Spider-Man No Way Home Review

Here’s my Spider-Man No Way Home review which is now playing on theaters from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures. The film was directed by Jon Watts and stars Tom Holland, Benedic Cumberbatch, Zendaya, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau and more!

OK so I know that you don’t need to say that you should watch No Way Home because you either already did or you’ve booked your tickets already. So let’s just do this review to share what I thought about the movie with spoilers this time.

So SPOILER ALERT

Tom Holland the MCU version of Spidey is back for the third installment of the film franchise that was made thru the partnership of Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios. In this film, Peter Parker deals with the outing of his identity as seen in the last few minutes of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Peter now has to find a way to save his friends and family after the disastrous outing of his civilian identity as Peter Parker. Parker opts to get help from Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) who casts a spell that intended to make the world forget that Spider-Man is Peter Parker. Because of Parker’s tampering, this goes awry and in comes various villains from the multiverse including Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx), Sandman (Thomas Hayden Church) and Lizard (Rhys Ifans).

Along the way though Ned (Jacob Batalon) and MJ (Zendaya) inadvertently summon backup for the MCU Parker in the form of the past Spider-Man from the past Spidey films namely Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire.

Visuals

I loved every damn minute of No Way Home. The effects were great, the costumes and set designs were awesome and even the Statue of Liberty that’s getting a shield upgrade also has its own character. Plus you gotta love the costumes for the Sinister Five as well as the three Spider-Men.

You also have to appreciate the costumes for the villains here. It was nice that they found a way to integrate MCU lore and tech with whatever powers and tech the five have especially with Jamie Foxx’s Electro who says “bye bye” to his blue skin look and have a more regular look with some repulsor tech on the side.

Story

The movie had a big swerve at the end that I wasn’t really able to see. It’s sad and tragic with May Parker dying thanks to Green Goblin as well as Peter losing everything and everyone he loves. Beat for beat I thought it was exceptional, spectacular even. Plus being able to tie up all the lose ends from Endgame, Far From Home and more was great. Plus the story did give us a taste of what’s to come in the MCU particularly for the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Characters

Its a mixed bag for me when it comes to how they stretched out the Peter Parker story here. I get that he needs to get this “fresh start” and all but with the movie’s run time I feel like they could have given more. More drama, more dialogue and more interaction with Ned and MJ. Instead, the moment the other Peters appear on screen, that’s pretty much the end of conflicted Peter.

But at the same time that’s OK because we get the other two.

But then it gets bad again because “oh no”, we want to learn more about Andrew and Tobey. We want to hear more of their stories. Not bits and pieces revealed through dialogues.

I loved Willem Dafoe’s Norman Osborn here. I missed the crazy bastard and Jon Watts and team even ups his danger levels to the next level in No Way Home. The same goes for Alfred Molina who brings a passionate appearance as Otto. Then there’s Jamie Foxx’s new and improved Electro here who delivers coolness and badassery although its on a limited run. Rounding up the baddies were Rhys Ifans and Thomas Hayden Church who also bring danger to the life of MCU Peter and his friend. Sadly they didnt do enough for me and I really think they were brought in to tease a Sinister Six or five in this case.

Final Verdict

Spider-Man No Way Home is a still a winner. It finally sets Peter Parker to where he has to be, how people learned and loved Spidey and not being Iron Man Lite. The movie is heartbreaking which is something we all need to prepare for going into the film. It’s also a great way to elevate the past Spider-Man actors Tobey and Andrew and Marvel gave us that and more.

It also sets up Doctor Strange as the premiere superhero in this post Avengers: Endgame world and sets an exciting adventure for the Sam Raimi film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and even beyond that.

NWH also treats us to updated versions of classic Spidey villains like Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Lizard and Electro. Each actor brought something great and I teared up the moment Alfred Molina’s Otto Octavius is reunited with his Peter, Tobey Maguire.

10/10

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