ANT-MAN AND THE WASP : Tuesday 10th July 2018.

'ANT-MAN AND THE WASP' which I saw this week keeps the Marvel machine grinding forever onwards churning out superhero fare for us to spend our $20 or so on at the local multiplex. And so it is too with this sequel to 2015's 'Ant-Man', which off the back of a US$110M Budget grossed US$520M at the global Box Office, was generally well received by Critics and audiences alike, and picked up three award wins and another 33 nominations from around the circuit. This 20th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Directed by Peyton Reed once again, who came on board one month after the release of the first instalment. This film was released in the US last week too, but not in the UK until early August. Paul Rudd, who plays Ant-Man/Scott Lang also takes a Co-Writer credit this time around. The film cost US$162M to make, has so far grossed US$185M and has been generally well received. This is the first MCU film to have the name of a female Superhero protagonist in its title . . . . about time methinks!

Set two years following the events that unfolded with 'Captain America : Civil War' and prior to the events that came to pass just recently in 'Avengers : Infinity War' and now under house arrest (explaining his absence from 'Avengers : Infinity War') Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) struggles with balancing his choices as both a father to young Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson) and a responsible superhero. Having had to put his mantle of 'Ant-Man' on ice for the last two years for being caught in the middle of the Avengers fight which was in violation of the Sokovia Accords, Lang is now only three days away from being able to step foot outside his own home. He has been patient, compliant and responsible, while Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and her father Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) - a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, entomologist, and physicist who became the original Ant-Man way back when, have gone underground, are also in hiding and have cut all ties these past years with Lang.

Then one day, Hope and Pym are able to open a portal through to the Quantum Realm where Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) was lost back in 1987, has not been seen since and is presumed dead. At that same precise moment Lang has a vision of Janet with whom he became entangled when he himself was in the Quantum Realm two years earlier and from which he was able to successfully return. Lang calls Pym for the first time in two years to explain his vision, but gets Hank's voicemail. A short time later Hope kidnaps Lang, miniaturises them and sets a decoy back at his house so as not to arouse suspicion by the FBI Agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) that he has broken the terms of his house arrest.

Pym believes that Lang's vision was a message that Janet is still alive, albeit trapped within the Quantum Realm. Needing a piece of hi-tech equipment to create a stable tunnel through which to access the Quantum Realm, Hope meets with her 'supplier' - a black market arms trader named Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins). But Burch has other plans for Hope when he realises the potential of what she is working on, and he wants in on the action. A fight breaks out between Hope, who by now has assumed the powers of her alter-ego 'The Wasp' and is able to thwart Burch and his goons, but not so with a mysterious figure come to be known as 'Ghost' (Hannah John-Kamen) for her power to be able to travel through solid matter.

In the fracas Ghost escapes with Pym's miniaturised laboratory causing him, Hope and Lang to visit the one man they think can help them retrieve it - Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburn), a former partner of Pym's but they fell out decades before and had not spoken in thirty years. Reluctantly, Foster helps Pym locate his lost laboratory at Ghosts place of residence. Gaining entry Ghost is able to easily overpower the threesome and reveals that her name is Ava Starr and she has suffered from molecular instability since she was a child when her father, also a former partner of Pym's, died in an explosion with her mother too, while conducting a Quantum experiment which resulted in Ava's unstable condition. Foster reveals that his is in cahoots with Ava and is in fact her guardian, and is determined to make Ava better by harnessing Janet's Quantum energy. But Pym will have none of this as he believes that this would kill Janet, and so they escape with the aid of some giants ants.

With their laboratory back Pym and Hope resume their plan to fire up the tunnel. They are able to contact Janet through Lang, who gives them detailed coordinates with which to locate her in the Quantum Realm. But time is of the essence and they only have a limited window of two hours before the opportunity is lost for a century or so. Burch meanwhile has reassembled his gang of goons and through Lang's security company 'X-Cons' and his partners Luis (Michael Pena), Dave (Tip 'T'.I.' Harris) and Kurt (David Dastmalchian) are able to locate Pym's lab. Burch calls an FBI Agent he has on the payroll, who in turns contacts Woo and alerts them to Lang's presence while supposedly under house arrest. Lang hot foots it back to his house just in time for Woo to walk in expecting to catch him out - but not so. However, with Ant-Man indisposed, the FBI converge on Pym's lab and arrest him and Hope leaving Ghost to once again steal the miniaturised lab.

