Spider-Man: Far From Home

The first post-Endgame movie arrives in the continuation of Peter Parker's transition from adolescence into adulthood. Not an easy feat when for the last five years you've been erased from the planet and return as the same 16 year old you were before. With great heroes such as Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff now gone, people wonder what will happen to the Avengers? Who will take over and lead them? However, Tony Stark was always the man with a plan, who always appeared to be two steps ahead of everyone else. 

The sudden disappearance of half the world's population or 'the blip,' has twisted quite a few timelines. The half of the population that remained on Earth continued to age and grow. Those that disappeared or blipped and came back five years later, returned as their former selves. So, Peter is technically 21, but biologically still 16 and therefore having to repeat his high school years. That seems to be the case for many students at Midtown School of Science and Technology. 

After finishing his school year, Peter is looking forward to the two-week school trip to Europe and makes plans to finally confess his feelings to MJ. Meanwhile, he is still grieving the death of Tony Stark,  a man he admired, made him an Avenger and then died in front of him. Still keeping his identity hidden underneath the Spider-Man mask, Peter is having difficulty balancing his normal Peter Parker life, with the sudden interruptions for Spider-Man. Before Peter leaves he is given a seemingly simple gift that was left to him by Tony. A gift that can have immense consequences if put in the wrong hands

While in Europe, creatures made from the natural elements spring out of nowhere, causing obvious chaos and confusion, but also excitement for the young American high schoolers. These creatures are only be stopped by a masked and cloaked hero that no one has ever seen or heard of. The masked hero turns out to be Quentin Beck who is from a multi-verse world and is working with Nick Fury to stop them.

Peter is soon called on (more than once), by Nick Fury to help stop these unexplained. Yet, Peter is determined to live his way and not by Nick Fury's rules. Nothing stops Nick Fury from getting a job done and he soon gets Spider-Man's begrudging assistance. Yet, there is more going on behind the scenes than anyone is really aware off and Peter gets lost in a warped world of illusions and madness. Deep seeded revenge against Tony Stark is beginning to come from all around and Peter and all those close to him are the primary targets.

Besides Tom Holland's excellent acting as Peter Parker, these films have blended the drama of the superhero world, with the craziness of teenage life. Peter's classmates hold a great deal of comic relief for the films and really manage to keep the whimsy Marvel humor alive. Peter's best friend Ned, his crush MJ, and other students, such as Betty and Flash kind of became their own mini-Avenger brigade. My only real problem with the films is MJ. 

I'm going to be honest and say that I've really tried to like Zendaya's very different portrayal of Peter's longtime love, Mary Jane Watson. Yet, making her a broody, liberal minded, loner has really made the character boring, predictable and unlikable. Unfortunate, seeing Zendaya's beauty and talent being put to waste in these films.

What I really loved about this film was the unexpected character arch of Happy Hogan, one of Tony Stark's oldest friends and his former chauffer. Happy becomes a father figure to Peter, there when he needs him, mends him when he's broken and gives him the advice that he's been searching for. Happy just exudes Dad vibes in this movie and I think he fit in perfectly for the Peter Parker storyline and becoming a solid guide in Peter's life. 

I think it was fitting having Spider-Man as the following film to Endgame. After the death and destruction the world has seen, there is a need for growth. Nobody embodies continual growth like Peter Parker. The boy phenomenon that was called to fight against the evils of the world, when he has hardly lived in the world long enough to even understand himself. And with each fight, each battle, each loss and each victory, Peter learns and grows and matures into the man and hero he or anyone else never saw himself becoming, except maybe Tony Stark.