The first reviews for Spider-Man: Homecoming have now hit the Internet. After the under-performance of 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Sony was at a crossroads. The Andrew Garfield led Spider-Man series seemed to be a bust with audiences, so continuing it didn't really seem like a good idea. At the same time, were moviegoers really ready for the second Spider-Man reboot in less than 5 years? It turns out that they were indeed ready, but with a catch: the origin story wouldn't be told again, and this Spider-Man would now be accepted into the loving arms of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Joining the MCU proved to be the jump start that Spider-Man's cinematic existence needed, with fans everywhere praising Tom Holland's portrayal of both Peter Parker and his web-slinging alter ego in last year's blockbuster Captain America: Civil War. Ever since, Holland wowed audiences, the anticipation level for next week's Spider-Man: Homecoming has been off the charts, as one of Marvel's greatest heroes finally prepares to get his first solo MCU showcase.
Well, the first round of early reviews for Spider-Man: Homecoming are rolling in (read Screen Rant's own Homecoming review here), and the verdict so far is overwhelmingly positive. Not only does Homecoming seemingly boast great acting and exciting action scenes, but the film is also likely to go down as the funniest Spider-Man movie to date. It appears that Peter Parker's trademark sense of sarcastic humor is out in force during his MCU debut. Presented below are some spoiler-free excerpts from Homecoming's early reviews.
Collider - Matt Goldberg
"Homecoming takes Peter Parker in a fresh direction not only by making him a teenager (and actually investing in that world rather than using it as a backdrop), but by letting him run towards being Spider-Man rather than wrestle with the weight of his responsibilities."
"The best word to describe Spider-Man: Homecoming is “fun.” It’s a joyous, effervescent picture that may not have the thematic heft of darker pictures like Logan and The Dark Knight, but nevertheless forges its own identity within the confines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a hefty helping of the MCU’s primary virtue: humor."
CBR - Kristy Puchko
"Masterfully weaving together these tales of teen angst and superhero woes, Watts creates not just an awesome superhero movie, but a unique coming-of-age classic centered on Peter’s self-discovery. It’s a tricky balancing act. However, an explosively entertaining cast knits these two different worlds together into an astonishing web of fun, thrills, and big heart-pounding moments."
"With all this against him, Watts delivered exactly the kind of shake-up the MCU — and the Spider-Man — franchise needs. Not every movie can be an epic ensemble like The Avengers or Captain America: Civil War. This series needs to have smaller-stake stories, too. And by thoughtfully considering how a modern Spider-Man would fit into the character-driven realm of the MCU, Watts not only created a superhero movie full of charm and surprises, but also one the best MCU movies yet."
The Wrap - Robert Abele
"The most obvious novelty to this version of the webslinger’s story is a hammered-home reminder that while Peter Parker is a legitimate threat to any supervillain, he’s also only 15 years old. To that end, Tom Holland’s casting is a real plus, his fresh-faced buoyancy, hyper earnestness and general teen-ness a far cry from the too-old-for-high-school vibe of Maguire and especially Garfield, and placing this “Spider-Man” firmly in John Hughes territory."
Variety - Owen Gleiberman
"Yet coming after the two Andrew Garfield “Spider-Man” films, which were the definition of super-forgettable competence, the movie is just distinctive enough, in concept and execution, to connect and become a sizable hit. If so, it could prove a key transitional film in the greater cinematic universe of comic-book movies. “Homecoming” tells its audience: This kid isn’t quite super — he’s just like you. “Ant-Man” did the same thing (and out of the Marvel zone, so did the “Kick-Ass” movies), but we’ve never seen a character as mythical as Spider-Man portrayed in such a user-friendly, sanded-down, After School Special way."
Slash Film - Ethan Anderton
"Furthermore, Spider-Man: Homecoming also gives us a satisfying villain, something the MCU has been lacking in most of its movies. Michael Keaton brings a subtle ferocity to Adrian Toomes, a man who isn’t motivated by vengeance, but merely out of dedication to being a provider for his family. His interaction with Spider-Man makes for some of the most suspenseful and exciting sequences between a hero and villain that the Marvel universe has seen, including one particular jaw-dropping moment that has smartly been kept out of the marketing thus far."
Heroic Hollywood - Nate Brail
"With its very diverse cast, great performances, humorous plot and a very strong antagonist, Spider-Man: Homecoming finds a way to make to make you laugh and have a really good time at the theater. Homecoming has become my personal favorite Spider-Man film and I’m very anxious to see it again."
As evidenced by the above excerpts, Spider-Man seems to be in quite good hands with Marvel Studios. That said, one wonders how long Sony will allow Marvel to retain creative control over how the wall-crawler is used going forward, as Sony has always seemed very possessive over the Spider-Man universe. Still, with Sony set to reap all the - what look to be sizable - profits from Homecoming, they would likely be foolish to remove Peter Parker from the MCU anytime soon.
In the opinion of most Spider-fans, it's been over a decade since the world received a truly great Spider-Man film. That dubious streak seems to now be broken, with Homecoming receiving reviews on par with other beloved MCU blockbusters. It may have taken him awhile to recover, but Spider-Man has truly began his swing back to the top of the superhero movie world.
NEXT: Spider-Man: Homecoming Spoilers Discussion
Sources: Various (see the links above)