Lang let off the hook by Woo, is able to come to the rescue of Pym and Hope and help them escape custody, and they locate the lab in a well executed and at times completely over the top car chase sequence through the streets of San Francisco as Ant-Man goes from being very little to very large. Lang and Hope divert Ava while Pym enters the Quantum Realm to retrieve Janet. Luis, Dave, and Kurt help apprehend Burch, so Lang and Hope can stop Ava who has already begun sapping Janet of her energy. Pym and Janet arrive back safe from the Quantum Realm, and Janet voluntarily grants some of her energy to Ava to temporarily stabilise her.

Lang returns home once again, just in time for a now suspicious Woo to unbuckle his ankle bracelet at the end of his house arrest period. Ava and Foster go into hiding, with Foster vowing to find a cure for her. Wait for the mid-credits sequence, which brings us right up to date, and naturally Stan Lee's obligatory laugh out loud one liner cameo.

It's good to see some levity arriving in the MCU in the form of 'Ant-Man and The Wasp' after the more depressing and distressing 'Captain America : Civil War' and 'Avengers : Infinity War' episodes. Here the more light handed approach works well with the storyline that is not overly complicated and delivers just the right amount of humour to keep it grounded. The action set pieces are well executed and work best when Ant-Man and The Wasp are reduced down to their insect size or conversely Ant-Man grows to be a towering giant of some sixty feet. Both Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly have settled well into their roles and despite their occasional verbal sparring, feel comfortable around each other and with their gifted super powers. Michelle Pfeiffer's role is a little under cooked, and Walton Goggins is half baked, but these are minor criticisms of a worthy and respectable sequel that is fast paced, good humoured, light hearted and still packs a punch.

'Ant-Man and The Wasp' merits four claps of the clapperboard, from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

BLACK PANTHER : Sunday 18th February 2018.

I saw 'BLACK PANTHER' last weekend, and herein Marvel Studios unleash another Superhero into our movie going world in this stand alone origin offering of 'Black Panther' (aka King T'Challa of the fictional African nation of Wakanda). The character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby first appeared in the comic book 'Fantastic Four #52' in 1966 and depicts T'Challa as the King and protector of Wakanda. Along with possessing enhanced abilities achieved through ancient Wakandan ritual, T'Challa also relies on his genius intellect, rigorous physical training, martial arts skills, access to cutting edge technologies and accumulated wealth to ward off his enemies. Back in 1992 Wesley Snipes first muted his desire to work on a Black Panther film, and over the following ten years the project was further developed but eventually came to nothing. Then in 2005 Marvel announced that Black Panther was one of ten characters from its portfolio that would be developed as part of its Cinematic Universe. In 2011 a Scriptwriter was hired, and in 2014 the project was greenlit. Chadwick Boseman was cast in the role of T'Challa and made his first appearance in 2016's 'Captain America : Civil War' in which his character sides with Iron Man/Tony Stark. And so here we have this eighteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Directed and Co-Written by Ryan Coogler for US$200M. The film Premiered in the US at the end of January and went on general release around the world last week. The film has received widespread critical acclaim, noting especially the Direction, casting, action sequences, costume design and, in a first for Marvel starring a predominantly black cast. Box Office receipts so far stand at US$492M.

The film opens with a montage of scenes depicting the history of Wakanda, and how centuries ago five African tribes went to war over a meteorite containing vibranium (Wakandan vibranium absorbs sound waves and other vibrations, including kinetic energy. Absorbing sound waves, vibrations, and kinetic energy makes this metal stronger. Captain America's shield is made from vibranium). A warrior consumed a 'heart-shaped purple coloured herb' that was affected by the metal and gained superhuman capabilities. He became the first 'Black Panther', and united all tribes (except the Jabari Tribe who declined) to form the nation of Wakanda. Over time, the Wakandans used the vibranium to develop advanced technologies and wealth but isolated themselves from the world by posing as a poor Third World country, for fear that they would be exploited and overthrown if their mineral wealth was ever discovered.

