Spider-Man: Homecoming Review: A Fun Coming-of-Age Superhero Film

Like many people, Spider-Man is easily one of their favorite superheroes. It’s not a question of him being in Marvel or DC anymore, we all love him. In “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” we love him even more. So how do you reboot a superhero that has undergone a number of reboots in the past 16 years? The answer is simple: ground him back to how he started—as a kid.

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” achieves this impressive character in Peter Parker that we’ve never seen before. In the past films, he’s a nearly-perfect young adult trying to make sense of his powers. In “Homecoming,” he’s a nerd who loves being Spider-Man albeit isolating himself from the crowd. This is a very accurate description of any teenager, believe me, I’ve been through the same thing (minus the powers, of course).

Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Photo via CTMG, Inc.

High School’s Really Ain’t That Cool

One of the good things about “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is how his normal life became the focus of the story. We see him go through high school and try to fit in. There’s the dilemma of him trying to hide what he’s feeling from Liz Allan. Basically, everything that a high schooler went/is going through right now is in the movie. That’s what makes Peter a grounded superhero, apart from his teammates from the Avengers.

“Homecoming” keeps the jokes on teenage life coming fast throughout the movie. It also executes a friendly change-up between Peter Parker as a regular and boring high school nerd by day, web-slinging crime fighter by night (or after school). The film has a balance between a healthy dose of comedic antics and sincere drama that transcends character development and action. Seriously, that scene where Peter loses the suit to Tony Stark made us feel the same way for him. He goes home crying to his aunt, who then soothes him with all her funny motherly love (and a request for Peter to take a shower).

Marisa Tomei and Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Photo by Chuck Zlotnick/CTMG, Inc.

The action takes a step back from the high-powered feats we see in all of the MCU movies. Given how Peter is a kid, “Homecoming” gives him a real fight that a kid could really stand up against. No aliens, no extreme battery (although The Vulture pinning him to the ground repeatedly might be too much for a 15-year-old kid), no grand monster fights.

The Impressive Young Cast

Peter’s youth and innocence make him both vulnerable and resilient at the same time. Tom Holland’s charismatic performance as Peter did a great representation of a good-natured kid who’s in way over his head, compared to the previous ‘edgy’ versions of Spider-Man in the previous films.

Tom Holland and Jacob Batalon in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Photo by Chuck Zlotnick/CTMG, Inc.

Holland’s co-stars also did great in giving depth to his teenage life: Jacob Batalon as the equally nerdy BFF and “guy in the chair” Ned, Zendaya as the street smart and academically-awesome antisocial Michelle (if you haven’t watched “Homecoming” yet, watch out for a very big reveal on her towards the end), and Laura Harrier as your typical pretty girl Type A student with a friendly heart. Tony Revolori also succeeds in spinning a new take for Flash Thompson, Peter’s bully in the comics and all the movies.

Zendaya in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Photo via Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios

But with all the drama surrounding the supporting cast, “Homecoming” still manages to keep its spotlight on Peter and his school mates, with his two parental figures—Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May and Robert Downey, Jr.’s Tony Stark—effectively giving Peter a reality check.

The Vulture: Keeping Things Bad And Conflicted

On the villain side of the film, Michael Keaton’s Adrian Toomes/The Vulture gives a fully-developed villain character set within the MCU. The beginning of the film focused on him, and throughout the movie he is shown to be someone who’s not inherently bad, but driven to do bad things because of how society has treated him. It’s a classic example of an underdog eventually playing for the wrong team.

Adrian has a common ground with Peter, though. Both have a background with Tony Stark and frustrations with him as well. Adrian’s job was taken over by Tony’s Damage Control, causing the former to go against the rules and single-handedly undermine the operation covertly.

Michael Keaton and Michael Chernus in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Photo by Chuck Zlotnick/CTMG, Inc.

The Vulture’s goons are considerably less menacing and obscure as compared to their comic book counterparts. Michael Chernus, Bookem Woodbine, and Logan Marshall-Green both did well as The Tinkerer and The Shocker, respectively (with the latter two being different iterations of The Shocker).

WARNING: Minor spoilers from here on.

Spider-Man: Homecoming Notable Easter Eggs

Spidey’s Theme Song. At the beginning of the Marvel Title Opening, you can hear an orchestra version of Spider-Man’s theme song. It’s been absent from the entire movie, but with the theme starting just as the film is about to begin (same with the animated series), you can’t help but feel a bit of nostalgia.

Mac Gargan. He’s the man that The Vulture was supposed to meet on the ferry for a weapons deal but is then thwarted when Spider-Man appears. Adrian then meets Mac (Michael Mando) again in the post-credits scene, while in prison. Mac is seen having a large scorpion neck tattoo—hinting at his future role as The Scorpion.

“My friends call me MJ.” Michelle is the revealed to be “M.J” towards the end, just as she was nominated as the new captain of the decathlon team. In the comics, MJ is Mary Jane Watson’s nickname—the love of Peter’s life. Could Michelle then be the version of MJ in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Tony Revolori, Tom Holland, Isabella Amara, and Michael Barbieri in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Photo by Chuck Zlotnick/CTMG, Inc.

Karen. The A.I. installed within Spider-Man suit. She is voiced by none other than Jennifer Connelly, who happens to be Paul Bettany’s wife who also happens to be the one who plays The Avenger’s Vision and voiced Jarvis in the previous Iron Man films.

“I got a nephew who lives around here.” Donald Glover has a small role in the film, playing Aaron Davis, a low-level criminal who, in the comics, becomes The Prowler. But that’s not what makes this Easter Egg interesting. He says the line above while being interrogated by Spider-Man on The Vulture’s whereabouts. Aaron is actually Miles Morales’ uncle in the comics. Miles took over the Spider-Man mantle when Peter was killed by the Green Goblin in the Ultimate Universe. Thus, confirming Miles Morales as part of the MCU.

The Iron Spider. After Peter’s final battle with The Vulture, he is then taken by Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) to Tony Stark in the new Avengers headquarters. He is given by Tony a full membership in the Avengers and shows him a shiny new suit. Now the suit is actually very similar to the one made by Tony himself for Peter in the Civil War comic book storyline.

Overall Verdict: A Fresh and Set Apart MCU Film

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” is the only Marvel Cinematic Universe film entry so far that doesn’t necessarily change or affect the course of the MCU storyline in general. However, the film does achieve something that the franchise has been struggling with for a while: a standalone Marvel film, enhanced by elements from the MCU itself.

Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Photo via CTMG, Inc.

“Homecoming” also goes on to alter the MCU genre from a certain standpoint—a comedic high school movie that happens to be about Spider-Man. Because of this, “Homecoming” is definitely an excellent blockbuster that can be enjoyed by both casual moviegoers and MCU diehards. If you’re looking for a more authentic grip on reality from the MCU, this is the film to see.

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” is more than just a reboot and a new entry into the Marvel franchise. It’s a fun coming-of-age superhero film that brings back the hero’s original elements mashed up with the realities of a struggling high school nerd.