Spider-Man: Homecoming is a super hero film with solid actors, lots of eye candy, plenty of easter eggs, and is a fun movie from start to finish (including the credits). Portraying Spider-Man for a second time after being introduced in Captain America: Civil War (2016 with Chris Evans), is Tom Holland. He plays a high school aged Peter Parker who tries to balance his normal life with the thrills and danger that come with wearing spandex in public. And fighting crime. This film was made possible by Marvel and Sony agreeing to share their toys in the cinematic sandbox (the rights), allowing this actor/character to appear in films produced by either studio (they both get to make money). The film has 6 writers but moves ahead steadily, the action scenes are filled with spectacular special effects, and both star Tom Holland and director Jon Watts (who are new to this level of budget and spotlight) put on a great show. Tom brings a youthful, inquisitive, and naive energy to the role, as well as the physicality required after having performed as the lead in the musical Billy Elliot. Michael Keaton plays a strong role in the film, no stranger to comic book movies himself as he was the lead in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). Director Jon Watts previously made the crime thriller Cop Car in 2015 with Kevin Bacon, and explores deep pocket film making territory in this film. Homecoming cost 35 times what Cop Car cost ($175 million vs $5 million) but was still less than The Amazing Spider-Man 2, coming in $293 million (2014). Funny moments throughout, relatable high school moments of drama, people whose motivations you can understand, and plenty of amazing sights along the way make this film a great action adventure even if you don’t know the comics or haven’t seen one of the other 5 Spider-Man movies made in the last 15 years.

2017, PG, 2h 13m
Distributor – Sony/Columbia
Budget – $175 million

Cast & Crew
Director Jon Watts was also one of the 6 writers, he previously directed Clown (2014 horror) and multiple episodes of The Onion News Network and Onion SportsDome (2011-2012). Tom Holland was previously in The Lost City of Z (2016 action with Charlie Hunnam), Edge of Winter (2016 drama with Shaun Benson), and will next be seen in Pilgrimage (adventure with Richard Armitage), The Current War (drama with Benedict Cumberbatch), and again as Spider-Man in Avengers: Infinity War (2018). Michael Keaton previously was in The Founder (2016 drama with Nick Offerman), Spotlight (2015 drama which won the Best Picture Oscar), and will next be seen in American Assassin (action with Dylan O’Brien) and Dumbo (2019 Disney live action directed by Tim Burton, his Batman director). Robert Downey Jr. most recently appeared also as Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), and will again in Avengers: Infinity War, and is also starring in the family fantasy The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle (2019). Also appearing is Marisa Tomei (The Big Short, 2015 drama), Zendaya (K.C. Undercover, 3 seasons 2015-2017), and Jon Favreau (Term Life, 2016 crime).

Links
IMDB – 8.0
Box Office Mojo
Wikipedia

Spoilers
(please do not continue reading if you have not seen the movie and do not want to read a spoiler)

I really enjoyed the costume, especially the eyes that can now move and show off emotion, and the more classic look of the rest of the suit is great. Vulture’s tech looked awesome too with a big wing span, pointed tips, and the rotating parts that kept it flying. In spite of one of the films poster being too busy and the trailers showing off too many key images, the film has been successful. I never flip through a comic book to look at the major art pieces and then start reading, I should have a choice of the trailer I see if they aren’t going to make them spoiler free. The opening credits included an updated version of the Spider-Man theme from the 1967 cartoon and I hoped you stayed in theaters until the end of the credits. In the end credits like these superhero films have been doing, I believe you have to show the audience something jaw dropping or hilarious, (this was the later), and apparently there will be more of those PSAs on the special features. Thanks to all 6 writers for not writing an origin story we have seen twice already recently, and the crew was largely encouraged to watch John Hughes films for inspiration, such as The Breakfast Club (1985), Pretty in Pink (1986), and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) which was also on a tv in the film. It was filmed mostly in Atlanta, Georgia, in addition to Germany and New York City. Watch for the Kenneth Choi as the principal, he sits beside a photo of his grandfather which was the role he played in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Donald Glover, who gets his hand webbed by Spidey, plays a character who is the uncle to Miles Morales, the Spider-Man who he voiced in the Ultimate Spider-Man series (2015). Remaking the bully Flash Thompson as more a spoiled rich kid (over the original big jock type), updates the characters for modern times, (just please don’t make that kid Venom).