We then jump to 1992, to Oakland, California where we see a bunch of young boys shooting hoops in their apartment block backyard. King T'Chaka (John Kani) pays an unexpected visit to his undercover brother N'Jobu (Sterling K. Brown). Black market arms trader, smuggler and all round gangster Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) gained access to Wakanda secretly and stole a small quantity of vibranium. T'Chaka accuses his brother of collaborating with Klaue, a fact that is verified by N'Jobu's friend and fellow Wakandan undercover citizen Zuri (Denzel Whitaker). T'Chaka orders N'Jobu to return to Wakanda and stand trial for his crimes, but when he refuses and turns on Zuri, T'Chaka kills him, albeit reluctantly. A young lad in the back yard drops his basketball, and looks up to the sky to see two rotating circles of blue light hover above the apartment building and then disappear at great speed into the night sky.

We now are in the present day, and after King T'Chaka is killed, his son T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is the rightful heir to the throne. After extracting his love interest Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), an undercover Wakandan spy and War Dog, from a rebel convoy deep in the Nigerian jungle, T'Challa and Okoye (Danai Gurira) the head of the Dora Milaje, the all-female highly trained and very capable special forces of Wakanda, who serve as T'Challa's trusted and fiercely loyal bodyguards, return to Wakanda to be with his mother Ramona (Angela Bassett) and younger sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) for the coronation ceremony.

At the ceremony, presided over by an older Zuri now (Forest Whitaker), the Jabari Tribe's leader M'Baku (Winston Duke) challenges T'Challa for the crown, which is his right to do so. The leaders of the other tribes are all given the opportunity to challenge also but respectfully decline. The Jabari have however, a long standing axe to grind with 'T'Challa and his kind. T'Challa overpowers M'Baku forcing him to yield rather than be killed, and so the opponent is permitted to leave, and the victor is crowned King.

While this is going on, over in England, Klaue and Erik 'Killmonger' Stevens (Michael B. Jordan) are planning to rob an ancient vibranium artifact from a museum in London. They successfully do so, and make their escape. T'Challa learns of the vibranium artifact heist and that Klaue was involved, and that further, he now plans to sell it in Busan, South Korea. W'Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya), T'Challa's close friend and love interest of Okoye, and who lost both his parents at the hands of Klaue, urges his King to hunt down the arch villain and either return him to Wakanda, or kill him. T'Challa, Nakia and Okoye travel to Busan to a secret underground casino location that is the designated exchange point for the sale of the vibranium artifact. There T'Challa comes across CIA Agent Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) who is the undercover buyer of the artifact, there on his own mission. When Klaue arrives on the scene it's not long before a firefight breaks out, with the action quickly moving to  a car chase outside on the streets of downtown Busan. Klaue is apprehended by T'Challa, aided by Nakia, Okoye and Shuri remotely.

Ross interrogates Klaue with T'Challa and Okoye looking on behind a mirrored window. Klaue reveals to Ross that Wakanda is in reality no third world country as they would have everyone believe, but a super developed technologically advanced and very wealthy country - Ross struggles to believe him. Just then Erik blows a hole in the wall, and extracts Klaue. In the ensuing exchange of gun fire, Ross takes a bullet intended for Nakia and is badly wounded. In the fleeting moments as Klaue and Erik make their getaway, T'Challa notices a ring hanging from around Erik's neck that is identical to the one worn by him too. T'Challa commits to have Ross taken back to Wakanda, where their technological wizardry can save his life, rather than pursue Klaue at this time.

With Shuri attending to Ross, T'Challa confronts Zuri about the ring seen hanging from around Erik's neck. Zuri is naturally reluctant to tell him the story, but does so. He explains that N'Jobu had intended to share Wakanda's technological advancements and their weaponry with the descendants of African peoples around the world, in order that they could rise up and beat their white oppressors. When King T'Chaka killed N'Jobu they left behind his young son, Erik, so as not to add complication to their story. Erik would become a US Black Op's soldier, who by reputation for the number of enemy kills notched up during his career earned the name 'Killmonger'. Erik kills Klaue, and takes his body to Wakanda where he is marched in front of T'Challa and the other tribal elders, where he reveals his heritage and his true claim to the throne.

