SPIDER-MAN:HOMECOMING (2017)

                                                                                Critic - No.118

Director: John Watts

Casts: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau

Language: English

Genre:  Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi

Plot:

Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life between an ordinary high school student in New York City and his superhero alter ego Spider-Man when a new threat arises.

Review:

We have seen many versions and takes on depicting the neighbourhood superhero, but this one might be the most relatable of all. Despite having no grand plot, ‘Spider-man: Homecoming’ is pumped up with some energetic presentation, one which might show the real, authentic ‘spidey’. Like all the other Spider-man franchises, the film walks on the line, ‘with great power lies great responsibility’. But the freshness lies on the way it is treated here with no sign of pretentious superhero moments. In fact, a total street level superhero flick for the masses.

The story continuous from the time of Spiderman’s surprising intervention in the battle of the Avengers in ‘Captain America: Civil War (2016)’ that Parker eventually recorded as a memorable mockumentary in his digital camera. The film then cuts to six months after the incident where Parker is back to school after the 'internship' at the Stark Industries. As a cheery, fun but ambitious school student, Peter Parker’s character could not have been more relatable and likable. Unlike the recent reboot, ‘The Amazing Spiderman’, Jon Watts does not rekindle or present the same old plot points that are overused. Even some romantic angles are very well underplayed and linked into the main plot strategically. It’s a relief that Spiderman does not have to balance between saving MJ (hinted at the end though) and the world this time.

Tom Holland makes us feel a totally different Spiderman this time with heavy traits from the comics. He is likable, funny, and witty and does not go too overboard with his emotions even in tested moments. The costume design is cartoonish and bright as his nature. With due respect to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, we might have finally gotten the apt guy for the role.

Michael Keaton on the other end is a perfect menace a story like this need. Even though one might feel that the character is little underdeveloped, the seasoned performance kept the suspense factor alive. Robert Downey Jr. is at his usual best while Jon Favreau appears occasionally to add wit to the show.

However, what might bother the fans or even regular moviegoers is the lack of grandeur or a conclusive ending to the film. By the time we reach the climax set piece, the high point one might expect is definitely a miss in this. Lots of questions of whether Marvel is holding back for something even greater and powerful in the Marvel Universe, will come to your mind. The potential plot points of Vulture and Spiderman is again hinted in the end which gives us a sense that everything is being well engineered from the start for something that is coming up after this. Well, fans might embrace these ideas but blockbuster seekers might get a little restless at their seats.

  

VERDICT: 

This Spider-man flies high with its high relatability and zest in a fulfilling but deliberately underplayed edition of the massive Marvel Universe.

CELLULOID METER – 3.5/5: