From quizzes and club activities to agonising over an uninterested crush, the high-school experience is fraught with peril for the average teenager. When said teenager has superpowers, and desperately wants to impress Ironman so he can join the Avengers, things can get even trickier, as Peter Parker (Tom Holland) finds out in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the webslinger's solo-debut feature under Marvel's cinematic universe. Trading in the usual cataclysmic conflicts of Marvel's earlier films for a more personal story of responsibility (a Spider-Man staple) and maturity, Homecoming manages to feel like a fresh take on the (arguably) tired Marvel formula, being the best Spider-Man film since 2004's Spider-Man 2.
Being a Spider-Man film, Homecoming's plot still largely revolves around the theme "with great power comes great responsibility". For Homecoming's Peter, this doesn't just apply to his responsibilities as the titular hero, but also his responsibility towards his friends, family and studies as well. In that way, Homecoming is as much a typical high-school coming-of-age story as it is a superhero film, and it's made all the better for that. Having already introduced its hero in Civil War, Homecoming cleverly sidesteps the same old story about uncle Ben's death (I don't think I even heard anyone mention his name), immediately putting us in Spider-Man's shoes.
Following his exhilarating stint as a brief member of Team Stark in Civil War, Peter wants nothing more than to gain Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) approval and become a full-fledged member of the Avengers. He does this by pursuing arms-dealer Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), a former contractor who now sells weapons modified with stolen tech. In the process, he skips out on his best bud Ned (Jacob Batalon), a few school quizzes and even his homecoming date.
Peter's struggle in balancing the demands of his two identities -- the 15-year-old high-school sophomore and the superhero -- forms much of the film's plot. There aren't any world-ending schemes or mass-murdering supervillains. Homecoming is very much about Peter's internal conflict: is Spider-Man really the only thing that matters to him? What about his friends? Or aunt May? (Marisa Tomei). These questions form the basis behind much of Peter's decision making, which in turn directly affects the course of the film.
Tom Holland leaves an immediate impression as Peter, convincingly portraying an awkward, geeky 15-year-old, excited by his own powers and his shiny Stark-issued suit. Holland's earnest portrayal of Peter also sells his innocent conviction and moral centre. Peter is a good kid at heart, who knows to make amends for his mistakes. Holland even held his own against such heavyweights as Downey Jr. and Keaton, consistently matching the calibre of those two experienced actors. He is definitely the definitive version of a high-school Peter Parker, perfectly embodying the wide-eyed wonder of a fledgling superhero more convincingly than any of his predecessors.
Downey Jr. and Keaton deliver their usual charming performances. While Downey Jr. largely delivers his usual portrayal of Tony Stark, Keaton deserves credit for his portrayal of Toomes, managing to be both likeable and intimidating all at once despite his limited screen-time. Keaton actually almost sold me on Toomes' sudden (and largely occurring off-screen) turn from a simple blue-collar worker to evil mastermind, even though it's undeniably a little jarring when objectively considered. Nevertheless, Keaton manages to deliver an interesting performance throughout.
Supporting characters like Ned or aunt May add even more depth to Peter's character, and also deserve credit for their performances. Batalon in particular is the crux of much of the film's humour, acting as Peter's equally-geeky sidekick throughout the film. Tomei's portrayal of a younger aunt May also sets her apart from the other incarnations, with a more intimate, almost sisterly relationship with Peter (who also just calls her "May"). She doesn't get much to do, but her chemistry with Holland makes their scenes together consistently enjoyable.
If there is a weak point to the film, it would probably be the action. While there are certainly some fun set pieces, such as the Washington Monument or the ferry, much of the action is largely quite tame compared to what we've seen in past Marvel films. This isn't to say they're bad, just probably not as memorable. Spider-Man's short stint in Civil War remains his best action sequence.
Ultimately, however, Homecoming is much more about Peter Parker than it is about Spider-Man, and that's perfectly fine. In a way, it's probably more of a comedy than an actual action film, in the same vein as Ant-Man was before it. And like that other insect-based hero, Spider-Man: Homecoming manages to be a breath of fresh air in an increasingly dense universe.
Spider-Man: Homecoming Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr. Directed by Jon Watts
