Spider-Man: Homecoming (3D Blu-ray Review)
13 Oct, 2017 By: John LatchemStreet 10/17/17
Sony Pictures/Marvel
Action
Box Office $333.13 million
$30.99 DVD, $38.99 Blu-ray, $40.99 3D BD, $45.99 UHD BD
Rated ‘PG-13’ for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments.
Stars Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr., Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei.
The fact that Spider-Man: Homecoming even exists is a testament to the raw power of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Until a couple of years ago, it was almost inconceivable the movie would be made, given how the rights to the character were controlled by Sony Pictures and not Disney’s Marvel Studios. But, alas, money talks, and so do fans of movie franchises. After Sony’s attempts at a Spidey cinematic universal stalled with the poorly received The Amazing Spider-Man 2, giving Marvel the creative freedom to put Spider-Man in the MCU, with Sony retaining distribution rights, seemed like a no-brainer. So a deal was struck to allow Marvel to use Spidey in its “Avengers” movies, beginning with last year’s Captain America: Civil War, where the new Spidey (Tom Holland) was one of the film’s many highlights.
Homecoming picks up right after, with Peter Parker adjusting to a routine of patrolling Queens as Spider-Man while longing for another mission with The Avengers.
The MCU doesn’t bother with once again depicting how Peter got his powers by being bitten by a radioactive spider, which already served as the story for two movies. Rather, Homecoming is in its own way a different kind of origin movie, showcasing how Peter comes to realize what type of hero he’s supposed to be.
In many ways, Homecoming is a deconstruction of the MCU, with a story that weaves through the margins of the broader stories involving Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the rest. Their battles leave behind massive amounts of debris and fancy technology, which Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) and his crew steal and re-purpose for criminal activities. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) doesn’t want to concern himself too much with some rogue technology and advises Peter not to worry about it, which the teenager promptly ignores.
There are also great jokes poking fun at the superhero genre and the MCU in particular, and a nice examination of how Peter balances life as a high school student with fighting crime.
Keaton was ideal casting for Toomes, aka The Vulture, and plays the character with equal parts sympathy and menace. We understand where he’s coming from, even if we’re not meant to root for him. Keaton’s captivating performance makes The Vulture one of the few memorable MCU villains to date.
As a 3D movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming doesn't disappoint, offering nice field depth even in scenes that don't necessarily call for it.
The Blu-ray offers a nice array of extras that should expand on fans’ appreciation for the film, starting with “The Spidey Study Guide,” a viewing mode that posts pop-up trivia during the film.
The 16 minutes of deleted scenes offer some interesting moments, including an expanding home movie of Peter’s trip to Berlin from Civil War. Also amusing are two-and-a-half minutes of additional Captain America PSAs.
Seven featurettes running about 40 minutes total do an adequate job covering the making of the film, though don’t really go all out to provide details beyond what these types of videos typically convey.
Rounding out the set is a two-minute gag reel.