A Splendid Superhero Sophomore Adventure
If you've been alive during the past 15 or so years, you probably know that your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has been swinging in and out of multiplexes with fairly regular frequency (and if you're somehow reading this in the afterlife, please drop me a line). First came director Sam Raimi's take with Tobey Maguire in 2002, 2004, and 2007; then Marc Webb's spin on the character with Andrew Garfield in 2012 and 2014. The good news about Spider-Man: Homecoming is that you don't need to watch those five other movies to see this one, but the (potentially) bad news is that you'll probably want to be caught up on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which is now 16 films deep.
Oh, and the best news is that Jon Watts' Homecoming is a very good Spidey film, possibly the best depending on how much you like Raimi's Spider-Man 2 (which I think is still the one to beat).
Tom Holland's Peter Parker, seen previously in Captain America: Civil War, is a sophomore in high school who spends his evenings as a restless local crimefighter. He stops bicycle thieves and gives people directions, all helpful acts that pale in comparison to his fight with rogue Avengers in Civil War (some of which is creatively recapped at the start of this film). He's sort of a junior superhero in a world where Iron Man has existed for a decade, and the man in that suit, Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), tries to be a good teacher for Peter. It's a fresh dynamic for the MCU, as it can use its veteran player sparingly while giving the better-known character—who is still fresh in this continuity—the spotlight in a film that manages to cover new ground for both Marvel Studios and Spider-Man, despite each brand's saturation.
Unlike the recent Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which I praised for feeling disconnected from the sometimes plodding story machinery of the MCU, Spider-Man: Homecoming feels firmly planted in the middle of the larger universe, and is greatly affected by it. The film opens with a scene set just after the Battle of New York from 2012's The Avengers, as a salvager (Michael Keaton) and his crew are cut out of the massive job (in which they'd heavily invested) of cleaning up the remains of alien technology when a new government agency swoops in to handle it instead. Thus begins the villainous streak of Keaton's character, whose "us vs. them," blue-collar motivations make him one of the more interesting Marvel villains, especially as he's just a regular guy on the job turned bad when faced with the superhero-infused system. (He also ends up as one of the most memorable Marvel villains for reasons I won't mention here.)
There's nothing in this film that overtly signals as to what we can expect from Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, or Captain America Meets the Wolfman*, and that's a huge part of why it works. Homecoming asks and answers all the major questions about what being an up and coming superhero in a world of established heroes would be like—like does anyone show up to help clean up your mess when you're a little out of your depth—and it makes the MCU work for Peter Parker's story rather than the other way around.
Holland makes an excellent Peter and an even better Spider-Man. This Peter isn't as shy as Tobey Maguire's, nor as angsty as Andrew Garfield's (both of whom I think were great in the role), and his youth and inexperience is played up for both comedic and dramatic effect. Peter's frustrated that Tony hasn't called him to save the world, but he still hasn't developed into a Spider-Man as fully functioning as those we've seen in other films. In a very funny action sequence set in the suburbs among golf courses and middle-class homes, Peter discovers how hard it is to get around as a web-slinger when there's nothing tall from which to swing. His bumbling is earnest and charming, rather than purely incompetent, and his desire to do well and play with the big kids makes for a fine parallel with his school life, which is awkward enough without being a superhero.
Producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal, director Jon Watts, and a bevy of screenwriters have stated that their goal was to make this film in the mold of John Hughes classics like The Breakfast Club. They've succeeded in capturing that uncertain period in a young person's life, as Peter deals with school trips, senior parties, and a homecoming dance. Most of his classmates and teachers are present organically throughout the story, though those who are just comic relief are well used.
If one negative side effect exists from serving up a high school coming-of-age comedy alongside a superhero coming-of-age actioner, it's that the film feels long at times, though to me it never outstayed its welcome. I can't really tell you how to square that circle; I found Spider-Man: Homecoming to be thoroughly enjoyable at every turn, and as a result, I can't think of anything I'd cut out. It's fun to inhabit the Marvel Cinematic Universe in way that rewards faithful viewing without feeling as though it's winding up for its next pitch, and it's a joy to have Spider-Man back in the neighborhood. Peter's only just come home to Marvel Studios, he's shaping up to be one of their top players. Maybe he'll even be voted homecoming king.
*This doesn't exist, and isn't likely to as Universal owns the Wolfman and Disney owns Cap, but I would pay to see it.