Movie Breakdown: Spider-Man: No Way Home
Pre-Screening Stance:
If you ask me, Marvel’s 2021 has featured a lot more misses than hits. Here’s hoping Spider-Man: No Way Home is actually as good as it looks.
Post-Screening Ramble:
Surprisingly, the trailers for Spider-Man: No Way Home were actually pretty forthcoming with the film’s plot. Everyone in the world knows that Spider-Man is Peter Parker (Tom Holland), and because of this reveal his life is now a wreck. Only, it’s not just him being dragged through the mud, it’s also Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), MJ (Zendaya), and Ned (Jacob Batalon). To fix the fallout, Peter visits Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and convinces him to cast a spell that will cause everyone on Earth to forget Spider-Man’s identity. Unfortunately, Peter hesitates on the specifics and causes Strange to botch the spell, which inadvertently drags in a variety of folks from other dimensions. Peter then has to figure out a way to send them all back home.
I don’t know if I went into No Way Home thinking of it as the final film in a trilogy, but it definitely is. Also, it hadn’t really dawned on me previously, but the MCU version of Peter has seen him pretty comfortably living two separate lives. Yes, he’s certainly still had plenty of conflicts, but his support system has been unparalleled. At least until now, as No Way Home puts Peter and everyone around him through the ringer and really works to show just how unsustainable his dual role is. This means the film is not once again about Peter growing up a little more while also getting better at being Spider-Man, it’s him realizing that he has to choose one or the other. I liked this shift a lot, though I will say it’s a bit of a bumpy road getting to where that point is clear. The first good chunk of No Way Home is somewhat shakily constructed, likely because it just has so many pieces it has to get into place, but once everything is set, it soars via a lot of heartfelt moments, great action, and sharp humor. I especially loved the final set piece, which hits every single note just right and might be the best string of moments from any Spider-Man movie ever.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is not only an entertaining ride, but it also does a great job of setting the character up for a completely different story moving forward. You should absolutely get out and see the film when it hits theaters this Friday, December 17.
One Last Thought:
Just a heads up, there are two scenes during the credits. The first sets the stage for a crossover that I pretty much have no interest in, and the second is a surprisingly lengthy teaser for the rather rad-looking Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness.
