It must be tough dealing with two puberties at the same time. But that’s what Peter Parker, 15, played by Tom Holland, has to cope with in the latest silver screen adaptation of the iconic Marvel Comics’ superhero Spider-Man.
In the film, Parker is already somewhat familiar with his strength but unfamiliar with the turmoil of teenage years and his million-dollar spider suit with a thousand webs up in its sleeve. The theme by itself has “comedy” written all over it. In fact, Spider-Man: Homecoming is the funniest reboot to date.
Most of the screenwriters, including Director Jon Watts, 34, (Cop Car (2015), The Onion News Network (2011-2012)), have indulged in comedies before. Jonathan Goldstein has, for example, co-written Vacation (2015), a wild American comedy about a disastrous road trip with the family – funny at times, outrageous at others.
There’s nothing outrageous in the latest Spider-Man, though. At times, it feels like the screenwriters were trying to take the mutilated humor of Deadpool (2016) and stick it to the character of the smooth-faced web-head.
There’s nothing wrong with that. In my opinion, the direction is right. The script also features ingenious twists that made me chuckle in my seat. I was also expecting tons of tricky teenage complications that the younger viewers will surely appreciate.
The role of Spider-Man has been played before by Tobey Macguire and Andrew Garfield; both better at serious roles. As of late, we’ve seen Maguire’s masterful portrayal of chess master Bobby Fischer in Pawn Sacrifice (2014) and Garfield pulled an Oscar nomination for his role as a soldier who refuses to kill people in Hacksaw Ridge (2016).
Robert Downey Jr, known for his roles as the Iron Man, gives Peter Parker (Tom Holland) an opportunity to prove himself. Picture: © 2017 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
British actor Tom Holland, 21, is the perfect choice to play the funny, kind-hearted Peter Parker. Holland takes on after his superhero debut in last year’s Captain America: Civil War, where he combats the evil next to the Avengers. Before jumping into his spider suit, he was mostly known for his effort. After eight auditions and two years of training, he earned his theatrical debut in a London musical, Billy Elliot the Musical in 2008.
During a recent interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Holland said that he simply auditioned for the role of Spider-Man because he wanted to “meet all the Marvel guys.” Holland has been an avid superhero comic fan since he was five years old.
But every successful superhero blockbuster requires a super believable villain. That’s where Michael Keaton steps in. Keaton is . . . 65 years old. He has worn the spandex of Batman and received an Oscar nomination for his stunning performance in Birdman (2014). In the latest Spider-Man, he brings the wing-flapping Vulture to life with such charisma that the web-slinging punk has, indeed, trouble to take this one down.
With an estimated budget of 175 million US dollars, you can expect that the CGI looks top-notch and the acrobatics will make your head spin. In fact, I don’t think Spidey has ever looked better through those 3D glasses on the crystal-clear mammoth of a screen in the Scape theater.
Both Holland and Watts have emphasized their unbelievable feeling after their involvement in their dream project. “It’s been a dream come true, man,” Holland said in an interview for the British film magazine Empire. “I’ve wanted to be Spider-Man since I was a little kid. You know, I even had Spider-Man bedsheets.”
Maybe it will make you buy new bedsheets as well?
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ premieres in cinemas July 5.
