Picking up right after his debut in ‘Captain America: Civil War’, ‘Spider-Man Homecoming’ opens with a Peter in conflict. He’s had a taste of an amazing fantasy, and suddenly, regular old high school life just doesn’t do it anymore. Seeing Captain America on an exercise video just doesn’t match up to stealing his shield. While he dreams of joining The Avengers in their world-saving quests, he’s stuck stopping bike robberies and helping old ladies cross the street.

That personal conflict is an incredibly entertaining part of the film. Peter Parker is reflective of every teenager too rebellious for their own good. Eager to start the next phase of their life. As Peter awkwardly fumbles his way between his double life, it no doubt provides the laughs, but only because it’s so relatable. Every situation Peter gets in has about as much tension as the life or death moments.

Those moments are thanks to the villain of the picture Adrian Toomes, aka, The Vulture, played by Michael Keaton. Keaton is one of the more memorable villains of the superhero genre and is almost as relatable as Peter Parker himself. He plays a disgruntled salvage operator who makes his living building and selling weaponry forged from the superhero battles waged in this universe over the years. Clearly, the movie puts function over fashion, as the Vulture has traded in his traditional feathers for giant winged blades of death.

Spider-Man himself, on the other hand, gets to have his cake and eat it too. His look is very much his classic trademarked style, but he’s also been granted with a few bells and whistles not previously seen in a Spider-Man film. For some, this might seem like an unwelcome new addition, but I found it to be an incredibly inventive spin on a character who had become a little old hat at this point. How many more times could we see Peter Parker’s spider sense slow down time as he leaps out of the way of danger, only to react with his best Keanu Reeve’s “Woah”.

There’s a logic to much of ‘Spider-Man Homecoming’ that gives it a sense of realism. That realism though helps the movie stay grounded, following the themes the movie sets for itself. It perfectly allows the action to have more of an impact, no matter how wildly creative it gets. ‘Spider-Man Homecoming’ is the type of superhero film that has a message, is wildly entertaining, and feels incredibly well thought out.

The film is also a true homage to the John Hughes era of the 80s. Where better to draw inspiration for a film set in high school? That was present mostly in the characters that make up Peter’s social circle. The classic drama that you get from high school shenanigans. Little things like the pressure of looking cool, getting good grades, and figuring out what to do with his life are definitely going to cause viewers think back to their own high school days. It’s a good thing then that the whole cast, from each of Peter’s teachers, to his best friend, to the girl out of his league are always on point.

Throughout my life, there have been quite a few Spider-Man films. Some of them have been bad, most of them have been good. Few have been great. The only superhero who get more chances at the movies is Batman. That’s because as much as a Spider-Man film may disappoint, something about the character draws people in. The films may not meet our standards, but we’re more than willing to try again the next time. Thankfully, ‘Spider-Man Homecoming’ is definitely worth a try, and is easily the greatest Spider-Man film to date.

Rating: Big Screen Watch