(CNN) "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is really more like a reunion, bringing the character whose movie rights were acquired by Sony back into Marvel's cinematic fold. The result is a fun, unexpectedly lighter-than-air film, one that plays up its comedic aspects more than almost any of its brethren while benefiting from Tom Holland's believable boyishness in the title role.

Dating back to its comic-book beginnings, Spider-Man always pressed the notion of Peter Parker being someone to whom a younger audience could relate -- a science nerd blessed with super powers thanks to a radioactive spider bite, but whose teenage life is also complicated by his dual identity.

Directed by Jon Watts from a script credited to a posse of writers, "Homecoming" fully embraces that awkward dynamic and coming-of-age narrative -- with apologies to rival DC, a sort of "Spider-Man: Year One," tackling the on-the-job training component of truly becoming a superhero.

"Homecoming" also reduces the customary angst associated with Spidey by dispensing with the character's origin story and that pesky robber, the one who left Peter's aunt (Marisa Tomei) a widow and taught him the whole "with great power comes great responsibility" lesson.

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