Spider-Man: Homecoming is the perfect MCU movie
Okay, before people get upset, let me explain what I mean by "the perfect MCU movie."
While I still think it's a legitimately good movie, I don't think Homecoming is the BEST movie Marvel Studios has ever produced. In fact, I don't even think it's in the top 10. I do, however, think it's the perfect version of what a movie set in the MCU can be. It's not a perfect movie, but it's a perfect MCU movie.
Unlike a lot of other projects, Homecoming uses the established lore of Earth-616 (or 199999 if you prefer that) to enhance its storytelling and tell an emotional story about its main character, but it never feels like the MCU stuff holds it back or takes center stage. It uses the tools that this franchise has to offer to tell a compelling story, but it never comes across like a big, gimmick-driven crossover event. It always feels like a personal story focused on Peter Parker and how all these things affect *him*. It's about a kid growing up in a world where all these people exist and all these crazy events have happened.
This is also one of the rare MCU movies where it actually feels like a shared universe that all these different superheroes happen to exist in. Obviously Tony Stark has a substantial role in the plot, but there's also Captain America's PSA video playing in the high school gym class, Bruce Banner's photo on the wall in the science class, Happy's relationship with Peter, Peter's obsession with becoming an Avenger, Pepper and Tony getting engaged towards the end, and we see how the fallout of The Battle of New York has affected the city's workers (which is why Vulture ultimately becomes a villain). None of that stuff feels forced just for the sake of making audiences clap and cheer. It all feels like it's there to enhance Peter's story.
I can't think of another MCU project where the worldbuilding enhanced an individual character's story without taking over and becoming the main selling point. This film manages to find the perfect balance between being an exciting MCU installment AND a character-driven solo adventure.
While I still think it's a legitimately good movie, I don't think Homecoming is the BEST movie Marvel Studios has ever produced. In fact, I don't even think it's in the top 10. I do, however, think it's the perfect version of what a movie set in the MCU can be. It's not a perfect movie, but it's a perfect MCU movie.
Unlike a lot of other projects, Homecoming uses the established lore of Earth-616 (or 199999 if you prefer that) to enhance its storytelling and tell an emotional story about its main character, but it never feels like the MCU stuff holds it back or takes center stage. It uses the tools that this franchise has to offer to tell a compelling story, but it never comes across like a big, gimmick-driven crossover event. It always feels like a personal story focused on Peter Parker and how all these things affect *him*. It's about a kid growing up in a world where all these people exist and all these crazy events have happened.
This is also one of the rare MCU movies where it actually feels like a shared universe that all these different superheroes happen to exist in. Obviously Tony Stark has a substantial role in the plot, but there's also Captain America's PSA video playing in the high school gym class, Bruce Banner's photo on the wall in the science class, Happy's relationship with Peter, Peter's obsession with becoming an Avenger, Pepper and Tony getting engaged towards the end, and we see how the fallout of The Battle of New York has affected the city's workers (which is why Vulture ultimately becomes a villain). None of that stuff feels forced just for the sake of making audiences clap and cheer. It all feels like it's there to enhance Peter's story.
I can't think of another MCU project where the worldbuilding enhanced an individual character's story without taking over and becoming the main selling point. This film manages to find the perfect balance between being an exciting MCU installment AND a character-driven solo adventure.
Commentaires
Exactly!
The presence of characters from other properties like Widow, Fury, Hill satisfy the larger universe point.
All of the Cap movies are boring.
I know (somehow) Captain America films have a lot of fans. I just am not one of them. It isn't an superhero movie, hardly an action movie, not really a mystery. It is just dialogue setting up background all of the time.
Winter Soldier is a good political thriller movie, no doubt. But it is certainly not the best world building movie. Homecoming is also not. Purely from a world building perspective, I think probably Black Panther is a good shout because nothing in that movie violates anything that came in anything else before it.
Closest parallel I can think of. Assume a man in a line asks to borrow 10$ from you to pay for something that costs 10$. You can see that he has 5$ in his wallet but he is not using it. Naturally your first question will be that if the man really wants to pay, why isn't he using the 5$ as well. Even though 5$ < 10$, doesn't mean it's worthless.
