking an origin story. That is arguably the most potential a Marvel movie has had to surprise, elate and invest since Guardians (2014), but because Spider-Man's valiant hero arc is so intertwined with Tony Stark's we're less invested in other things - like say Peter Parker.

Holy crap! I forgot to study for that math test!

Yet even if Spider-Man: Homecoming remains a solid start instead of a runaway success, There's still no denying it's a finely tuned machine with a couple of competently made action set-pieces, a tight story and perfect casting. It's also one of the funniest movies in the MCU and this summer at-large. A fact that at times threatens to eclipse the action with solid comedic setups and some pretty sly observations on the limits of Spider-Man's skill sets.

Final Grade: A-