Did it live up to the hype?
Hey Everyone,
Welcome back to the lab!
So it’s been a while, I hope you’re all doing okay. You may have wondered where we have been recently and the honest answer, life has been a lot recently and i’ve needed to take time to properly focus on my mental health meaning the review lab has been on the backburner unfortunately. Things are still a little hectic, but the lab is now back and ready to post for you all. For the start of 2022 I am not going to stick to such a strict schedule, but I will be posting regularly with many posts planned for you. First and foremost though is a review I've been waiting a while to write.
Spider-Man: No Way Home. The Spoiler FILLED review.
Now I did a poll on our instagram page as to whether this review should be spoiler filled or spoiler free, the vote going for spoiler filled. So if you haven't watched the film yet, please come back to this post at a later date because after the spoiler warning, they will be everywhere. This is your warning.
Get ready, it's a long one.
Let's get into it.
Spoilers are going to follow, this is your last warning. Turn away now if you have not seen the film!
Spider-Man No Way Home is the third film in the Sony-MCU Spider-Man Trilogy following Homecoming and Far From Home. Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batelon, Benedict Cumberbatch amongst many others. The movie picks up immediately from Far From Home, with Peter's identity being revealed to the world. With both his world and those he loves being turned upside down, he goes to Doctor Strange for help in casting a spell that will make people forget he is Spider-Man. The spell goes wrong, opening the multiverse and chaos ensues.
Going into this film, many fans including myself had many thoughts and theories along with very high expectations. As fans we have been waiting over two years for this installment, with rumours and leaks galore on the internet, it's safe to say people were nervous as they wanted this film to be good and rightly so. So the biggest question is:
Is this a good film and does it live up to the hype it has generated?
The answer. Yes. This is a very good film indeed, and not only does it live up to its expectations, in my opinion it exceeds them.
This is the first time we have gotten a film where his identity is revealed to the world, so going in the story could have gone in many directions. The film focuses on Peter struggling not just to accept he is now the most famous person in the world, but the fact it is affecting the people he loves the most. His Aunt May; Happy Hogan; his best friend Ned and his girlfriend MJ. This leads Peter to ask Doctor Strange for help, in which Strange casts a spell to make everyone forget he is Spider-Man yet this goes wrong and because of this we get the return of multiple past characters from both the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films and the Marc Webb Spider-Man films.
It starts with the returns of some past villains, most notably Alfred Molina's Doctor Otto Octavious, Jamie Foxx’s Electro and Willam Defoe’s Green Goblin. These castings were revealed very early into the production due to numerous leaks, yet it still doesn't prepare you for when you see them return on screen. Seeing Defoe once again do his split personality of both Norman Osborn and the Goblin takes you right back to when you first watched Sam Raimis original Spider-Man back in 2003. His laugh as he throws pumpkin bombs at your favourite characters putting you once again at the edge of your seat. For me, one of the most impressive parts of all of the returning characters in the film is not that they are back, but the fact they are back to help further the story and its development. They haven't been brought back for no reason, it actually adds to the story.
As the film progresses, Peter, with the help of MJ and Ned, is tasked by Strange to capture the villains so that they can be taken back to their own universe. This is where the moral dilemma for Peter kicks in. Peter is told that most of the villains died fighting Spider-Man and sending them back will send them back to that fate. Peter (Being Spider-Man) wants to cure each villain to help change their fate. Much to the disapproval of Strange. As selfless as Peter is being here, it does cement the tragic events for the second half of the movie, yet you know he is making the correct decision so it really is a double edged sword. It also is worth mentioning his relationship with Doctor Strange is a very interesting one. Seeing them both butt heads and fight is so fun as a fan to see, but you understand both points of view, so it makes the fight that much more interesting.
As the film continues you realise that this film is ultimately about Peter making the ultimate sacrifice and learning what it truly means to be Spider-Man. After three films we finally get the famous “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility” line, yet it is not from Uncle Ben. The story switches it up by having none other than Aunt May say it to Peter. As an audience member, this scene gave me goosebumps. Not only did we finally get the saying, but this also cemented May's fate as she dies shortly after. The scene that followed was one of the most emotional of the entire MCU and this is due to not just the writing, but the performances of the actors. Tom Holland in this scene is outstanding.
We now need to speak about the elephant in the room. The rumours and leaks of past Spider-Men Toby Maguire & Andrew Garfield returning to the roles. Were they correct? Well i can definitively say that yes, despite multiple denials both Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire are in Spider-Man No Way Home. Both show up at the start of the third act, there to help Tom Holland cure past enemies right after Peter loses Aunt May and appears to be morally and physically defeated.
