Again, I’m writing this review months after I initially saw it due to the justifiable and necessary strikes in the entertainment business.

I love Spider-Man.

I’m the first person to say “I don’t go out for Marvel movies” and “I agree with Marty, they’re theme parks” when I’m in a particularly dower mood. But, I love and will always love Spider-Man. I love that he’s got normal problems, I love that he’s generally a teenager, and I love that his stories are about family and what that means.

I love Spider-Man.

This movie, like its predecessor in the series, absolutely slaps. I don’t think I’ll be adding too, too much to the discussion about this film other than to say you should watch it.

The plot is complicated and messy, but the emotional stakes are as follows: A young (spider) man is coming into his own and is trying to figure out who he is without the input of his family, mentors, or even the girl he likes. He needs to figure out how to be himself.

That’s an easy, grounded set of stakes for a film over which a high-flying adventure through alternative dimensions occurs.

This movie is so action-packed that it’s dang-nearly impossible to find a good time to take a leak. I sat, squirming in awe at this picture for the better part of an hour. You won’t want to take your eyes off the screen even if it means some discomfort.

The animation in this film is immaculate. From character design to fight sequences to subtle scenes of people sitting and talking every frame is breath-taking. I can rave and rant about how cool this movie looks, but you should just go watch it yourself honestly. A picture is worth a thousand words and I’m too lazy to type that many.

One of the reasons this movie hit me right where I live is that I’m a New Yorker. I’ve recently spent some time in beautiful Aotearoa (New Zealand) and in my home state of Minnesota. But, I am, for good or ill, a New Yorker. This film reminded me of that. It captures the energy of the city without being cliché about it. I miss hearing block parties and families celebrating, I miss the smell of food carts, and I miss my home.

When I saw the film this summer I had just gotten back from my trip to New Zealand, a place I also miss desperately, but it reminded me of where I came from and where I’ll end up again. Home is what you make of it and where you bring it and this film reminded me of that.

Here’s an unpleasantness of the picture, every time I watch a film like this, it reminds me of 9/11. Spider-Man films have always linked to 9/11 in some way. Here’s a great article about 9/11 and Spider-Man 2. But, anytime I see buildings falling down in NYC there’s one day I think of and it does make it harder to watch. I wonder what those who were born after 2001 and didn’t witness that horrific event feel about those sequences. I’ll have to ask around I guess.

Sorry to end this review with 9/11! Next time I don’t think I will.

The movie is excellent, go watch it.

The runtime is 117 minutes.