Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jon Favreau, Jake Gyllenhaal, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Marisa Tomei
Director: Jon Watts
Release date: 2nd July 2019
One day, in a small village in Mexico, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) arrives to a scene of devastation. Suddenly from out of the ground comes a flying human figure who blasts green bolts of lightning from his hands to battle a huge creature that threatens everything in its path… Meanwhile in New York, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is still grieving for his mentor and friend, Tony Stark. His phone keeps ringing, with UNKNOWN CALLER coming up each time. Happy (Jon Favreau) tells him that it’s Nick Fury and he doesn’t like to be ignored. Peter though knows that if he answers it, there’s bound to be trouble.. A school science trip to Europe is about to happen and Peter has plans to woo MJ (Zendaya) at the top of the Eiffel Tower. They set off and head for Venice. While exploring there is a huge explosion in the water and a looming watery figure appears. Everyone panics and runs in terror. Another figure appears in the sky, firing green lasers from his hands, and there is a huge punch up. Peter ends up getting involved and its not long before the monster is vanquished. What was the horrifying and destructive creature and who is this strange figure that managed to destroy it?
This is Tom Holland’s fourth time wearing the iconic suit and he really does seem to be growing in confidence with each one. Now pretty much a proper Avenger, he’s having to take on a lot more responsibility now that some of the other key players are not around any more. When he got his powers initially, he was still just a young teenager but now aged 16, he’s finally beginning to realise how big a role he must play in saving the world. It’s not really something he feels prepared for but he’s thrown right in at the deep end and must save not only the people of Europe on this adventure, but also his closest friends and the girl he adores from afar.
What can you say about this movie that doesn’t give away any spoilers? Very little really… For anyone who hasn’t seen the movie, you are in for yet another amazing Marvel story. It has pretty much everything you could want and need from a Marvel adventure; a human story but also lots of punch ups, explosions and high energy action. There’s also actually a few laughs, mainly from watching the ineptitude of Peters’ two teachers and also his best friend, Ned. There are many blatant references to Tony Stark/ Iron Man but this is only to be expected, considering things are still kind of raw after Tony’s death, when he defeated Thanos.
If you’ve loved all the previous Marvel movies, then it’s pretty much guaranteed that you will enjoy this one too. If you can spare that extra couple of quid to see it in IMAX, then definitely do, your viewing pleasure will only be that bit more pleasurable. Tom Holland is perfect in the role of Peter Parker and gives him the sense of angst that you really think he should be feeling as a 16 year old schoolboy struggling to keep his secret identity hidden from his friends and the world.
This film will no doubt do great things in the movie theatre box offices, both here and abroad. Make sure you’re not ‘that friend’ who hasn’t seen it.
Overall: 8.5/10