Here we are: Spider-Man has finally arrived at the cinema! It is the third time we have said it in 15 years, yet this time there is something different: the context. Because this time Spider-Man is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that universe born with Iron Man and which is now depopulated with films, TV series and much more. This Spider-Man: Homecoming upsets the standard canons of web weaving a bit, and for this reason it could leave a bad taste in the mouth of many fans: yet it has small scenes, characterizations and easter eggs that will leave fans who have been reading the stories of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. So let's go and see them. ATTENTION: SPOILERS MAY BE PRESENT!
1 - Keaton's Vulture
It is essential to talk about it: the Vulture, to the century Adrian Toomes, by Michael Keaton is extremely well done. Although it has a different origin, a different social background and family and the standard exoskeleton gives way to equipment created from alien debris, the Vulture in this film is terrifying, frightening Peter / Spider-Man and the viewers. Keaton represents it at its best, bringing one of Spider-Man's toughest enemies to the screen in the best possible way.
2 - The costume, the eyes, the wing cobwebs
Many references to fantastic past stories: Peter Parker will wear a costume given to him by Tony Stark. The costume will have a lot of equipment, including some that Spider-Man already used on comic books: the wing cobwebs, necessary to glide for a few meters, are back; the eyes seen in make their reappearance Civil War, capable of closing and opening as needed. The mask changes according to the expression that Peter wants to communicate: it happened in the first comic stories without a physical reason, but here it is well contextualized thanks to Stark technology.
3 - The jokes
Peter Parker in the comics is shy, so is that of Tom Holland. On the other hand, Spider-Man is brash, as if to compensate in a sort of medal system: well, Tom Holland's Spider-Man is funny, braggart, likeable and capable of doing those skits so loved even in the films of Webb.
4 - Morales' friend Ganke and Parker's friend Ned
Here we need to make a premise about Ned, Peter Parker's friend in this film, by connecting us to Ultimate Spiderman by Miles Morales; the latter has as a close friend and first confidant of his secret Ganke, an Asian schoolmate, a little chubby. Well, the resemblance between the two characters is there, it is strong and can be seen a lot also in the way of speaking. What then Ganke uses, later in time, the nickname Ned not to reveal his real name, is all a program!
5 - The young Peter Parker
Peter Parker in this film is a high school student, and it shows: gI offer, nerd, shy and clumsy. They do not show us his life before the spider bite but thanks to the dialogues with his loyal Ned, we sense the "loser" nature of the protagonist and his faithful companion. Peter Parker must understand what to do, he does not know how to live or how to manage his life: this reflects the classic Superheroes with Superproblems, the main theme of Marvel.
6 - The young Spider-Man
Spider-Man is also in this case clumsy, as much as needed. Without a natural predisposition of the spider sense, we often see in this film a Spider-Man who fails to cast a web, makes a wrong jump, slips, slams and falls. While awkwardness makes Spider-Man more human, you're not used to comics or old movies that way.
7 - Shocker
An alien weapon capable of discharging electricity at a stroke: in the film he appears as the henchman of Toomes, the original Shocker, Herman Schultz. Too bad he dies shortly after, giving way and his weapon to Jackson Brice, who in the Marvel universe is a character little known to fans of the web weaving.
8 - Scorpio and the Sinister Six
At the end of the film, Toomes imprisoned meets the aforementioned Gargan: in exchange for the name of Spider-Man, the newcomer proposes to send "friends" who are waiting outside for nothing but orders. Probably, the convict who we recognize as the Scorpio of comics, speaks of Sinister Six, to the point that this scene is positioned after the credits, in Marvel style, launching the hook of a stand-alone film dedicated to the super-group enemy of Spider-Man.
9 - Word games
Many puns are present in the film, recalling realities perceivable only by the readers of the comic. A classic phrase "Go Tigers" said by Mary Jane, hung up to cheer on the university team, to Michelle, a grumpy character who turns out to have a nickname given to her by her friends, MJ. Of course, they don't just stay fixed inside the school, unleashing a Tony Stark who suggests that Peter be the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man for a while, suggesting that he let go of big issues.
10 - The missing origins
The biggest challenge and the biggest gesture of homage to old time fans: Spider-Man: Homecoming it does not show the origins of Spider-Man. No murder of Uncle Ben, although in one sentence Peter hints at an "after what we've been through", no spider bite although even here, while Ned continues to theorize, Peter confirms that a spider has bitten him. Above all, no explanation as to why a person puts on a mask, why you find technological equipment and no answer to the question "why does Peter want to do good?". This is because we know history. We have read it, seen it, reviewed it, discovered it in tributes in other films, heard it narrated by the shoe salesman in the local shop. In short, Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man and we all know how. There was no need to show it yet. And luckily, they noticed.
These are the 10 points that, in my opinion, could make a Spider-Man fan smile. I say this because they made me smile, that smile that the films of Raimi they could not give me, and that those of Webb they had only hinted. Seeing Spider-Man in the Avengers palace, Peter talking to Tony and a world population aware that superheroes exist are like sighs of relief. What do you think about it?
