The rich, the powerful, like Stark, they don't care about us! The world's changed boys, time we change too!" A superhero movie that competently balances the vastly expanding superhero world, while also showing a different side to the genre. Tom Holland's version of Spider-Man is hilarious, quick-thinking and packed with entertainment. There's no let-up to the jokes, it has to be said, the script rattles them off in quick succession, but they are no detriment to the flow and development of the overall story. Whilst there are missteps as in most movies, the tone and charisma of every character on screen will keep you interested.
The continuity references within the Marvel Universe are extensive, with appearances from some fan favourites and a few cool references to those not in the limelight this time around. Having Tony Stark, Happy Hogan and Pepper Potts was a great decision, giving fans a chance to catch-up with those characters that have perhaps fallen out of view. Plus, there were some hilarious cameos of Captain America as he narrates pre-recorded school videos for the benefit of school discipline. New cast members were brilliant additions as well, with the collection of Peter's school friends giving us a flavour of high school drama in the middle of an action movie. Standouts included Ned and Michelle of course. Ned may seem like the stereotypical nerd sidekick, but his presence seems far more thanks to an inspired performance from Jacob Balaton. Zendaya was equally commendable for a quirky and eclectic performance - there are hints of a future relationship kindling for her and Parker. For the villain, Michael Keaton doesn't fail to scare us with the elusive and technologically adept Vulture. The story itself is simplistic - an impoverished man stumbles across alien technology and decides to use it to make a fortune whilst disrupting the rich. Peter Parker discovers the danger he poses by selling powerful weapons to criminals and vows to stop him, by disobeying Stark and Hogan's orders of course. The success of the story is based on how the writers were able to balance between Peter's real school life and his good samaritan lifestyle. The transformations were brilliant, and the significance of the suit that he wears at different points throughout the movie was used in a thoughtful way. It strays from a powerful statement Tony Stark made about Peter's misuse of the suit. Also, Spider-Man's final decision to not get publicity for his role was a humanely powerful decision to make and will hopefully resonate within viewers minds as a life lesson - especially the younger audience. The big twist around Vulture and his identity as Adrian Toomes was unexpected. The fact that we never see him and Liz together in the same scene until that fateful night when Peter finds him answering the door to her house is a big surprise. The element of family and its effect on Adrian's decisions was a big factor, I suppose, in his decision to initially keep clear of Pete once he'd learnt of his true identity as Spider-Man. But, that was quickly negated anyway thanks to Peter's lack of control. Regardless, there's a lot of morality and characters making brave decision in the movie that will really make you think, and that's a bi positive. Visually, as usual, Marvel is at the top of its game in terms of budget and detail. Scenes at the Washington monument and the final confrontation on the plane in the sky are two fine examples of the incredible power of CGI these days. Everything looks crisp and genuine, and the visual mastery makes everything seem ten times more exciting. Even though, at times, Spider-Man long-shots do lose his integrity, they hinder the movie whatsoever, it's just slightly distracting. Above all though, Spider-Man is a very funny blockbuster with a lot of heart and a confident cast. Superhero films continue to surprise me with their grandeur and visual capabilities. Stories have sometimes been a problem, but Marvel are especially demonstrating that there's an improvement in progress. and they are concentrating more on the thematic value of a movie, instead of just getting from the beginning to the end. Throughout Spider-Man: Homecoming, there are a lot of little scenes to take in, with numerous references to the real world, physics, pop culture and a stylish collection of music for the soundtrack. Highly recommended for the family. 8/10
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AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
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