Spider-Man with a fresh twist

Rating: 8/10 (20 July 2017)

Really enjoyed the first two films, both contained great scenes/action, acting and the two best villains of the films. Was mixed on the third film, which wasn't that bad but suffered mainly from bloat, and was not totally sold on the 'Amazing Spider-Man' films.
Whether 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' is the best 'Spider-Man' film ever is debatable, some may prefer the first two films, others may prefer this. To me, it is the best 'Spider-Man' film since the second and on par with the first two. It may not have taken as many risks or had sequences/action as memorable as the first two films, and for more of an origin story it's best to stick with the first two films. For a fresh twist on 'Spider-Man' and the superhero genre, 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' (one of Marvel's best to date) more than fits the bill.
'Spider-Man: Homecoming' is not quite the masterpiece as proclaimed to me and maybe not quite as good as the acclaim, but personally can totally see why it is loved so much and that it deserves all the positivity it's received. It has a couple of faults, Liz is a bland and underwritten character and Laura Harrier does nothing with the character. Flash also could have been much more intimidating in demeanour and physicality, for a bully one is not intimidated, pretty anaemic actually and even annoying at times.
Much more could have been done with Spider-Man's powers and how he got around, they could have been better used, being not used enough, and of better quality.
However, 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' looks great. Slick, stylish with bold, atmospheric use of colour and mostly top-notch special effects. Michael Giacchino pens yet another winner of a music score, both rousing and hypnotic with also an intensity and emotional undercurrent.
It's a remarkably well scripted film too. It has some hilarious and rarely forced humour (namely from Ned and Michelle, both of whom should have been annoying but were refreshing scene-stealing comic relief), poignancy and tension. The story works well as a superhero story, with great chemistry between Peter and Tony Stark and a terrific scene in a car with our hero and Vulture, and even more so as an affectionate and easy to relate to coming of age and trying-to-fit-in story. The action is kept at minimum but what there is is fun and suspenseful, even if there were sequences and climaxes more memorable in the first two films.
A risk was taken having Jon Watts in the director's chair, but luckily inexperience doesn't show, there is a great sense of visual style and momentum is kept taut. A great cast also helps, with Tom Holland doing a wonderful job in the complex dual role, both roles are easy to relate to and he differentiates the two personalities of nerdy, awkward high school deadline and charismatic head-line-making superhero with remarkable ease.
Michael Keaton, fresh from giving two of his best performances in years in 'Birdman' and 'Spotlight', is also superb as Vulture, a refreshingly different and more complex villain than most Marvel villains, a menacing villain but with a humane side with a far less generic motivation than one would find in other Marvel films and doesn't feel underused. A villain that one is intimidated by but also feel sorry for. Marissa Tomei seemed bizarre casting on paper but she is very charming actually and fits well.
Robert Downey Jnr brings charismatic intensity and authority to Tony Stark, Jon Favreau is fun while Jacob Batalon and Zendaya are refreshing comic relief.
Overall, very good, often great and very nearly outstanding (which it would have been if more care was given to a few of the supporting characters). 8/10 Bethany Cox