Good, but very different

Rating: 8/10 (23 February 2018)

Spider-Man has quite a wild ride on the big screen, hasn't he? Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies are a solid trilogy, but Sony's are rather forgettable. But with two sets of Spider-Man movies behind us, it's hard to not look back, especially on the Raimi trilogy, when thinking about Homecoming as a movie. That's important to bring up because Homecoming drastically differs from the previous Spider-Man films. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it does mean that something just feels wrong about this movie. Maybe it's because the Daily Bugle's not in in. Maybe it's because Mary Jane isn't in it either. Maybe it's that Spidey's suit has all the different powers and weapons that makes him feel more like Iron Man. But something just feels off about it. It is still a very good movie, and possibly Marvel's funniest to date. Even if he was introduced in Civil War, there's no denying it. Tom Holland is the best Spider-Man. He acts and looks like he's 15, unlike Maguire and Garfield, who were clearly way older than the character they portrayed. Without giving anything away, the climax and ending were absolutely spectacular, both on a visual scale, and the way the character development sorts out. The other characters were good as well. Vulture was one of the best comic book movie villains ever. What's great about him is that you could make the legitimate argument that he's not actually a villain. He's not out to kill Spider-Man or something like that. He's just doing what everyone wants to do - get rich and live an easy life. He doesn't even cause that much damage, making him much more human than other villains. As for the other characters, well... Controversial opinion: Zendaya wasn't funny in this movie, she was annoying. She's a good actress, I know she's a fan favorite, but the whole movie she was trying way too hard to be edgy. It wasn't funny at all. Ned was pretty funny, though. He fills in Harry Osborn's role quite well. Liz wasn't exactly the most memorable character, but she had some good scenes, so she's fine. It really did feel like she was filling in for Mary Jane. You do gotta feel bad for her at the end. Iron Man is in this movie, but he's kind of like a father figure to Spidey here, and it works.
All in all, I think I'm personally blinded by nostalgia for the Sam Raimi trilogy to appreciate Homecoming for what it is. I know that the aspect of Spider-Man having become famous through YouTube in this version negates the purpose of the Daily Bugle, but that just leaves a void in the film. It doesn't feel like a Spider-Man movie. And while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it just makes it hard for me to enjoy Homecoming as much as others did. It's a worthy addition to the MCU, and that's what it is. MCU Spider-Man. What we've wanted for so long.
Personal aside: my brother saw this movie before I did because I was stuck in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, and he successfully tricked me into thinking that the post-credits scene was super important. I had to go to the bathroom so bad by the end of the movie, but I absolutely had to wait for the post-credits scene. I couldn't miss it. And if you know what it is... yeah. I got fooled big time.