We're in the home stretch of the Rewatch, and that means Avengers: Endgame is on the horizon. Let's push forward by celebrating Spidey's glorious return to Marvel Studios with Spider-Man: Homecoming. BACKGROUND:
Remember when they announced that Sony would be sharing the rights to Spider-Man with Marvel Studios, and everyone freaked the fuck out? How about that first look at the web-slinger in the second Civil War trailer? Well, somewhere along that hype train, they announced that Spidey was getting yet another solo movie, but this time, it's set in the MCU. Now, the batting average for Spider-Man movies during this time wasn't great. The Amazing Spider-Man reboot (for as much as I liked Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in their respective roles) didn't quite live up to the adjective, and like many, I felt like it was too soon for yet another reboot. This skepticism was balanced out by the fact that, this time, the character is in the loving hands of the Marvel Studios folks. Waiting to see this movie was both an exciting and slightly scary time. COMICS TO READ:
MY FAVORITE MOMENTS:
THE EASTER EGGS:
THE HERO: Peter Parker is back, and we get him in all his awkward, teenage glory. We see him in his usual "juggle two identities" antics, sacrificing parts of Peter Parker's life in order to do some good as Spider-Man. He's trying hard to become an Avenger, and his eagerness to please causes him to make mistakes. After Tony takes away his suit, he goes through the very same "it's not the suit that makes the man" epiphany that Tony goes through. Sure, you could make the nitpick that he's a little reliant on Stark tech early on, and that he's missing his trademark "Parker Luck" (he doesn't get into much trouble as he usually does here), but nonetheless, I found his growth as a character enjoyable to watch. Speaking of Tony, his mentor-mentee relationship with Peter was wonderful. It builds on his previous journey of rectifying past mistakes, from small things (Peter's suit has a parachute, for example; don't want a repeat of Rhodey's accident) to the big (encouraging Peter to be better than he ever was). I was initially worried that this movie would become Iron Man 4 and that he'd overshadow Spider-Man, but thankfully, that wasn't the case. THE VILLAIN: In another one of those "the movie does this so much better than the comics", we got the best version of Vulture that I've ever seen. He's no longer a weird old dude with a silly-looking bird costume; he's now a working-class dad who feels slighted by the 1%, looking to provide for his family by any means necessary, and he's got a badass pair of wings on him. It's a backstory that resonates with a lot of people, and it's backed up with the reserved menace that he has about him. Even though his wings give him limited combat capabilities (Falcon could easily smoke him in a fight), he felt like a formidable threat to Spider-Man (formidable enough to beat him, in fact). I don't know who pointed this out to me, but someone made the connection that the "Vulture" moniker works on another level. That is, Vulture lives up to his name as he picks up the scraps of the aftermath of superhero conflicts. This blew my mind the first time I heard it. OTHER THINGS:
THE AFTER-CREDITS: Two stingers, per usual. The first is a scene in prison with Toomes, and, what luck, we run into Mac Gargan again. Toomes shows a bit of character by not selling Spider-Man out, and we get an ominous setup for Scorpion. The second scene is a spin on those Captain America instructional videos we've been seeing throughout the film, and this one's teaching us about patience. It's a brilliant and hilarious dig at the loyal fans who wait until the very end of the credits. The first time I saw this, I can't help but laugh and go, ha ha, you sly motherfuckers. The MCU may not have Deadpool (yet), but it looks like meta humor is alive and well in it. VERDICT: Although one could argue that there are some elements here that are a departure from the Peter Parker we all know and love, Spider-Man: Homecoming is still a magnificent return to form for the character after a few misfires from Sony. I couldn't be happier that he's (sort of) back where he belongs; now, if only we could get Sony to fully relinquish the rights... Next week, we'll be — get this — one month away from Avengers: Endgame. Can you believe it? Also next week: the rewatch nears its end with Thor: Ragnarok. I hope you like Immigrant Song... - end -
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June 2024
Derryck
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