Erik challenges T'Challa to a ritual combat for the right to the throne, which T'Challa accepts. First Erik kills Zuri for the crime of covering up his fathers death all those years ago. He then battles it out with T'Challa overpowering him, and ultimately tossing him over a waterfall from a high cliff. With T'Challa now out of the way and presumed dead, Erik, now known as N'Jadaka ascends to the throne of Wakanda, with W'Kabi and his tribal army standing by his side. Ramonda, Shuri, Naki and a now fully recovered Ross decide that it's time to get the Hell outta Dodge and flee. Okoye decides to stay for she is loyal to the throne - no matter who sits on it. N'Jadaka orders that preparations be made at all haste to distribute Wakanda's advanced weapons to ready in waiting field operations located around the world, in order that they can now rise up in force against their age old oppressors.

Meanwhile, having trekked over mountain terrain, Ramonda, Shuri, Naki and Ross arrive at the Jabari Tribe seeking aid from their Chief M'Baku. He declines, but leads them to the unconscious body of T'Challa fished out of the waterfall before he drowned, and rescued in payment for him sparing M'Baku's life during the earlier challenge for the throne. He is however, in a comatose state. Naki feeds T'Challa the herb she extracted before she left, enabling his body to self heal. T'Challa asks M'Baku for help but again he declines, saying that his debt is now repaid - a life for a life!

T'Challa returns to do battle with N'Jadaka and to overthrow the new pretender, who has now ordered and mobilised W'Kabi and his army to attack T'Challa, and for a fleet of aircraft to head out each carrying a stash of vibranium weapons for distribution to awaiting brothers at various points around the globe. While the battle for the upper hand is ongoing, Shuri commands a reluctant Ross to remotely pilot an attack aircraft to down those others en route to the worldwide destinations before they are able to leave Wakanda's airspace. Ross, a former Air Force pilot (conveniently) abides and is successful in his mission (naturally!)

The Dora Milaje, led by Okoye flanked by Shuri and Naki arrive to battle it out with N'Jadaka who has his own Black Panther suit, making him almost invincible. M'Baku and his Tribe of Jabari eventually arrive to provide much needed support against W'Kabi and his army, who eventually yield when confronted by Okoye.

All of this commotion, leave N'Jadaka to fight it out hand to hand with T'Challa, which they do in the depths of Wakanda's vibranium mine. Using some sort of electro magnetic force, T'Challa is able to disable N'Jadaka's protective suit, for just long enough to administer a fatal wound with a vibranium dagger. T'Challa offers to heal N'Jadaka, but the wounded man declines being healed and imprisoned, for dying a free man. And so be it! In the closing scene T'Challa and Naki are back in Oakland where it all began. He has purchased the apartment block where N'Jobu died all those years ago, and the one next to it, and the one next to that too. He intends to establish an outreach centre where Wakanda's technology and scientific learning's will be introduced to the world in a controlled and coordinated way for future generations to benefit from. Watch out too for the obligatory mid-credits and end-credits sequences, and Stan Lee's cameo.

'Black Panther' shines on just about every level. It sits up there easily with the best that Marvel has so far dished up in its seventeen previous outings from its Cinematic Universe. It has action set pieces, its has moments of humour, it has heart and emotion, it has colour and depth, it has a storyline that is rooted in African culture and tradition infused with every ultra modern scientific technological gadget you can possibly dream up, and it has believable relatable characters delivered to us fully realised by an almost entirely coloured ensemble cast. All these ingredients when combined with top notch production values, excellent cinematography, a great soundtrack, and safe assured Direction by Marvel's youngest Director to date in Ryan Coogler, all add up to a rich, satisfying origin Superhero offering that has something to say in today's world that is relevant and important. Recommended viewing, you won't be disappointed.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 15th February 2018.

