306-2
Hasbro- Marvel Studios First 10 Years: Iron Man Mark VII
Rating of worst to best of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies continued; see review 207-2, 210-2, 216-2, 222-2, 228-2, 232-2, 233-2, 242-2, 244-2, 248-2, 254-2, 258-2, 259-2, 294-2. 296-2 & 300-2 for the previous instalments.
Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating #6: Spiderman- Homecoming
Spiderman Homecoming had an almost insurmountable task: make the general public give a crap about a character that had already had 5 solid attempts at the plate and for the most part they really made it work. Granted, they were leaning heavily on the MCU goodwill that somehow made a talking raccoon viable, but that's not why this movie works IMO. Infact, I’m happy to say that Ironman’s involvement is my least favorite part of this movie as I feel that he wrongly overshadows whole or what Spiderman really is at the core. His moral compass is not supposed to be tied to Tony Stark, but rather the man who actually raised him. That said, I’m happy that they skipped the whole “great power, great responsibility” song and dance as it has been played out. With that said, it might make you wonder why it’s so high on this list and it’s a fairly simple answer: It's a fun movie with an enjoyable “comic” style story, likable characters who have been very well cast with a clear connection to a larger shared universe- basically everything I would want in a Marvel movie. I also have to give credit to Michael Keton for his role as The Vulture as he just killed it. That scene between he and Peter in the car when he figures out who Peter’s secret is simply fantastic and adds so much weight to the story. My only other complaint (other than Iron Man’s involvement) is casting Zendaya as MJ. Not because she’s not white or a redhead, but more so that she’s supposed to be Peter’s dream girl, not a… sociopath. I suppose this is a different take on the character, but it's such a silly misdirect for such little payoff.
Pros: I feel like I am on the threshold of a veritable tsunami of incoming Iron Man toys so I’ve created a bit of a pass/fail rating for the various Iron Man figures. For the most part if they can hold a decent pose and include some usable accessories like blast effects or better fists then I’ll be happy. The Mark VII not only has a great sculpt and looks great in a few different poses, but also has some additional accessories that really complete the figure. This one is a pass in my book.
Cons: Given that this is a special movie figure, I feel that they should have included a RDJ face.
