They did it. They actually did it. This (obviously subdued) reaction was common after Marvel released Avengers: Endgame in 2019. A movie of that size and scope had no real business working, much less working as well as it did. But it did, and it’s the crown jewel of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
There was similar sentiment surrounding the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home. While certain plot details were kept under wraps and some assumed casting decisions were left unconfirmed, all the evidence was there that this would be, for lack of a better term, the Endgame of the Marvel/Sony Spider-Man universe. We knew Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Thomas Haden Church, Jamie Foxx, and Rhys Ifans were returning as Spidey villains Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Electro, and Dr. Curt Connors/Lizard, respectively. Those casting announcements of course led to speculation that both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield would be donning their Spider-Man costumes once again, at least in some capacity (something I won’t confirm or deny in this review). Even with all these intersecting characters, the universes crossing over, one thing is clear: this movie whips ass.
No Way Home picks up right where Far From Home ended, with J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) revealing Peter Parker as Spider-Man for the world to see. He also posts Mysterio’s doctored video, putting the blame on Spider-Man for both the London drone attacks and Mysterio’s death. This jumps Peter to number 1 on the government’s most wanted list, coming after him for vigilantism and murder. And while those pesky charges cause major problems, Peter is still a high school senior; he has that to reckon with now as well. He’s the most famous person in the world, cameras in his face every he goes. And this doesn’t just affect him either, of course.
He and his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) have to move in to Happy Hogan’s (Jon Favreau) high-security loft. MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) aren’t left unscathed either. Just by being associated with Spider-Man, they are rejected from every college they apply to (as is Peter). Peter, who can’t stand to see his actions hurt those he loves, is desperate for a solution. And where does a teenager turn to when hope seems completely lost? Magic, of course, by way of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch).
Strange agrees to perform a spell for Peter that will make everyone forget he is Spider-Man. Peter is overjoyed, until he realizes this includes MJ….and Ned…and May…and Happy. Strange begrudgingly tries to accommodate these requests, but it becomes too much, and the spell begins to crack. He has to stop it, and contain it, preventing it from going haywire and causing who knows what kind of damage. Peter is left to fend for himself, but at least the universe is intact. Except that it’s not.
Peter is attacked in succession by Doc Ock and Green Goblin, indicating a few people snuck through the multiverse into Peter’s world during the fiasco of Strange casting his spell. Peter now becomes responsible for capturing each person who came through, so Strange can send them back to their respective worlds. But after realizing that each villain was transported here right as they were about to die (while fighting Spider-Man, no less), Peter has a change of heart. He still wants to send them back, but he wants a chance to fix or cure them first.
With so many characters in play here, it was fair to wonder how it would all mesh together. I would argue the main reason it works is because of one of the movie’s biggest flaws: required familiarity with or previous knowledge of these “new” characters. No Way Home doesn’t need to cram in five new origin stories. We don’t need full back stories to explain their current motivations or past actions. That allows the rest of the story to flow rather smoothly. But on the flip side, any viewer that doesn’t come into No Way Home knowing those characters, they are left playing catch up.
It’s probably a safe assumption that many viewers have that familiarity. But we’re talking about characters from different franchises, different studios. There are for sure plenty of fans who have seen all the MCU movies, but haven’t seen the three Maguire and two Garfield Spider-Man movies. It feels like the studio and director Jon Watts were playing the percentage game here, banking on the fact that the majority of audience members would be fully caught up. And to be fair, it’s a safe bet.
But on the fully positive side, what sets No Way Home apart from other MCU entries? For me, it’s the emotional stakes. No Way Home packs more than one heavy gut punch, and you can see the anguish in Peter as he tries so desperately to fix what he’s brought into his life. He may be Spider-Man, but Peter Parker is still just a kid, and what he’s fighting for – and fighting against – this time around is more personal than ever.
This is without a doubt Tom Holland’s best performance as Spider-Man. Yeah, he does all the usual cool superhero stuff you would expect. But he also gets a chance to really act. With exceptions, of course, we don’t see this in every superhero movie. And Holland proves more than up to challenge. And he’s matched nearly step for step along with Zendaya, Batalon, and Tomei, I love the MCU and superhero movies for the action, the explosions, all that. But when you can add such a heartfelt personal aspect on top of all that? Well then you’ve got something special on your hands.
There is definitely more to say, but I wouldn’t be able to go as deep into the detail I would want without venturing into spoiler territory. And I’m not going to do that. A lot of that is responsible for some of the movie’s best and strongest moments. But there is plenty more in No Way Home that touches on and enhances everything I wrote about above. Second chances, personal sacrifice, wanting to do what is right while trying to figure out what “right” even means. They’re themes that speak to everyone, and that personal touch, that emotional connection, that’s what pushes No Way Home to the top of the Spider-Man franchise.
Score: 92/100
