Movie Review: Spider-Man: No Way Home

The latest entry into the Marvel canon, Spider-Man: No Way Home, succeeds in regaining some of the traction for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that was lost by Eternals. Leave it to the ever-dependable web crawler to right the ship and guide the MCU back on course.

Spider-Man’s latest adventure begins moments after Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) revealed Spidey’s true identity to the world at the end of Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019). This shatters Peter Parker’s world in more ways than simply making it impossible for him to be an effective hero; it continually puts his loved ones in peril. Seeking a redress of sorts, Peter approaches Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and asks for his help. Strange goes about casting a spell to make people forget that Peter Parker and Spider-Man are one and the same. However, Peter inadvertently corrupts the spell when he questions whether “everyone” needs to forget he is Spider-Man and the errant spell tears a hole in the multiverse releasing Spider-Man’s greatest foes from all of the movies he has appeared in, whom Peter must defeat in order to ensure the continued existence of the Multiverse.

Director Jon Watts returns after helming both Spider-Man: Far from Home and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), as do screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (who penned Far From Home together and share screenplay credit on Homecoming) and the continuity of this team bears remarkable fruit for the entire enterprise. There is a cohesiveness that connects the three films in an organic way that almost personalizes Peter’s plight to the point of making the emotional roller coaster this film sends him on a similar journey for the audience as well. It is an effective technique that pays off in spades, as Peter must make sacrifice after sacrifice to save multiple universes.

Tom Holland in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

Again, Tom Holland shines as the titular character (and as his alter ego). So too do his constant companions MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon), as they stick with him through his outing as Spider-Man until the bitter end. Other recurring characters in the series such as Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) and Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) are also afforded character-defining moments in this outing that allow the series to become one of the best character-driven series in the MCU (to date at least).

There are more than a few guest stars that appear once the multiverse fractures and different characters from different films begin to appear to wreak havoc for Spider-Man. But, to go into them in any detail would be a disservice to the film and the audience experiencing the events unfolding for the first time. Suffice it to say, there are more than enough twists and turns in this film for at least two films (if not a third). This is easily the most epic Spider-Man adventure yet.

Even though the running time may seem oppressive at first, the fine editing work provided by Leigh Folsom Boyd and Jeffrey Ford helps to propel the proceedings along at a favorable pace that never loses its momentum. This, combined with the aforementioned crafty script work, makes Spider-Man: No Way Home a thoroughly entertaining and engaging film.

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Mike Tyrkus

Editor in Chief at CinemaNerdz.com

An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

@miketyrkus

Mike Tyrkus

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