SPIDERMAN: Homecoming is Going to Spin a Web of Success this Weekend!

Jeri Jacquin

The anticipation builds as this Friday in theatres from director Jon Watts, Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures is SPIDERMAN: Homecoming.

It has been a while since Peter Parker/Spiderman (Tom Holland) had his experience with the Avengers. Now he’s back home with Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) living the life of a teenager. Watching him is Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) who gives Happy (Jon Favreau) the babysitting gig.

In school Peter finds himself love-struck by Liz (Laura Harrier) who is also part of the debate team. Hanging out with best buddy Ned (Jacob Batalon) is just as nerdy as Peter in some ways. By day he is anxious for the night when he can dawn his Spiderman persona and search for ways to help fight crime.

When the opportunity to hang with Liz at a party comes about, both Peter and Ned are ready to mingle with the cool kids. Promising that Spiderman would make an appearance, that would fall through when busting up a crime is more important. More so than Peter could have imagined when he finds a piece of their equipment that has incredibly technology not seen before.

Not about to let him take it, Peter meets Vulture (Michael Keaton) who puts a thrown down on the young superhero. If that isn’t enough, best bud Ned discovers what Peter has been up to. That’s going to have to wait because Peter is on his way to Washington D.C. with the debate team to compete.

Of course that’s the side story he tells Aunt May but with Ned’s help they begin to locate who is responsible for the technology in the weapon Peter found and who is the Vulture! Taking it upon himself, it only takes one mistake before Tony Stark comes calling and brushes away Peter’s big cobweb dreams.

Once again back to his high school life, Peter is taking Liz to the dance. When he shows up with his flowers looking dapper – it is who opens the door that set in motion an epic test of good versus evil.

Holland as Peter Parker is just frakken amazing. I will be honest from the get-go and say that I rolled my eyes time and time again thinking how awful another Spiderman would be. I was even more grumpy when I learned Holland took the role. I felt this way mainly because Holland captured my attention completely in 2012 with the film THE IMPOSSIBLE.

I said then that Holland “is a tremendous talent ... with the amazing capability of showing such strength of character” and nothing, I mean nothing has changed my mind since. My only worry (as all Mom’s have them) is that he will be sucked into the superhero universe leaving little time to expand is resume. This is an actor to keep an eye on when he’s out of the suit as much as when he’s in it. Well done young man, well done.

Keaton as Toomes is a man irritated with the system that tried to rob him of a business. Finding a way around that is what keeps everyone on their toes. I absolutely love Keaton so to see him once again doing what we all know he can do is a treat scene after scene. Yes he and Adam West are my Batman but I’m willing to cut him a little slack for his character in the film.

Batalon as Ned is the buddy we all should have in our lives. He’s a bit goofy, a lot nerdy, and scary when it comes to keeping secrets but we wouldn’t change him for anything. His loyalty to Parker is without questions and helping makes him outrageously happy.

Zendaya as Michelle is that girl everyone is irritated with one moment and laughs with the next. Her one liners are pretty good. Harrier as Liz is lovely and plays her storyline well. Tomei as May Parker is a bit scatter brained and pops in and out of the storyline, it is good to see her again.

Downey Jr., as Tony Stark just continues to cause cheers in a filled theatre. Fans love him and there will never be another Tony Stark like this (so don’t try to recast it for at least 100 years okay?). He keeps his eye on Peter Parker in the oddest ways as his inner father-figure kicks in. Favreau as Happy is irritated to have to babysit but also has a soft spot for the kid. These two actors bring in the comedy in the most bizarre places yet I love it.

Other cast includes Donald Glover as Aaron, Tony Revolori as Flash, Bokeem Woodbine as Herman Schultz, Tyne Daly as Anne Hoag, Abraham Attah as Abe, and Hannibal Buress as Coach Wilson.

SPIDERMAN: Homecoming doesn’t need my tubs of popcorn because it’s going to blow up the screens. So much so that you might forget the other incarnations of the webbed kid and believe they may have finally gotten it completely right. Holland gives us teen angst, a bit of teen hero-rebellion, loyalty to friends, battles that are worthy of the webbed one and moments of a kid trying to be a kid.

In case you are wondering, of course I’m not telling you things about the film. Seriously, why would I do that? I’m not into spoiling fun! Fans are going to be leaving the theatre giddy and probably buying tickets to see it again with more friends who are fans. With ComicCon right around the corner I am expecting to see more Spidey suits than ever before because of this film.

There is excitement, action, laughs, surprises and a cast that bring it all together in such a way that it’s almost a bummer when it’s over. As for what happens after the credits, well, I guess you’ll have to make sure you stay in your seat for a few minutes longer than normal (insert grin here). SPIDERMAN: Homecoming is completely epic without being full of itself and I’m refreshingly okay with that.

In the end – he’s just your friendly neighborhood Spiderman!