Homecoming hate is forced bc everyone was saying no way home was the best of the 3 or best ever bc they made it all about older characters? No original story
I think It's the peak of what the MCU can do along with GOTG, Thunderbolts and Werewolf by night.
That is to mean, I'd give all of them an 8/10
I rewatched Winter Soldier recently and why the story is uncharacteristically solid, like wayyyyy better than I remember it being, the direction is fucking awful. One of the worst in the MCU in my opinion, nothing is lit properly, the fight scenes have more shaky cam in them than 28 days later and the pacing of the 3rd act is completely out of sink with the rest of the really really delicately paced narrative. I think direction wise, Ant-Man and Wasp and Ant-Man 3 are worse, iron man 2 is worse and probably Thor 1 is worse because of the Dutch angles
It's what's always held that film back for me compared to the ones I listed above. The Russo's aren't very good directors and the same goes for their Avengers movies but at least I can see what's happening in those two so it's not nearly as bad
I can see why some people think it's the best MCU movie, it definitely has one of the best, if not the best plots out of any of the films but it's the Russo's that drag it down behind the camera for myself and a lot of people
He is not spider-man in a void, there is an entire world of super-heros around him. How did that influence a kid? A world where the biggest scientist is also one of the worlds biggest hero?
Peter works as a foil to all the kids that grew up admiring the avengers, and connecting him to Tony, who started this whole thing in 2008 always felt right to me.
Yeah he was sort of kid iron man, but isn’t this what every nerdy teen aspired to? And after a trilogy about a teenager trying to find his place in the world we can now have a grown up and established Spider-man.
It's the truth, Homecoming it's the only decent MCU Spider-Man movie, but other movies like Spider-Man 2 or TASM are better
Now from that angle the chinks appear. Iron Man portrayal in the Homecoming is very harmful to the overall Iron Man narrative. Firstly Tony just taking away work from local contractors without any remuneration after the 2012 Avengers feels like an unnecessary dick move on his part. Then him not ensuring proper security of the transport of his arc reactors and stuff (after he fought Jeff Bridges who tried to steal the arc reactor and fought against the govt who wanted to acquire his suit) was an illogical move. He swooped in to fight some terrorists in Iron Man 1 but he is leaving dangerous alien tech weapons to the FBI in Homecoming. There is more stuff like this but I hope this creates the picture.
It answers a lot of the questions of other movies like "WHERE ARE THE OTHER HEROES." Well, they are around, but this smalltown stuff literally isn't a priority.
And if we go by perfect MCU movies
The Avengers
Avengers Infinity War
Thor Ragnarok
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Captain America: Civil War
In that order.
These films represent everything the MCU is. A world of superheroes. Well Avengers and Infinity War need no explanation.
A movie about Thor where we have both Hulk and Doctor Strange . How cool is that. Spider-Man, a kid who grew up with the Avengers as his idol and with Iron Man in an extended cameo. Captain America: Civil War , a movie which serves as a sequel to Avengers 2 ,Captain America 2, a sequel to Ant-Man in some way,a prequel to Spider-Man Homecoming,Black Panther and sets up a definite set up for Avengers: Infinity War.
I feel these movies are what represent what the MCU is,the quintessential MCU films which made what the MCU is today.
Honorable Mentions
1.Doctor Strange
2.Captain America: The Winter Soldier
3.Avengers : Age Of Ultron
4.Avengers : Endgame
5.Black Panther
Far From Home is great too, but it’s just my least favorite of the three.
Literally top 3 Spider-Man movie for me. It’s miles better than No Way home, which i didn’t like after 2nd watch. I noticed how it lacked so much and was completely a nostalgia bait. I hope Doomsday isn’t like that.
This is my ranking of the MCU and Homecoming for me is really up there, ultimately a great movie. Hopefully Brand new day surpasses it or gets even close. I don’t care about action or wtv character anymore, as long as the story is good.
My ranking of the MCU
https://boxd.it/P2tJI