Spider-Man finally (kinda) comes home to Marvel Studios... and oh, is it glorious.

Rating: 9/10 (19 July 2017)

Welcome home Spider-Man, we missed ya.
Alright, I have to be transparent here, I'm completely biased on this one. I grew up with this character; from the 2002 classic Spider-Man, to the 2004 classic Spider-Man 2, to the 2007 not-so-classic Spider- Man 3. I genuinely love all three of the original Sam Raimi directed films.
When the two Marc Webb directed films The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 were released in 2012 and 2014 respectively, I did a bit of brain gymnastics to convince myself that these movies were just as great as the original trilogy. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that the two Marc Webb films do not compare (specifically The Amazing Spider-Man 2; that film is a mess).
All this to say that maybe I love this character too much to be objective.
But even from an objective viewpoint, this film is outstanding. Spider Man: Homecoming has the difficult task of rebooting the iconic franchise once again. Everyone knows Peter Parker was bitten by a spider, everyone knows Peter Parker's parents are dead, and everyone knows Uncle Ben was murdered. Thankfully, Homecoming wastes no time dwelling on aspects that were explained in the last 5 films. Instead, we get to focus on a story of a childish, inexperienced Spider-Man that truly does not know what he is doing.
Tom Holland is excellent in and out of the Spidey suit, and it isn't too much of a stretch to say this is the most accurate on-screen adaption of Peter Parker. Holland has the infectious energy of an excited child throughout, something that is missing in all the other Spider-Man films.
This is a packed cast, and everyone here delivers, specifically Michael Keaton as Vulture, who surprisingly might be one of the best MCU villains to date. This is a character that could have easily been a throwaway that just came off as corny, but Keaton's acting ability definitely adds a lot to this role.
One of the best additions to this film is Robert Downey Jr, who comes in and out of the film as Iron Man. Jaded veteran Tony Stark's acts as a perfect foil and mentor to the innocent amateur in Peter Parker. The contrast between these two result in some hilarious scenes, as well as some sincere father-son moments.
With five standalone Spider-Man movies preceding Homecoming, originality is going to be hard to come by; especially when it comes to the action scenes. Thankfully, the action set pieces here are diverse and set a original, entertaining stage for Spider-Man to shine. From the Washington monument in D.C, to a ferry in Staten Island, to the bottom of a plane, all of the action scenes feel extremely fresh.
Where Homecoming really shines is it's comedy. This is the funniest film I've seen all year, even including "comedy" films (I'm looking at you, The House). This is a great example of how you make comedy organic in an action film (I'm looking at you, Transformers). Nearly every actor in the film has some comedic dialogue to deliver on, and nearly every joke hits. A standout here is Zendaya, who is hilarious in every scene she's in. Even singer/actor/rapper/comedian/??? Donald Glover makes a brief but hilarious appearance halfway through the film.
Some might not like the more lighthearted approach to Spider-Man, as this is definitely more cheerful than any of the Sam Raimi or Marc Webb films. But if you were looking for a ultra-serious superhero story why would you watch a Spider-Man film?
Director Jon Watts, this entire cast, and every single one of the 8 credited screenwriters should be commended here as they deliver an original take on a familiar franchise. Spider-Man: Homecoming is easily one of the best films to come out this year, and you should go see this on the biggest screen possible.