'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Proves You Don't Have To Be An Avenger (Yet) To Be Cool
Starring Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei, Zendaya
Rated PG-13
Action/Sci-fi
Run time - 2 hours, 13 minutes
In theaters: July 7, 2017
Let's be real. High school isn't always easy for the coolest kids in town. It can be especially difficult if you're the nerdy kid who secretly was a part of the Avengers for a hot minute and then is expected to go back to life the way it was.
Tom Holland breathes new life into this tried-and-true superhero, allowing him to be just what he is: a slightly awkward, super intelligent, incredibly sassy, 15-year-old boy. And he does it unapologetically.
He screams in pain/frustration/fear during fight scenes, he stumbles over his words, he blushes when the beautiful girl he likes deigns to speak to him. He questions authority, keeps secrets from his guardian and has a best friend who proves to be his 'guy in the chair' even when things get tough.
He just so happens to have powers and a tricked-out suit.
f you're burnt out on both superhero films and Spider-Man remakes (re: the Andrew Garfield duo of movies that came out a tad too recently), don't write this one off just yet. It's a different Peter Parker, and it's obvious that he won't be on his own saving the world all the time.
The dialogue is just as witty as one would hope for a Marvel property and does more than enough to make up for some extremely hard to follow action sequences. And when taking into account that the average age of the cast is probably well under a decade than other movies within the franchise, it's even more impressive.
While Holland definitely is the star, and rightfully so, there is something to be said for the support he gets, notably Zendaya, who provides a welcome hint of social commentary and snark among the antics that come with an action film.
Sure, it may be the third major superhero movie to come out in 2017, and sure, it's the third Spider-Man in a few decades, but this movie stands up well enough that you won't be leaving the theater why they felt the need to remake it. It's obvious: to introduce you to your new, friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man.