The 22nd Annual Satellite Awards were presented by the International Press Academy (IPA) from The InterContinental Hotel at Century City, Los Angeles on Sunday 11th February. This awards ceremony honours outstanding performers, films and television shows and is presented by the IPA - an association of professional entertainment journalists, representing both domestic and foreign markets in print, television, radio, cable and new media outlets. The Satellite Awards specifically recognise achievement in the areas of film, television and new media, and the first such awards ceremony was held in January 1997.

In the main category of film achievement, the winners and grinners announced earlier this week were :
* Best Film : 'God's Own Country' and 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'.
* Best Animated Film : 'Coco'.
* Best Foreign Language Film : 'In the Fade' (Germany)
* Best Director : Jordan Peele for 'Get Out'.
* Best Actor : Gary Oldman for 'Darkest Hour' and Harry Dean Stanton for 'Lucky'.
* Best Actress : Sally Hawkins for 'The Shape of Water' and Diane Kruger for 'In the Fade'.
* Best Supporting Actor : Sam Rockwell for 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'
* Best Supporting Actress : Lois Smith for 'Marjorie Prime'.
* Best Original Screenplay : 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' by Martin McDonagh.
* Best Adapted Screenplay : 'The Disaster Artist' by Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter.
* Best Cinematography : Roger Deakins for 'Blade Runner 2049'.
* Best Visual Effects : 'Blade Runner 2049'.
* Best Art Direction and Production Design : 'The Shape of Water'.
* Best Costume Design : Mark Bridges for 'Phantom Thread'.

 Special Achievement Awards were also presented to the following :
* Auteur Award (for singular vision and unique artistic control over the elements of production) to Greta Gerwig.
* Humanitarian Award (for making a difference in the lives of those in the artistic community and beyond) to Stephen Chbosky.
* Mary Pickford Award (for outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry) to Dabney Coleman,
* Nikola Tesla Award (for visionary achievement in filmmaking technology) to Robert Legato.
* Best First Feature : John Carroll Lynch for 'Lucky'.

This week then we kick off with the eighteenth film in a comic book cinematic universe giving rise to a whole new African based Superhero in his first dedicated big screen outing that has already won much praise from Critics; before moving onto another critically acclaimed offering of a coming of age story and a year in the life of a high schooler in her last year and the trials and tribulations faced in the twelve months leading up to her 18th birthday; before closing out the week with a jilted wife, a cheating husband, a sympathetic sister and her energetic friends and the new lease on life she ultimately discovers where she least expected it.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the three new release films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are here warmly invited to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon experience during the week ahead.

'BLACK PANTHER' (Rated M) - and so Marvel Studios unleash another Superhero into our movie going world in this stand alone origin offering of 'Black Panther' (aka King T'Challa of the fictional African nation of Wakanda). The character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby first appeared in the comic book 'Fantastic Four #52' in 1966 and depicts T'Challa as the King and protector of Wakanda. Along with possessing enhanced abilities achieved through ancient Wakandan ritual, T'Challa also relies on his genius intellect, rigorous physical training, martial arts skills, access to cutting edge technologies and accumulated wealth to ward off his enemies. Back in 1992 Wesley Snipes first muted his desire to work on a Black Panther film, and over the following ten years the project was further developed but eventually came to nothing. Then in 2005 Marvel announced that Black Panther was one of ten characters from its portfolio that would be developed as part of its Cinematic Universe, and in 2011 a Scriptwriter was hired and in 2014 the project was greenlit. Chadwick Boseman was cast in the role of T'Challa and made his first appearance in 2016's 'Captain America : Civil War' in which his character sides with Iron Man/Tony Stark. And so here we have this eighteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Directed and Co-Written by Ryan Coogler for US$200M. The film Premiered in the US at the end of January and goes on general release around the world this week. The film has received widespread critical acclaim, noting especially the Direction, casting, action sequences, costume design and, in a first for Marvel starring a predominantly black cast.

