Unnecessary reboot for Spidey proves to be fun and light comic book fare (not a bad thing!)

Rating: 8/10 (27 July 2017)

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017) *** Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey, Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, Tyne Daly, Martin Starr, Garcelle Beauvais, Gwyneth Paltrow, (Voice of Jennifer Connelly), (Cameo: Stan Lee, Chris Evans) 2nd reboot of the web slinging superhero of MCU (that'd be Marvel Comics Universe) taking place in the aftermath of "Captain America: Civil War", with nerdy Peter Parker (Holland doing a tad too much of geek but nails the amiability of the science geek) getting back to the neighborhood in Queens, NY trying to balance the pitfalls of high school and a nefarious threat involving a local villain in the making (Keaton giving too little to do frankly as The Vulture) who has a bone to pick with Tony Stark and his ilk. While the film comes off like a check-list of audience approval : universal international students (check); fat-kid side-kick (check); ubiquitous Stan Lee cameo (check) it also manages to be more fun and lighter than previous incarnations (and thankfully no need for an origin story!) While indie director Jon Watts seems like a truly unlikely helmsman for an epic undertaking he does make the most of it and acquits himself nicely. But while I love Tomei, seriously making Aunt May a decades younger 'hottie' is WTF?