Is third time the charm? Sony seem to think so! Desperate to keep hold of their once lucrative Marvel superhero cash cow (which in this golden age of screen superheroes remains a rare commodity outside of Disney’s corner of the market), and following the Box Office disappointment of the equally disappointing The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), Sony have now partnered up with Marvel Studios to bring Spider-Man, arguably Marvel’s most popular character, into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The end result? Spider-Man: Homecoming!

And it really is a homecoming in every sense of the word. Fresh from his brief but brilliant debut in last year’s Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man gets the MCU solo outing comic fans have been longing for since the very beginnings of the Avengers franchise. Picking up where Civil War left off, Homecoming finds rookie superhero Spider-Man (AKA high school wallflower Peter Parker) continuing his personal quest to become a major player in the superhero world, and gain the approval of his hero Tony Stark (AKA Iron Man, AKA Robert Downey Jr), all whilst trying to survive the pressures of high school, homework and dating. Unfortunately for Peter, he also has to contend with a group of criminals using scavenged alien technology, led by the sinister Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton).

So far, so Sony. But it’s the injection of Marvel Studio’s trademark wit, inventiveness and affection for their characters that makes this Spider-Man outing that much more enjoyable then recent efforts. Like with all the best MCU movies, the emphasis here is on fun, from the action-packed smackdowns and web-slinging heroics to the hilarious one-liners and tongue-in-cheek goofiness.

It’s this aforementioned goofiness that gives the film much of its heart and soul. Whether it’s Spidey cracking wise whilst performing daring action-packed feats or Peter’s awkward teenage antics, scene-stealing supporting character Michelle (Zendaya) delivering dry acid put downs or that hilarious Stan Lee cameo, it all coalesces into a breezy, light-hearted and enjoyable 130 minutes.

Of course, the film lives or dies based on its lead actor, and thankfully Tom Holland proves himself up to task. His natural charm and comic-timing are a must for playing Spidey, and his exasperated, outclassed, fish-out-of-water take on the character is perfection.