Review: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is brimming with story and action

Since the Spider-man franchise was brought back into the Marvel fold, the masked crusader has had much better storylines as he’s had the long-missing ability to interact with his fellow heroes. In addition, Tom Holland has given the character a sense of youth and charisma the other iterations lacked with Tobey Maguire’s version being too emo and Andrew Garfield not quite reaching the level of sassy teenager required. However, since the mighty Avengers teamed-up to take down Thanos, our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man has had a few bumps in the road to getting back to normal. And picking up where the superhero’s last picture left off, Spider-Man: No Way Home isn’t looking any smoother.

Following Mysterio’s (Jake Gyllenhaal) shockingly public reveal that Peter Parker (Holland) is Spider-Man, the teen’s life has turned into a media circus with everyone trying to capture his every move, mask or not. MJ (Zendaya), Ned (Jacob Batalon) and Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) take the extra attention in stride, but Peter is struggling with being the cause of their lives turning upside-down. Approaching Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for a mystical solution, the indecisive Spidey botches the spell with unexpected results. Rather than fix the problem, Peter creates multiple new ones with destructive consequences. But the error also gives him a chance to grow as a hero and a person, making the decision that’s best for everyone and not just himself.

As the movie eases audiences back into the moment in which The Daily Bugle broadcasted Spider-Man’s secret identity, it doesn’t take long for audiences to be hit by the enormity of what this means for Peter and his friends. However, within the first 10 minutes, viewers are also treated to an appearance that will bring a smile to their faces and spark hope for the future of the MCU. Everything about this new reality is bizarre, particularly the way people’s interactions with Peter change, ranging from envious to thankful to suspicious to reproachful.

While Tony Stark’s death was at the centre of everything in the previous picture, the weight of his absence is still felt heavily this time around as Stark Industries comes under scrutiny again. But Spider-Man is forced to return to his roots to find his way forward in a world obsessed with his existence and uncertain of its necessity. Internalizing these doubts brings Peter to the question every superhero asks themselves eventually: Am I doing more harm than good? Though the answer is more complex than a simple “yes” or “no.”

The multiverse concept is expected to play a major role in this phase of the MCU as audiences have already seen alternative realities in the Disney+ series, What If…?, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesslooks like it will take the idea head on. This narrative uses the theory as a means of tying together multiple storylines that always seemed independent of one another — consequently, no one is forgotten as a reference acknowledges the existence of an absent personality.

With the all-encompassing nature of this narrative, the movie’s runtime is inevitably long as filmmakers try to ensure each character is given their due. Nonetheless, it’s almost unnoticeable if the viewer becomes engrossed in this expansive fiction that delivers a union and redemption most fans will not have realized they needed. The cast reprises their roles seamlessly, which encourages audiences to re-engage with the characters they’ve already come to know over the last several years, from Holland’s adolescent hero to Tomei’s sage guardian to Zendaya’s and Batalon’s supportive friends to J.K. Simmons’ relentless reporter.

This is a very full film with a lot to take in, but the pace’s ebb and flow allows viewers just enough time to digest before the next big development — though some may find they’re still processing certain scenes long after the lights come up. As is custom, there is a mid-credit and post-credit sequence that extend the narrative to the very last moment… and possibly beyond.

Director: Jon Watts
Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya and Benedict Cumberbatch