Marvel has hit another home run with the first Spider-Man movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
After the disastrous response to The Amazing Spider-Man 2, fans collectively lost their minds when the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man popped up in Captain America: Civil War.
The first outing of the web crawler in his own film since then is a roaring success, and perfectly merges the light-heartedness we’ve wanted from Spidey and the witty humour Marvel is known for.
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The characterisation of the teenagers is also spot on. Gone is the dim-witted nature of the Flash Thompson (Tony Revolori) of old, and a modern bully who makes Peter Parker’s life hell graces our screens.
MJ (Zendaya) is also no longer a girl next door who serves only as a love interest for Spidey. She is now an intelligent, spunky black girl who isn’t even friends with Parker until the end of the movie.
Zendaya really shines in the role and I’m so glad because her comic timing and acting talent come to the fore. I’m also relieved I can now stop referring to her as just a pretty girl on the red carpet.
Tom Holland also steps forward as the best Peter Parker/ Spider-Man to have ever graced the screen. He is still figuring out his place and actually acts like a teenager, with all the awkwardness that comes with it.
Michael Keaton gives real depth to the Vulture and is one of the best-developed villains in the MCU. By the end of the film, you can see why the Vulture succumbed to a life of crime.
The script is something DC should look at when they finally get going on the Shazam movie. Spiderman: Homecoming perfectly juggles the humour Marvel is known for with real emotional weight, which has been lacking thus far in the MCU. There is a surprising amount of time spent on giving the Vulture a believable backstory and making him a fully developed character.
Director Jon Watts, along with his screenwriters, creates a separate tone from the other MCU film.
If you, like me, have been a fan of Spider-Man since the animated series in the late 1990s then this will be your cup of tea. I’m really looking forward to seeing Peter Parker evolve as both a superhero and a person.