Spider-Man: Homecoming

Homecoming is an extremely apt subtitle for the MCU’s first standalone Spider-Man movie. Finally snatching their best character from the jaws of Sony, and ever-dwindling movie cred’, he was one of the best features of the bursting Civil War cast and anticipation was rife for a solo adventure.

Marvel made it clear from his cameo in Captain America that this would not be another origin story, but a firmly 'Phase 3' film which would continue the overriding progression towards the forthcoming Infinity War and that’s exactly what we get. Starting with a skewed, and very amusing, video diary of his appearance at the airport fight and then leading into another treatise on the plight of the average Joe in the age of superheroes; how this mass scale, wanton destruction leaves lasting damage.

We meet Michael Keaton’s Adrian Toomes (immediately obvious that he will become the villainous Vulture) cleaning up the mess left by the defeat of the Chitauri in the first Avengers. Fast-forwarding to present day he’s in charge of an undercover group using alien technology to build weapons for low-level goons.

This is the reality of superheroes in the real world; a glimpse behind the glamour of alien fights and hammer-wielding Gods. Spider-Man, in this context, is small fry, a fifteen-year-old boy fit to help kittens down from trees and, in a hilarious scene, help pensioners with directions.

It’s a criticism you could level at the film, it certainly feels smaller scale in comparison to the previous output starring the webslinger, but makes perfect sense in the wider MCU. It also means, like the best of Marvel’s output, that it can concentrate on character and humour. Homecoming is properly funny, like Ant-Man and Guardians Of The Galaxy before it, there’s something Deadpool-esque about Peter Parker in this film; quipping to camera and deadpanning on the job (squint, and the new suit even looks a little like the mutant.)

Marvel’s stylistic changes are what keeps them streets ahead of DC in the current movie stakes; Winter Soldier was a political thriller, Age Of Ultron a typical blockbuster, GotG was sci-fi, Ant-Man more comedy. Homecoming, away from the heroic thrills, is a coming-of-age film with touchstones to boot (brilliant Ferris Bueller reference.) Parker is young, has enough difficulties at school without keeping his alter ego under wraps and has a crush on a senior girl (another, more famous, love interest is lovingly hinted at towards the end.)

Whilst it, of course, falls into the typical trap of a predictable, and a little lengthy, climactic fight scene there are some good twists and the blend of Spider-Man into the MCU is perfect; Tony Stark’s involvement is not obtrusive enough to be a distraction (and Tom Holland outshines Downer Jr.) and there’s another recurring cameo by a certain Avenger which is laugh-out-loud every time (stick around for the second post-credits stinger.)

Another Marvel triumph, easily one of their best MCU efforts, and easily trumping the Amazing Spider-Man series and even comparable to the great, Tobey Maguire-led, Spider-Man 1 and 2.

4 stars ****