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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 4 July 2017

Review: Holland, cast delight in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’

By LINDSEY BAHR And now, like all obedient
AP Film Writer franchises, they’re trying to
One thing is certain: Cul- start all over again, this time
ture has not been lacking in with the much more age-
takes on Spider-Man for the appropriate Tom Holland
past 15 years. First there was in “Spider-Man: Homecom-
Tobey Maguire, who under ing .”
the direction of Sam Raimi And you know what? Su-
for three films ushered in perhero cynicism aside,
the modern superhero era, “Spider-Man: Homecom-
and then there was An- ing” is really fun. Direc-
drew Garfield whose two tor Jon Watts, whose only
films with Marc Webb were previous feature film credit
immediately forgettable. is the indie thriller “Cop

This image released by Columbia Pictures shows Tom Holland in a scene from “Spider-Man:
Homecoming.”
Associated Press
Car,” has confidently put cided to break bad after thetic, excitable and clue-
his stamp on the friendly losing a job to a govern- less to make Peter Parker
neighborhood web-slinger ment crew that clears post- work now and for years to
by making one bold move: superhero fight disaster come. For the most part,
actually casting teenagers areas. Peter, with his true- “Homecoming” is a joy. It’s
to play teenagers. blue heart and naivete and light-hearted, smart, a little
Yes, after two films with late eagerness to prove himself, meta and the first Marvel
20-somethings donning of course takes on more film to really consider what
the Spidey suit and get- than he can handle, while it might be like for kids living
ting bitten by that pesky also trying to navigate high in a world where superhe-
spider, Spider-Man finally school, homework, crushes roes are real.
gets to be a kid (and we and the awkwardness of My only quibble with “Spi-
get to skip over the whole just being a teenager. Time der-Man: Homecoming”
origin/ Uncle Ben story). In- passes easily and just when is that for all of its charm-
stead, Watts’ film, which you might worry that you ing and infectious realism
is upsettingly credited to don’t actually care about about race, high school life
six screenwriters, picks up any of the characters, and class issues, it has a bit
with Peter Parker (Holland) the story throws a great of a woman problem. Sim-
right before, during and af- curveball that carries in- ply: every significant and
ter the events of “Captain terest to the end. The film semi-significant female
America: Civil War,” which is overflowing with stellar character looks like a mod-
introduced Holland’s Spi- talent, even in the smallest el. It wouldn’t be an issue
der-Man in that epic air- of roles and not counting were the film not so spot-on
port Avengers battle. the Marvel loaners in Rob- with casting such a realistic
Instead of a “last week in ert Downey Jr. (who oozes variety of men and teen-
Marvel” segment to catch charisma and charm even age boys, or if it were less
up, we’re given a refresher when phoning it in for a concerned with hammer-
via Peter’s perspective. handful of scenes) and Jon ing down on the “Aunt May
He’s just an excited kid who Favreau. In the high school is hot” bit that goes a little
filmed the whole adventure alone, there’s the too-cool too far, but when taken
and ever since has been Michelle (Zendaya), the together you start to won-
thirsting for more Avengers crush Liz (Laura Harrier) der if maybe things would
action. He tries, endear- and the adorable break- have been different if just
ingly, to prove his mettle on out best friend Ned (Jacob one of the six screenwriters
his own as he waits idly in Batalon). Hannibal Buress was a woman. But just as
Queens for a call from Tony and Martin Starr are there, Peter has some growing up
Stark — giving directions to too, to add reliable laughs. to do, so does this young
the elderly, retrieving sto- Adrian’s bad-guy crew franchise. “Spider-Man:
len bikes and doing flips on includes Logan Marshall- Homecoming,” a Sony Pic-
command. Green and Michael Cernus. tures release, is rated PG-13
What he doesn’t know is Even Spider-Man’s suit has by the Motion Picture Asso-
that for eight years, there an Oscar winner behind its ciation of America for “sci-fi
has been a supervillain voice (Jennifer Connelly). action violence, some lan-
emerging in his town in the Then of course there is Hol- guage and brief sugges-
form of a wronged con- land, a terrific actor since tive comments.” Running
struction worker, Adrian “The Impossible,” who is the time: 133 minutes. Three
(Michael Keaton), who de- perfect amount of empa- stars out of four.q