Movie - Spider-Man: Homecoming

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Director - Jon Watts

Cast - Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Maris Tomei, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bokeem Woodbine, and Donald Glover

What's it about - 

The friendly, neighbourhood Spider-Man aka Peter Parker (Tom Holland) had the best time of his life during the events of Captain America: Civil War. Now he awaits Tony Stark aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) to call him for next mission. Stark's driver/security chief/Man Friday Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) is Peter's point man. The call doesn't come the very next day, so Peter has to make do with petty crimes happening in Queens, New York. He also has to live his life as a teenager attending school for geniuses, having a crush on the smartest girl in the class, sneakily experiment on the viscosity his web fluid in a school lab with his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon).

Peter's after-school adventures lead him to Adrian Toomes' (Michael Keaton) underground business of making weapons out of scrap alien technology left behind by the Chittauri after the events of The Avengers and a few more globe threatening events since then. Peter sees this as an opportunity to show Stark he is not a kid in the need of training wheels. What comes after gives Peter a chance to be part of Avengers.

What's good -

It is truly a homecoming for Spider-Man since Marvel and Kevin Feige know their characters better than other studios. For the first time, onscreen Peter is behaving like an actual teenager as depicted in the comic books. His level of ambition to be an Avenger and his level of awkwardness around his crush, both point north and Tom Holland does justice to it. Peter's tough moments touch your heart. Thank lord he didn't take inspiration from previous versions. Peter's sharp learning curve with regards to his enhanced suit gives some hilarious scenes. So do Ned's questions about Peter's ability and the Avengers. For example - 

1. Ned: Can you summon an army of spiders?    Peter: No, Ned. No.

2. Ned: Can you lay eggs?    Peter: What?! No.

Jacob Batalon's comic timing is spot on. Michael Keaton's Toomes/Vulture is scary alright. One just has to keep his image as the Birdman from Alejandro G Inarritu's movie away from the mind.

What's not -

Toomes' desperation to survive, the motive behind him choosing the underbelly of crime, his greed needed better reasoning. Marvel hasn't had a villain who has a family until Toomes. So flipping him over his head takes a little time to digest. Zendaya's character begins as an eccentric genius girl and it stays underutilised. Laura Harrier's character has more screen time but she has been reduced to 'genius' damsel in distress. 

What's that - 

Keep your eyes open for Tony Stark's visit to India. Pay attention to a little nod to Tobey Maguire's 2002 Spider-Man. Of course, there is Stan Lee. Captain America has three cameos. And as it turns out, Ferris Bueller's Day Off has two cameos too. Statutory reminder for any Marvel movie applies here too. Do not leave your seat until after the end of the credit roll.

What to do -

Marvel fans will have to watch this because clues for next movies in the line-up are there. Casual moviegoers, it's a coming-of-age teen story with a superhero twist. Worth your time and money.

Ratings - ****