Following the events of 'Captain America : Civil War' T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns now as the new King of Wakanda following the death of his father and former King, T'Chaka at the hands of Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) a South African black market arms dealer, smuggler and all round gangster. Two enemies conspire against T'Challa to bring down his kingdom - Erik 'Killmonger' Stevens (Michael B. Jordan) - a Wakandan exile who became an American black-ops soldier who now seeks to overthrow T'Challa and who is in cahoots with Ulysses Klaue. T'Challa, as Black Panther, joins forces with CIA Agent Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) and his own Dora Milaje - Wakanda's own elite team of all female special forces, to prevent a potential global conflict. Also starring Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and naturally a cameo by Stan Lee.

'LADY BIRD' (Rated MA15+) - this highly praised and critically acclaimed film is Written and Directed by Greta Gerwig in her first solo Directorial outing. Costing US$10M to make, the film received its World Premier at last September's Telluride Film Festival, and a week later received  a standing ovation when it screened at TIFF. Going on general release in the US in early November, the film has so far taken US$45M at the Box Office, and now goes on wide release in Australia and the UK this week. The film has so far garnered 83 award wins and a further 185 nominations including the pending Academy Awards for which it is up for five including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress; and three BAFTA's being Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. It won two Golden Globes, and was nominated for another two, and also gained three SAG Award nods and five International AACTA's nominations. Set in Sacramento, California in 2002, the film tells the coming of age story of Christine 'Lady Bird' McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) who is studying in her last year at High School. She lives with her parents Marion and Larry (Laurie Metcalfe and Tracy Letts respectively) in a relationship that is somewhat strained, as well as her adopted brother and his girlfriend. Navigating a turbulent relationship with her mother, applying to out of State Universities, losing her virginity, learning to drive, the break up of her parents marriage, the High School Prom and turning eighteen all combine to create an eventful, full and poignant year for Lady Bird. Also starring Lucas Hedges, Timothee Chalamet and Odeya Rush.

'FINDING YOUR FEET' (Rated M) - Directed by Richard Loncraine, this British feel good romantic comedy drama offering opened the Torino Film Festival back in November last year, and was promoted at the American Film Market that same month. This week 'Finding Your Feet' goes on release in Australia, ahead of its general release in the UK next week and the USA the week after. Telling the story of conservative and well to do Sandra Abbott (Imelda Staunton) who discovers that Mike (John Sessions) her husband of forty years has been carrying on behind her back with her best friend Pamela (Josie Lawrence). Sandra seeks safe haven and a chance to lick her wounds in London with her estranged, older sister Bif (Celia Imrie). Sandra feels like a real outsider compared to her outspoken, outgoing, serial dating, free spirited sister who lives on an inner-city council estate . . . a far cry from the comfort she has been used to. But different is just what the Doctor ordered for Sandra and she reluctantly lets Bif drag her along to a community dance class where she meets her sister's friends, Charlie (a slimmed down Timothy Spall), Ted (David Hayman) and Jackie (Joanna Lumley). This colourful group of defiant and energetic seniors start to show Sandra that retirement is only the beginning, and that divorce might just offer a whole new lease of life, and love.

With three new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles afterwards here at Odeon Online, and meanwhile, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

SPIDER-MAN : HOMECOMING : Tuesday 11th July 2017.

'SPIDER-MAN : HOMECOMING' which I saw last week has been much hyped, was eagerly anticipated and is the second reboot of the 'Spider-Man' franchise, the sixteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the first Spider-Man film to cross-over into the world of 'The Avengers'. This reboot comes after three successful films that started the live action series of the current era with 'Spider-Man' in 2002, 'Spider-Man 2' in 2004 and 'Spider-Man 3' in 2007 all Directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire. Those first three films cost a combined US$598M to Produce and raked in a collective US$2,50B at the worldwide Box Office. The first reboot came in 2012 with 'The Amazing Spider-Man' and was followed up in 2014 by 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' both Directed by Marc Webb and starring this time Andrew Garfield as the young web slinger. These films costs US$480M to bring to the big screen, and collected a total US$1,47B between the two instalments. And so now in 2017 we have this offering, but of course we caught a glimpse of Spidey things to come in last years hugely successful 'Captain America : Civil War', but here that same Actor, Tom Holland, gets his own standalone feature as the young college going crime fighter under the tutelage of one Tony Stark. This film cost US$175M to bring to the big screen, this time around is Directed by Jon Watts and the film has already grossed US$471M. The film has received positive critical acclaim, with a sequel already announced for release in July 2019 with Jon Watts slated to return as Director. In the meantime Tom Holland will reprise his role as Spider-Man in the upcoming 'Avengers : Infinity Wars' due for release in May 2018 and its follow-up in May 2019.

