Movie Review: “Spiderman: Home Alone”

The Parkers have done it again!
Poor Peter is by himself for the holidays in this latest entry in the webslinger’s saga.

Disney’s “Marvel” Universe has offered many opportunities to riff on the superhero genre. From westerns to political thriller, the filmmakers have been allowed to play around with conventions, without ever straying too far from the action-heavy duke-it-out-with-the-villain formula.
“Spiderman: Home Alone” ironically strays very far from that comfort zone, representing the most daring–in its own way–deviation from Marvel movies past.

There are almost CGI special effects; no epic set citywide battles as supervillains threaten to destroy New York. There is even no romantic interlude, with Mary Jane or anyone else. The film is the most intimate portrait of a “Marvel” hero to date, at times stifling, although that is the point.

No, the majority of the film takes place inside the Parkers’ new town-house as Peter is essentially stuck by himself through Christmas. Aunt May is given the opportunity for a romantic getaway with Happy Hogan, and Peter is initially thrilled to have the place to himself.

But fantasies of a dalliance or two with MJ or a holiday house party are quickly dashed when Peter discovers his basement is actually a portal to the multi-verse. Peter must guard the portal and keep any inter-dimensional travelers at bay for a week until the portal is scheduled to close again (why and how this happens is never fully explained).

While claustrophobia sets in and Peter tries to pass the time by building model trains and a tree house, two supervillains–Harry Osborne’s “Wet Goblin” and murderous thug Tommy DeVito, “The Wise Guy”–team up to form “The Sinister Six” and break into the Parker home.

Ironically, the evil duo’s plan is merely to raid the house and steal some valuables like jewelry or spider tech; they don’t know anything about the interdimensional portal. It’s a funny joke, although one that sort of robs the film of greater stakes.

The last half hour of the film involves perhaps the most intimate hero/villain battle ever put to screen, and also one of the funniest. Forced to defend the tiny two-story home, Spiderman must resort to some rather clever tricks to foil the foes, and while we don’t get any soaring through the city this time around, we do get to see –spoiler alert– Spidey swing his way into the backyard treehouse.

Not that Spidey doesn’t have some help, in the form of a mysterious old man across the street, who grumbles about “power” and “responsibility” as he shovels the driveway. Could it be????

I won’t give away anything. Suffice to say, “Spiderman: Home Alone” is a pleasant diversion but perhaps nothing more. The lowered stakes and winking, self-awareness of the exercise help give the viewer the sense this is just marking time until the next big blockbuster epic.

A look inside Spiderman/Peter Parker’s inner life could have been interesting, although without much to play off of and not much internal conflict besides fighting boredom, this isn’t the grand character exploration it could have been, a la Sam Rockwell in “Moon.”

Still, those looking for some holiday cheer could do much worse.
2.5/4 stars