‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Movie Review: Marvel Sends Tom Holland’s Spider-Man on an Epic Scavenger Hunt
Spider-Man: No Way Home is rightfully one of the most hyped installments from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Actor Tom Holland returns for his third solo film after Spider-Man: Far From Home. He further proves why he’s such a great Spider-Man. No Way Home gets a little caught up in its own nostalgia, but it’s certainly the most epic Spider-Man yet.
What is the story of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’?
Spider-Man: No Way Home picks up right where Spider-Man: Far From Home left off. Peter Parker’s (Holland) identity as the web-slinger is now known to the world. The repercussions are massive, which also stand in the way of Peter getting into college. Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), MJ (Zendaya), and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are also deeply impacted by the fallout.
Peter seeks out Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to help him turn back time to make sure the world never finds out his identity. Strange reminds him that he no longer has the Time Stone. However, he still agrees to help with another spell to make the world forget he’s Spider-Man. The spell goes horribly wrong, and villains from the multiverse enter the MCU, forcing Peter to track them down before it’s too late.
Marvel enlists Tom Holland’s Spidey on a scavenger hunt
Spider-Man’s entire world is now jumbled. J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) is at the forefront of making Peter Parker the biggest public enemy in the world. Peter wrestles with legal ramifications, public backlash, and worst of all seeing those he holds most dear getting caught in the crossfire. Spider-Man: No Way Home also continues the superhero’s relatable teenage issues, such as trying to get into the same university as his closest friends.
The villains are quickly introduced, but they’re familiar faces from other universes. Therefore, the audience should already be familiar with their motives and their abilities, allowing the film to skip past the exposition dump. Spider-Man: No Way Home immediately jumps into big action and a whole lot of fun references for longtime fans.
Audiences previously criticized the MCU for not having real consequences, but Spider-Man: No Way Home certainly puts Peter’s repercussions on display. It’s a cautionary tale to be careful what you wish for because it just might come true. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers’ screenplay tackles Peter’s physical and emotional consequences that will also impact the MCU as a whole moving forward.
‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is undeniably epic
Spider-Man: No Way Home has no shortage of web-slinging action. Spider-Man fights an array of villains with different abilities, allowing for a wide variety of combat styles that keep the action fresh. If you enjoy the dynamic of MCU’s Avengers ensemble installments, then you’ll fall in love with Spider-Man: No Way Home. It instills a lot of what works into the Spider-Man franchise, making for one epic adventure.
McKenna and Sommers’ screenplay is deeply infectious. The humor is solid, and the banter is consistently entertaining. However, Peter’s story has a lot more emotion this time around. He’s forced to face what it really means to be Spider-Man and the type of responsibility that rests in his hands. Spider-Man: No Way Home is a big step forward for the character. The third act, in particular, is jam-packed with the movie’s best moments.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is a blockbuster of epic proportions. The experience is elevated by seeing it with an enthusiastic audience. There is an abundance of cheer-worthy moments. The story occasionally relies a bit too much on nostalgia and delivering on fan service, but there’s enough there to also establish it as its own film. Spider-Man: No Way Home is a massive crowd-pleaser sure to excite fans for the rest of MCU’s Phase 4.
Spider-Man: No Way Home swings exclusively into theaters on Dec. 17.
