Can you believe that the latest Spiderman movie “Far From Home” is Tom Holland’s fifth outing as the web slinger? That sure was fast, but after Civil War, Homecoming, Infinity War, and Endgame, he has made the role his in a very short amount of time.
And he’s the best to have done it.
Tobey Maguire was good. His first two outings were great, unfortunately that third movie and a supporting cast that well, wasn’t the Avengers, doesn’t prevent Holland from taking the crown.
I actually believe Andrew Garfield was poised to be really great, but his second outing against a CGI-ed mess that was Jamie Foxx did nothing for him and his story was even muddier. There was also the business angle over Spiderman’s ownership rights that did him no favors and effectively ended his tenure in the role.
When Holland was cast, legions of fans, including myself, were skeptical. “Who is this toddler?” we asked of the young English actor. We wanted a Spiderman that was going to swing on to the scene and run with the big heroes immediately. but Marvel was building a Spiderman for the long term. This wasn’t another three film pit stop for someone, they would be Spiderman for a new generation.
And it all worked out. They tied him to Robert Downey’s Iron Man (another controversial hire) and built a fathership dynamic that had audiences completely invested. “Homecoming” was a good film designed for a younger audience that could grow with Holland and it was successful.
“Far From Home” continues building that relationship. It’s not just the superhero lead either, but the entire cast as well. It’s not completely unlike what they did with the Harry Potter franchise.
He’s got the humor. The timing. And most importantly, he’s got the heart.
It looks like the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will place Spiderman near the top of the hero pyramid, where he deserves to be. It’s a great time to be a fan of the product with Tom Holland in the role.
He is Spiderman.
