The Newest Spiderman

¨Spiderman: Homecoming¨ had a lot to live up to 15 other Marvel films in a constantly expanding cinematic universe and five previous, non-related Spiderman films. So many people wondered how this Spiderman movie would stack up. However, the hype for this movie was well-earned, as it brings the quality and enjoyment expected from a Marvel film, while also differentiating itself from its predecessors. Moreso, it does with an exciting, unfamiliar plot, clever writing that is surprisingly realistic, and excellent characters portrayed through great acting.

I say unfamiliar plot because a lot of people were expecting, and dreading, the same ¨Peter gets bit by a radioactive spider and then Uncle Ben dies” plot that we've already seen. But the filmmakers didn't go down that route, opting instead to skip over that for a new plot, and this serves the movie very well. Instead of boring audiences with a familiar story, this new take keeps audiences on the edges of their seats.

Marvel takes some big risks in the film, and none are more apparent than having the movie focus on Peter Parker as a student, not just a superhero. This marks the first time that Marvel has had one of its characters in school, and this serves the movie quite well in making it appear fresh and not as something that's been done a million times before.

This choice stands out as a risk to me because usually when a big studio tries to write a believable high school script, they embarrassingly miss the mark. But these writers managed to pull it off. The writing is fantastic, with some of the best comedy in a Marvel movie yet, and a few of the moments succeed in being relatable for high school students.

The story also features a new villain, the Vulture, played by Michael Keaton, and puts the already familiar character Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr., in a new role as a mentor for Tom Holland's Spiderman. While all of these characters have great chemistry with each other, the relationship between Iron Man and Spiderman is especially interesting, as it brings a new father figure into Spiderman's life that hasn't been there before.

Both Michael Keaton and Tom Holland give stellar performances. Keaton especially stands out, as he brings a special kind of intensity outside of the Vulture suit that has been missing from most Marvel villains for a long time. The actual vulture, however, lacks this intensity and comes off as just another villain in a suit.

Tom Holland had a lot to live up to, and he delivered, bringing a fresh take to the nerdy, wisecracking Spiderman that audiences have come to know and love. He plays off other characters very well, especially in my favorite scene in the movie, his confrontation with Keaton, which I will not spoil.

The film also expands the usual cast of characters with the inclusion of Ned, his ¨guy in the chair,¨ as he calls it. Ned helps Spiderman from the sidelines usually, and serves mostly as comic relief. This character is probably the least fleshed out of the entire cast of main characters, so hopefully Marvel can change that in the future to keep the likable but shallow Ned from becoming a walking punchline.

Finally, and probably most importantly, the action. No superhero movie can truly be considered good without a solid foundation of intense and original action scenes, and Spiderman delivers.

Spidey´s web slinging and Vulture's flight allow for extra mobility, making the action feel more active and dynamic. It is always very easy to tell what is going on, and the CGI is fantastic.

An original plot, fun action, stellar writing, and interesting characters make ¨Spiderman: Homecoming¨ the best superhero movie to come out over this past summer.