I would like to preface this stupidly late review by saying I AM A FAILURE AND I AM SORRY! *clears throat* Anyways….
- Directed by Jon Watts
- Starring Tom Holland, Michael Keaton
- Written by Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley
- Action, Comedy, Superhero
- PG-13
- 133 mins.
- 7 July 2017
Peter Parker may be a small-time superhero who got a taste of the big leagues working with the Avengers, but he’s also still a fifteen year old boy. Peter has to deal with the struggles of being a loser even at a ‘Nerd school’ and having a secret double-life as a neighborhood hero.
How’s the Story?For once, it wasn’t another origin story! I think the best thing about the story told in this version is that it isn’t another reboot origin story, it focuses on this kid living his life while secretly being a superhero. I also really loved that the focus involved something so typical in real life: people not taking teenagers seriously even when something is seriously wrong. It was such a better story than I expected it to be.
How’s the Acting?I’ve never seen Tom Holland in anything before this other than Civil War and he barely even counted in that. I am astounded by how good of an actor he is. There is something about this kid that is so special. I had no idea he could possibly deliver that performance.
And Michael Keaton is Michael Keaton. If he disappointed me, I’d be shocked.
How’s the Writing/Directing?I love the way this film is written and directed. There are so many moments where this movie reminded me of a ‘family friendly’ Deadpool in the way that they are blindingly funny little one-liners that rely entirely upon the delivery, which is all down to direction. A good example of this (that will make no sense if you haven’t seen it, since I don’t want to do spoilers) would be the part where Peter is talking to “Karen” and asks how long it’s been and she says it’s been 37 minutes.
That scene culminating in that line had the entire theatre I was in rolling in laughter, and these tiny intricacies are what makes the humor in this movie work SO WELL. Writing and direction manage to turn this good movie into a great one.
How’s the Cinematography?While Marvel movies rarely blow my mind with the cinematography because I’m not the biggest fan of all the CGI fight scenes (not that I dislike it, just that I don’t care if it’s good or bad), I really did enjoy a few of the scenes here. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the plane sequence, it felt kind of sloppy and disjointed, but the ferry scene was pretty well done visually.
So I’d say the cinematography in this movie works well enough, I have no major complaints.
Is It Worth Watching?I am not the biggest fan of Spider-Man as a character. In fact, I didn’t really like ANY of the previous Spider-Man films. I know people suck Spider-Man 2’s dick all the time in the world of film-fans, but I thought it was ‘meh’. THAT is how not into Spider-Man I am.
And yet this movie made me CARE about Peter Parker. This movie made me like him. This movie gave him depth and gave me a reason to feel for him in a way that I’ve never really experienced before. Peter as a friend and as a nephew and as a student were all things that gave him life and he wasn’t just ‘this whiny kid that doesn’t want the responsibility of being a superhero’. He was charming and flawed as a person and very believable. I think finally the reason this one works so well is because Peter Parker is a 15 year old child who acts like a 15 year old child (and looks like one instead of a 35 year old man they’re passing off as a teenager) in a way that makes me believe in him like I never have before. It’s just brilliant.
Beyond Peter, I absolutely enjoyed what little there was of Aunt May. I wanted more of her! I loved Ned so much. Oh my God, I could watch an entire movie that’s just about Peter and Ned navigating the pressures of high school. I even liked the girl Peter likes in this movie, she was so adorable and sweet! Even the dick kid that’s mean to Peter, he was funny and not overly horrible, so you cared whether he lived or died even if you secretly wanted to see Spider-Man web him to a wall and leave him there for a while.
And I really enjoyed Michael Keaton’s character. There is a lot I can’t say because it would be a spoiler, but I believed him as a character by the end. Marvel movies have had some pretty weak villains lately, not in performance but in their whole scheme, but this guy is probably the best villain since Pierce in Winter Soldier.
I just really had nowhere near the expectations going into this film as what the final result delivered upon. I expected this movie to be a 7 at best and instead I’m giving this movie a solid 9, I was so amazed at how good it was.
My Rating: 9/10
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