The film kicks off shortly after the Battle of New York back eight years ago and as seen at the end of the first 'Avengers' instalment. Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) is a salvage contractor engaged by the city to clean up all the debris and wreckage in the aftermath of that attack. Then one day out of the blue appears Anne Marie Hoag (Tyne Daly) who heads up Tony Stark's US Department Of Damage Control (D.O.D.C.), and takes over the clean up operation and dismisses Toomes and his workforce off the job. Angered and enraged by his ousting off such a lucrative contract for which he has hired men, purchased equipment and bet his livelihood on the work, he secretly tells his men to hold onto whatever Chitauri technology they have scavenged in order that he can create new advanced weaponry from it, and sell it to the highest bidder.

Fast forward eight years to the present day, and several months following the events of 'Captain America : Civil War' a young Peter Parker, aka 'Spider-Man' (Tom Holland) is thrilled and motivated by his experiences with The Avengers. He carries on with his studies at Midtown School of Science and Technology, but Tony Stark, aka 'Iron Man' (Robert Downey Jnr.) advises him that he is not yet ready to become a fully fledged Avenger and he should concentrate on getting a good education first. Parker is so enthused by his recent Avengers experiences that he quits the school's Academic Decathlon Team which is about to enter the national finals to be held in Washington. One night while out fighting local crime in his neighbourhood, he comes across a bunch of rag tag criminal types robbing an ATM using the advanced gadgetry and weapons supplied by Toomes. He successfully thwarts them single handedly but not without doing some serious damage to his local corner deli and the bank being robbed.

He returns home to the apartment that he shares with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), secretly entering through the window climbing along the ceiling and dropping down by his bedside, only to come face to face with his best buddy Ned (Jacob Batalon), and so revealing his true identity. Peter makes Ned swear never to reveal his true identity to anyone under any circumstances, to which Ned reluctantly agrees.

Continuing to fight local crime, with his new Spider-Man suit fashioned by Stark Industries with all the inbuilt Superhero gadgetry you could ever wish for, one night he comes across two of Toomes heavies selling weapons to a local criminal. Spider-Man intervenes and the heavies manage to evade him through the streets of the suburbs under cover of darkness and using their advanced weapons against the young web slinging crime fighter. Tony Stark is watching Spider-Man's activities from afar by way of the suit and its inbuilt tracking and monitoring devices, and ultimately warns Peter about getting in over his head and getting involved with dangerous criminal types.

Having retrieved some of the weapons left behind during the earlier chase with Toomes heavies, Ned and Peter remove the power core, but little do they know that this is being monitored by Toomes who is seeking to get it back. Later Ned and the Academic Decathlon Team leave on a school bus bound for the national finals in Washington. Ned has the power core in his possession. Peter takes it upon himself to rejoin the Team, and at an overnight hotel stop over he and Ned disable the tracking devise built into his Spider-Man suit that is being closely monitored by Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), and also unlock all of the advanced special features built into the suit. Armed with his new all singing all dancing hi-tech suit Spider-Man intercepts a D.O.D.C truck loaded with advanced weapons, but is over powered by Toomes who has his own special hi-tech mechanical suit known as 'The Vulture' forged from Chitauri technology. As a result Spider-Man becomes trapped inside the truck and misses the finals.

With the Academic Decathlon over and the Team having won the national tournament, they go on a sightseeing tour of Washington, taking in the near 170meter tall obelisk that is the Washington Monument. Peter comes to realise that the power core located in Ned's back pack is an unstable Chitauri explosive device. Having escaped the confines of the truck, Spider-Man races to locate his group of school mates, who by now are rapidly ascending the lift inside the Washington Monument. Spider-Man scales the outside of the obelisk, by now chased down by armed Police in a helicopter, and gains entry through a window just as the power core explodes trapping his class mates in a disabled lift carriage, leaving it hanging precariously from a great height. Spider-Man manages to evade the Police and rescue his school mates too, including Liz (Laura Harrier) - Peter's would-be girlfriend.

