Spider-Man: Homecoming Won’t Blow You Away, But It’s a Welcome Treat Nonetheless

Spider-Man: Homecoming

I am suffering from Marvel Movie Fatigue at this point.

I begrudgingly saw Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and felt it was humorous and serviceable with a few highlights, but ultimately not as charming or endearing as the original. Logan was impressive, but that bastard stepchild  of a movie was given room to grow into something special, removed from the bloated Marvel Cinematic Universe.

For me, I think the only enjoyable Marvel movie — truly enjoyable — within the last several years was Captain America: Civil War. But that’s only because, despite Cap being one of my least favorite heroes, he tends to have the best movies — especially Winter Soldier, which just might be the best Marvel movie to date.

So with Spider-Man: Homecoming, the third Spider-Man reboot in the last decade or so, I was feeling pretty burned out. I like Robert Downey Jr. well enough, but I was actually pretty disappointed by how much Tony Stark and Iron Man I was seeing in trailers for what was supposed to be a movie primarily about Peter Parker.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

But the response to Spider-Man: Homecoming has been overwhelmingly positive so far, so I figured I’d check it out. And part of this, I’m sure, is because I’m still riding high on the genuine sense of hope that Wonder Woman planted in me for the future of comic book movies.

Although not quite on the level of Wonder Woman (which, in my opinion, is the new litmus test for heroism) Spider-Man: Homecoming is a really fun, humorous, and action-packed reboot that is also deftly muted, cute, and — in one particular scene — truly menacing.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Tom Holland is a charming kid, and he plays Peter Parker extremely well. There are a few moments where something doesn’t exactly click for me, but those moments are few and far between.

Overall, the Spider-Man action is par for the course. I was a little disappointed that for all of the flash of Spidey’s new digs, there didn’t seem to be any truly inspired web-slinging — and that’s what really made the Sam Raimi movies tick for me. I get that Peter Parker is supposed to still be very green at this point, but a little more slingin’ and swingin’ would’ve been nice.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

As is, the action is straightforward and serviceable, but it also gets the job done — except for the final fight, which seems extremely muddied. It’s a shame, because the bits I was able to make out looked really cool.

Seeing a previously unused villain brought to life is incredibly refreshing in this day and age, when the fans seem to be clamoring for more of the same.  The Vulture, played by Michael Keaton with a dope-ass costume, was worth admission alone. Batman has come full circle.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

The rest of the cast is great as well, and really, there are too many standouts to just name a few. Everyone brings their own energy and nuance to their characters, which rounds out the film and makes each character’s entrance feel welcome.

It’s great to see Jon Favreau back as the hapless Happy Hogan, and, despite my initial reservations. it is always great to see more Robert Downey Jr.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Is Spider-Man: Homecoming a good movie? Yes, it truly is. In fact, if this is the last Marvel movie I’ll ever see, I’m more than okay with ending on a note this high. In a lot of ways this felt like Iron Man Jr., designed to usher in a new generation of Marvel fans that will replace our old asses.

I give it a matinee.

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