Okay, so the title is "mildly biased" for one simple, frank reason. I like Tom Holland's face. And I am always more likely to give movies a glowing review if I like the main character's face. Fair warning.
Also, speaking of warnings: SPOILERS!
But seriously, this film was awesome. I sat in the theater for about two minutes after the screen faded out on Captain America's face at the end and stared in rapture. Because they did so. Much. Right.
1. The teenagers were portrayed realistically.
From the angsty Michelle to the slightly rotund Ned, there was absolutely no sugarcoating of life in high school. Granted, it's a high school for geniuses, but that's beside the point. Not every single kid that could be considered a main to supporting character was super hot, and there was variety! Also, the bully wasn't necessarily a jock, as one often sees in movies where the main character is, well, a bit of a nerd. In fact, Flash probably couldn't have kicked Peter's butt if he tried. He was just a pretty boy with a lot of money.
Diversity. Realism. I approve.
2. The teenage romance was realistic.
It consisted of a bunch of creepy staring from a distance, along with a large amount of awkwardness. And no small amount of fangirling on Peter's part. The most realistic part, however, was that it didn't end well. Not to sound cynical or anything, but that's how most teenage romances go folks. But they also didn't make it a huge deal for Peter, either. Which I liked.
3. Marvel shed some light on everyday life in their world.
Seriously. How many times have we questioned what it would be like to live in the world of the Avengers? Well, for one thing, Captain America would be making videos promoting physical exercise. And I mean, come on, the man's a war criminal. It's probably the only decent work he can get nowadays. But hey, the big thing was this: The Marvel universe isn't so different from our own. Why? Because Liz's little crush on Spider-Man is no different than my liking Tom Holland's face.
4. Peter was actually a genuinely good kid.
Let me list off all the classic lines you hear from teenagers in film: "You just don't understand me." "I need to find myself." "I don't have to do what you tell me!" Okay, maybe not those exact words, but the attitude is prevalent. But we don't see any of that in Peter. He's not doing any of this because he's feeling a little bit the rebel, and he's not doing it because he feels constrained by authority. In fact, he kind of doesn't take hints from authority real well, as we see with his constant text messages to Happy. Overall, he has minimal melodrama.
5. Tony and Pepper got back together.
I don't have much on this one. It just needed to happen, and it did. And I was happy.
6. The villain was interesting.
He had a realistic character arc. He wasn't evil just for the heck of it. In comparison to some of Marvel's other villains, yes, he felt as though he'd been wronged, but he truly was just selling illegal and highly volatile weapons to take care of his family. And everything he does is taken from that. For the criminal that he is, Vulture was pretty much just a family man at heart.
Doesn't mean I forgive him for trying to kill Peter several times, but it's a thought.
7. It's just flipping fun.
Enough has been said, Mr. Stark. Enough has been said.