After all that fracas and the safe delivery of his school mates, Parker returns to New York City and is intent on stopping Toomes. He learns of Toomes whereabouts by questioning a local small time criminal who had previously sought to buy weapons from Toomes. On the Staten Island Ferry Spider-Man confronts a new buyer of Toomes weaponry and dispenses with him and his henchmen just as The Vulture arrives on the scene to dispense with the pesky Spider-Man. It doesn't go so well for either party, as a malfunctioning weapon rips the Ferry in half lengthways, causing Spider-Man to come rapidly to the rescue using all his web slinging might to hold the stricken ship together. Just in time Iron Man arrives to help save the day and repair the damage so saving all souls on board. After this latest mis-adventure Iron Man rips Spider-Man a new one for being so potentially reckless with human lives, and promptly takes back his suit.

Parker eventually and reluctantly settles back into life at school, and for the up coming Homecoming Dance, asks Liz is she will be his date. She accepts, and on the night of the dance, Parker duly rocks up to Liz's house to collect his date. The door is answered by none other than Adrian Toomes . . . Liz's father! Their initial meeting is stilted to say the least, with Parker recognising Toomes/The Vulture immediately, but not the other way around. Toomes offers to drive the couple to the dance venue as he is going away on business for a few days and it's not much of a detour. During the car journey Toomes deduces who Peter Parker's alter ego is, and threatens dire consequences if he interferes with his plans. During the dance, Parker realises that Toomes is planning to hijack a D.O.D.C. plane load of secret weapons being transported from the wrecked Avengers Tower to their new headquarters.

Having to wear his home made ill fitting nondescript Spider-Man outfit, Parker excuses himself from the party and makes off for Toomes hideaway. There Toomes overpowers Spider-Man leaving him for dead buried neck deep in concrete rubble. Spider-Man musters all his strength to break free from the mountain of cement, concrete and twisted metal that lies on top of him, and makes off for the now airborne transport plane. The Vulture and Spider-Man go head to head and toe to toe high above New York City, with Spider-Man eventually bringing the plane down in a crash landing over the Coney Island Amusement Park. The two continue to fight it out on a beach close by amongst the burning plane wreckage. Spider-Man saves the life of Toomes from his own unstable equipment, leaving Toomes wrapped up in webbing awaiting for the Police to arrive, together with the planes valuable cargo.

After her father's arrest and the family's reputation tarnished forever, Liz moves away with her Mum. Parker is offered to join The Avengers as a fully fledged paid up card carrying member of the elite team of bona fide Superheroes, but after all due consideration he politely declines. Tony Stark is understanding and they part company on good terms. When Parker gets back to his apartment, there waiting on his bed in a brown paper bag is his Avengers created Spider-Man suit - with a return note from Tony Stark.

Also starring Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts and archival cameo's of Chris Evans and Paul Rudd as Captain America and Ant Man respectively. Watch out for Stan Lee's obligatory cameo appearance too, and then remain seated for the mid-credits and end-credits sequences also.

'Spider-Man : Homecoming' is a worthy reboot of the reboot of the franchise that still manages to feel fresh, new and approachable, and perhaps it is because Spidey is here earning his stripes with The Avengers that adds another dimension that the previous five films did not. Here Peter Parker has to prove himself to his mentor Tony Stark and demonstrate his worthiness to stand alongside Iron Man et al, as well as prove to himself that he can stand up and be counted with the best of them, as well as see out his all important education, and stand up for his family and friends, all the while aiming to bring down an opportunistic bad guy that has a heart after all. This is definitely a return to form for the Spider-Man franchise, and a solid entry into the MCU dovetailing nicely into future 'Avengers' instalments and a future standalone sequel. Tom Holland has reportedly signed up for six Spider-Man appearances including the cross-over instalments and if he keeps his character as grounded, relatable and easy-going as he has now set out, then a good time will be had by all.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-