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Spider-Man Homecoming & Thor Ragnarok Reviews - Combating Superhero Fatigue


Ever since Avengers: Age of Ultron, a film stuffed with more superhero cliches than you can shoot a giant laser at, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been trying to shake things up. Last year's Doctor Strange was a good example of this. Going all out on trippy visuals and ending with a third act that favoured mind-bending inventiveness over mind-numbing spectacle, Doctor Strange hinted at a refreshing new path for the MCU. Have Spider-Man Homecoming and Thor Ragnarok, the latest two instalments in the MCU, continued down this road?

Before its release, audiences were rightfully sceptical about Spider-Man Homecoming. The Spider-Man franchise had already been rebooted very recently with the two Amazing Spider-Man films, both of which were received with a collective "ehhh". On the other hand, audiences had already witnessed Tom Holland's Spider-Man in last year's Captain America: Civil War, in which he effortlessly stole the show. Regardless, most people were happy with (at least two-thirds of) the original Spider-Man trilogy, so why did they need another one?

Thor Ragnarok looked more promising from the get-go. Despite the previous two Thor films being generally dismissed as unremarkable, Marvel hiring New Zealand director Taika Waititi stirred lots of excitement. Responsible for two of the funniest film's I've ever seen - 2014's horror mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows and 2016's bonkers buddy comedy Hunt for the Wilderpeople -Waititi was a bold and fascinating choice for the MCU. Still, I was worried about how clearly Waititi's vision would be realised under the cold gaze of the Marvel machine.

Fortunately, the films are two of the most unique additions to the MCU. The brilliance of Spider-Man Homecoming is the way it gets to the essence of the character of Peter Parker better than any other on-screen adaptation. Tom Holland's is the only actor to convincingly portray Parker as a teenager and the plot is the only one to tackle how he reconciles his vigilante life with his high school life. What makes Homecoming particularly stand out from the rest of the MCU is how the tone is distinctly rooted in high school films. As a result, Homecoming isn't just another samey addition to the superhero genre.

Thor: Ragnarok is less distinct in terms of genre. It does indulge in the fantasy and sci-fi aspects of Thor's character more explicitly than the previous two instalments. However, these are genres that the MCU is very familiar with. What distinguishes Ragnarok from the franchise is its character. Waititi's absurdist comedic voice isn't stifled in the slightest. Huge chunks of the film are improvised to hilarious, subversive effect. Most importantly, each actor knows their role inside out, effortlessly performing with strongly distinctive characterisation (and masterful comedic timing).

Of course, neither film is perfect. Homecoming's high school focus means its themes don't reach the lofty maturity of Sam Raimi's Spiderman 2. Still, it never feels childish. In fact, Michael Keaton's Vulture is the best (and most surprisingly relevant) villain since The Avengers' Loki. Ragnarok's biggest shortcoming is its rather flippant attitude to the rest of the MCU, revealing game-changing moments with (mostly) the same silliness as the rest of the film. Still, there are some surprisingly dark themes explored - however briefly - and the actors inhabit their characters so well the viewer is constantly compelled regardless.

So, whilst the DC Extended Universe is still bogged down in superhero fatigue, the latest additions to the MCU prove that Marvel is confidently escaping that trap. Thor Ragnarok is helmed by the franchise's most original (and gleefully irreverent) director yet and Spider-Man Homecoming is, for my money, the definitive on-screen portrayal of the web-slinger. I sincerely hope Marvel continues in this direction, considering they're producing like 90% of cinema for the foreseeable future.

Spider-Man Homecoming
8/10

Thor Ragnarok
8.5/10

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