- No origin story. Really is there anyone alive that does not know that Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider. We don't need to see that again.
- Peter as a real kid in high school. A wee little adolescent, not a young adult - an actual kid. This dovetails well with...
- Tony Stark as his mentor (and father figure), apart from giving us more Robert Downey Jr., opens up so much opportunity character arcs and interactions beyond standard Spidey trying to live a secret life and the problems it causes. Also...
- It means Spidey is in a world where he is vulnerable to more than just the villain threatening his friends and family. There are bigger conflicts.
Of course none of that would matter if the execution failed and it did not. The writing was typically quick-witted, although it did seem forced at a few points, but even when it did the actors saved it. If there is one thing the DC/XMen movie makers haven't figured out, and Kevin Feige has, it's how to find actors who can deliver on comedy. This is Marvel's secret weapon.
Spider Man: Homecoming may actually be the best acted Marvel film yet. For the bulk of the movie it's light-hearted irony punctuated with sharp action. But there is a moment about two thirds of the way through when the tone changes, and things get serious, and it's perfect -- thanks mostly to the spot performance by Michael Keaton as the Vulture. A subtle and convincing villain elevates any superhero flick and Keaton really comes through here pushing things to another level.
You may know I was a huge fan of the original Spider Man film with Tobey Maguire. I think it was the film that showed how good the stories of my comic book adolescence could work as movies. But it is no longer the best Spider Man movie, Homecoming is. It slides into the upper echelon of Marvel films quite easily, and therefore one of the best action films ever made.
I should revise my list of top ten action films. Pretty sure it would be 7/10 Marvel at this point.
