Spiderman has been a troubled franchise for Sony. Sam Raimi’s first two films were well received, but a hollow and disappointing third left many fans and critics underwhelmed, the fourth film being cancelled. Marc Webb’s attempt at a Spiderman film ended even sooner than Raimi’s, with only two films being greenlighted. Lazy writing and weak characters displaying a disinterested attempt at a Spidey flick. Perhaps it didn’t help that both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield were 27 and 29, respectively, at the time of filming, with the films never entirely grasping Spiderman’s youthful inexperience. But it seems that Jon Watts’ MCU attempt at making a Spiderman film has opened a previously locked door. Tom Holland’s youthfulness – aged 21 but looking much younger – has helped sell this new Peter Parker better than previous iterations, helping sell his naivety, and at times using it as a scapegoat in the same sense.
Jon Watts and screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers have turned this one up to an Avengers level event; an event. As the teasers previewed, the villains of the previous Spidey films are back and the action has been turned up two notches. Watts is trying to create something big and grand. No, he is creating something big and grand. The narrative is precisely calculated and almost cold, but the scale of the No Way Home creates a headlining event, a way to turn heads and create a distinct new phase in the MCU.
“No Way Home” is the direct sequel to 2019’s “Far From Home”, with the final scene of the former layered with the Sony and Marvel logos at the beginning of this film. The reveal of Peter Parker’s identity sees the public lambast him for killing Mysterio, with his close friends and family getting caught up in the outrage. Peter Parker’s life will not be the same, nor will MJ’s (Zendaya) or Ned (Jacob Batalon). It reaches the point where M.I.T denies all three of admission, due to the ‘recent controversies’. It should be noted that most of the ’emotional’ moments of the film fall flat and often feel hollow and coldly calculated, an MCU trademark, that still permeates its productions. It is especially painful as, for the first time, Zendaya and Holland have managed to present their apparent chemistry in the context of the film.
Parker’s decides to contact Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), former accomplice in world saving duties. Strange – in a weirdly kind way – agrees to help. He begins to cast a spell and Parker begins meddling with the spell, feeling guilty that his loved ones will forget that he’s Spiderman. He also just doesn’t want to worry about explaining to his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) again. Thus catapulting the the film into the next stage.
The introduction of Doc Ock and Green Goblin sets forth a chain of events resulting in most major antagonists from Raimi and Webb’s instalments showing up. The film goes above and beyond “Spider-Man 3” in terms of density of characters, but altogether ducks the issues of the film by never wasting time re-introducing these villains. You’re expected to know who these characters are, and Watts and the MCU know that Spiderman super fans are well aware of their history. It may also work due to their context; these aren’t guys who have a revenge plot against this Spiderman and hence the question arises, does it matter whom they are? Clearly the screenwriters thought no never explicitly to the detriment of the film.
The action in this film is overall just good. Watts takes great pleasure in making the action in this film more grand, but it seems he gets so lost in the spectacle that the fights themselves flail their arms, carelessly rolling along. The actions works as such; one big fight with Doctor Strange in the mirror dimension, the most visually striking point in the film and the climactic fight at the end, with a helping of smaller, yet still fairly enjoyable bouts throughout. Generally the action remains fluid and smooth, at times capitulating to the MCU’s overblown emptiness.
For the first time as well, Watts begins to explore the implications of being Spiderman. It has always been taken for granted that Holland’s Spiderman simply brushes these issues away. Not this time. Where Raimi’s Spiderman films were lifted was in their understanding of the subject matter, Raimi never shied away from Peter Parker’s affairs. Now Watts is doing the same. He is trying to comprehend how Spiderman’s actions impact his friends and family. But it never feels more than a cheap excuse to move the story along. Peter Parker never feels explicitly rooted in these matters. It simply provides a reason for him to meet Doctor Strange and for him to introduce these fan favourite characters.
This film is a long one, standing at 148 minutes it is sure to excite MCU fans and receive scoffs from the MCU critics. The film could be so much more should it have been shorter, bringing the scatters of action into a tighter package and allowing less of the film to be throwaway exposition, most notably the first half, in which the film dawdles and meanders through the same ideas and plot points. It is a reassured manoeuvre from Marvel, closing all chance and opportunity for critics to point out their lack of expository understanding. The film’s inattention could also have benefitted greatly from more concrete performances that highlighted the emotions better, instead of relying on the returning ensemble.
I had a cynical reaction to the announcement of pulling in old villains from the previous Spiderman films, Sony has always tried their holiest to drain every cent out of Spiderman, it was doomed to follow the infamous “Spider-Man 3”, an unholy mishmash of characters and issues, that plagued and doomed the first blockbuster Spiderman production. And in many ways “No Way Home” sidesteps these issues, occasionally slipping and peaking over the crest towards doom, but it holds it together. Despite the undeserved runtime and airiness of the plot, performances and action the film remains unfazed and exciting to MCU fans; fanservice, or more excitingly, a solid platform for future MCU films to bounce off of.
6/10
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