Spider-Man: Homecoming

"Just when Doctor Strange looked to be squeezing the last drops from the dried-up Superhero Origin Story format, Spider-Man swoops in to doodle all over the blueprint. Homecoming is confident that you either know or don’t care all that much about how Peter Parker got his spider powers or that he had an Uncle Ben who died tragically. It skips all that to focus more on Parker growing into the role of an Avenger/actual adult – and it’s so much more fun because of it."

"The appeal of this particular Spider-Boy is all too basic: In his lunge for valour, he keeps falling, and he keeps getting up."

"A welcome narrowing of the Marvel mega-verse away from alien invasions and globe-smashing supervillains and back towards something more intimate."

"Mr. Holland looks and sounds more like a teen than the actors who've previously suited up for this series, and he has fine support from a cast that includes Jacob Batalon as Peter's best friend."

"Spider-Man: Homecoming is so joyously entertaining that it's enough to temporarily cure any superhero fatigue. There's wit, smarts and a nifty, inventive plot that serves as a reminder of what buoyant fun such films can bring."

"It's refreshing, grounded, human and extraordinarily likeable. Bravo."

"Spider-Man has been sacrificed here for something bigger, but I’m not sure that something is worth it."

"It's a geeky heady treat, albeit one that has a few foibles - but not enough to unpick the web that's been spun on screen."

"This Spider-Man is pleasingly diverse and inclusive, delivers a few memorable twists and more than a few big laughs."

"Hang in there, True Believers: Maybe it'll get better the second time around."

"Spider-Man: Homecoming is fresh, funny and entertaining, but it ultimately works better as a teen flick than it does as a superhero movie."

"The characters and scenarios are familiar, but this is a loose, cool, funny remix that makes them feel fresh again. Plus, it's mercifully short on life lessons from Aunt May."