‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ infuses super-heroics with teen comedy sensibilities

It may be Spider-Man’s biggest challenge. The web crawler has to kick start the next phase of Marvel’s cinematic universe following the earth-shattering, and world-saving events of the last two Avengers movies.

With a snap of his fingers, Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) brought back the half of the universe lost to Thanos’ diabolical plan, but in doing so he sacrificed himself.

Stark also apparently chose Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland) as his heir apparent. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a 16-year old, who just wants to finish his school science project, perhaps get a date with his crush M.J. and do some small, superhero heroics as your friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man.

But that’s not to be. There are elemental creatures wreaking havoc around the world, and a few of them have their sights set on Europe, where Parker and his class just happen to be for a school trip. Parker is dragged into world-saving mode once again by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and a new hero who just arrived on the scene, the mysterious Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal).

There’s plenty of action, and a lot of comedy, even more-so than Holland’s last Spider-Man movie, “Homecoming.” In fact, this feels more like a teen comedy, with superhero moments thrown in.

But there are enough laughs, twists, and eye-popping action, to make another fun flick in this particular Spidey-verse. Holland also shows why he won this part in the first place. He is an excellent young actor, with great comic timing, and the talent to show the struggles, and joys, of being a superhero in this strange, new world.

If the next Marvel phase lies with Holland’s Spider-Man as a reluctant world saver, it’s in good hands.