Image provided by Sony Pictures
First and foremost, nothing from the film will be spoiled in my review. Spider-Man No Way Home brings together possibilities that before now I would have considered impossible. This film open's the door for literally anything to happen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I could go on why that is both good and bad but let's stick to this film for now. Overall, Marvel and Sony's collaboration on Spider-man has been spectacular and incredibly successful. A lot was riding on No Way Home, and with major speculation about potential stars who could show up in the film, it had a lot to live up too.
Thankfully, for this film nerd, it accomplished that feat. Star Tom Holland is at his best as not only Spider-Man but Peter Parker as well. He reaches a level of emotion in this film, we had yet to see from Holland. Yes, even with the death of Tony Stark, this film takes an even deeper dive into his humanity. Along with that, it was nice to see Zendaya shine as MJ. My problem with the last two films was the forcefulness I felt from her character. This is the first time, I felt she actually served a legitimate purpose. As far as the antagonist go, Willem Dafoe shines in his return as billionaire maniac Norman Osborn. No Way Home further cements his legacy as one of the greatest comic book villains. Alfred Molina is spectacular (enough said.) Jamie Foxx's return as Electro is a welcome one but he does get overshadowed at times by both Dafoe and Molina.
The film is most definitely an event film and in this case, some of the flair from the previous two are missing. The smaller comedic moments between Tom and his fellow high schoolers aren't as strong as the previous two in my opinion. There is so much at stake in the film, it felt odd at times with some of the comedic moments. I mentioned above that Electro felt overshadowed at times, this issue applies to "other" situations as well (you'll see what I mean.) The film has a lot going on, and a lot of characters don't necessarily get the spotlight that they should. The narrative relies on its characters for the most part, and while this isn't a massive issue, it does falter at times.
With all that said, this was the Spider-Man movie I have always wanted to see. Fan expectation is a funny thing and it's important to keep it in check, especially when reading reviews from someone who saw it, but it delivered for me in every way I wanted. It was emotional and best yet, epic. Not a perfect movie in regards to film criticism but if you are a fan of the Spider-Man films and it's legacy. I don't see how you would not love this movie. It was literally made for the fans.
Grade: A
Spider-Man: No Way Home. Directed by Jon Watts. Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya and Willem Dafoe. Opens in theatres Friday, December 17.