Seeing both of these past Spider-Men turn up in this film felt like a nostalgic dream. The reaction not just from myself but the cinema audience was unlike anything I have ever heard before. Just like with the villains, they haven't been brought back purley for nostalgia, they are there to help develop both the story and Tom Holland's Peter Parker through his loss. Getting to see Tobey Maguire again as Peter Parker, with a small iteration of Danny Elfman’s Spider-Man theme, took me straight back to when I was 7 watching his films with my dad. It was unlike any other cinema experience I have ever had.
Seeing these three iterations of the character interact was fantastic, the chemistry between them shines on the screen and you can tell they are enjoying themselves. I could easily watch 3 hours of just them interacting. Everyone in this film shines, however there were two standout performances. One being Tom Holland's Peter Parker, in which I think he gives one of (If not the) strongest comic book movie performance to date. The range that he goes through and emotions he portrays in the film will have you laughing and rooting for him one moment, to being devastated for him the next. I cannot stress how strong his performance was. He embodies what it means to be Spider-Man, honouring those performances that came before him whilst also bringing something new to the role. It's such a joy as an audience member.
The other standout, for me, was Andrew Garfield who steals each scene he is in. It's fair to say, his movies were not the best, but I don't think that was down to Garfield, it was the material he was given as he has always been a very strong performer. In this movie, he really shines, showing us a side to Spidey we haven’t seen before. Showing the darker path Peter could potentially go down after losing someone. It also highlights a film I would love to see. Show us a film of Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man going down this darker path whilst keeping the MCU Spider-Man as well. Then ultimately having him redeem himself by saving MJ at the end of this film, which made me very emotional. That’s not to say Maguire was a weak performer of the film, quite the opposite. Seeing him as the eldest mentor figure was both nostalgic and rewarding and he is also very funny in the movie. I truly hope we get to see more of him in the future but if we don't, I am over the moon he returned for one final run.
The final act of the film is no short of fantastic (just like its first two acts). Seeing the three Spider-Men team up to save the day is every fan's dream, but for me it's ultimately the ending of the final act that truly astounds me. Peter's ultimate sacrifice. As the multiverse starts to tear itself apart, Doctor Strange returns and reveals that everyone that knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man from every universe is on their way. It is at this moment Peter asks Strange to wipe everyone’s memories of Peter Parker. Essentially meaning he won't exist any more to the people he loves.
For me, the choice Peter makes here, only heightens why I love Spider-Man so much as a character. As devastating as this choice is, you know he is doing the right thing to save the people he loves. It's the ultimate selfless act. Instead of focusing on the negative, he accepts this is the choice, vows to make it better and carries on. It also opens up future stories and gives the character a clean slate going forward. Seeing him have to reveal this to MJ and Ned, only then heightens the emotions of the scene. The relationship between MJ and Peter in particular is another strong point of this movie. For me their relationship doesn't feel forced at all, it feels natural that these two characters have got this bond. Seeing them with the realisation that they will now be apart is heartbreaking.Yet I think in terms of the story it's the right choice and makes the emotional stakes high, but in the future I hope they are reunited and we see more of both MJ and also Ned. A true shout out here goes to Zendaya too. She brings a rawness and edgy side to MJ that we haven't seen before. She sticks up for what's right, and is just a downright brilliant character.
I think the thing I love the most about No Way Home is each choice, each decision in the film feels earned. Bringing in Past Villains like The Goblin, or other Iterations of Spider-Man hasn't been done just for a nostalgic reason. It’s been done as it helps develop and unfold the story, so as an audience member, it makes it that much more rewarding. Even with the smaller surprises such as Charlie Cox being brought into the MCU as Matt Murdock/Daredevil. It's only a very small 2 minute scene, but it works for the story whilst also bringing this well loved iteration of the character into the MCU after years of pleading. It feels as if Marvel & Sony have listened to what the fans want, but have executed it in a way so it's not just done for Fan Service.
Overall, Spider-Man No Way Home is quite possibly the strongest live-action Spider-Man film brought to screen. For me it tops my list of MCU films and could even be up there as my favourite comic book movie ever. The performances from each cast member shine, and Tom Holland gives quite frankly the performance of his career. The story leaves you satisfied with its final choices whilst also making you wonder where the character goes next. Being a Spider-Man fan has never been more rewarding. I for one cannot wait to see where the character goes next.
10/10.
There you go! My Spoiler Free Review!
What did you think of the movie? Did you enjoy it? Why/Why Not? We would love to know!
You can also hear more about my thoughts on this film on the podcast ‘Rock, Spock and Two Smoking Microphones’. A podcast by myself and friend of the blog Connor J Nagi where we have been trying to write our own Doctor Who movie! However we brought out a special episode all about Spider-Man No Way Home! Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify now!
Until the next post,
Stay Safe, Look after each other.
Harry x