'Spider-Man: No Way Home' lives up to the hype. It's the first true event film since 'Avengers: Endgame' worth seeing in a theater.
- Warning: There are the mild spoilers ahead for "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
- Tom Holland's third solo outing is a very fun, nostalgic ride you'll want to view more than once.
There's a line early on in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" where MJ (Zendaya) tells her boyfriend, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) that if you always expect disappointment then you can never be disappointed.
Because of rumors, reports, and supposed leaks, fans will walk into "No Way Home" with more expectations placed on this film than possibly any other superhero movie in recent memory.
Don't worry. You don't need to share MJ's mindset when it comes to whether or not you'll enjoy Spidey's next outing.
You won't be disappointed by "Spider-Man: No Way Home" — not by a long shot.
Holland's third solo outing as the web head picks up right where 2019's "Spider-Man: Far From Home" left off. Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) had just outed Spidey as Peter Parker. As you could imagine, that not only becomes a nuisance for Peter but also his loved ones and friends who can't even get into college because of their association with the web-slinger.
With his mentor, Iron Man, gone, Parker seeks out his New York City-dwelling Avengers' pal, Doctor Strange, to help cast a spell so everyone forgets he's Spider-Man. That way, he and friends have a shot at going to their dream school together.
That may sound like a strange premise, but if you've been watching Holland's Spidey films, this Peter Parker isn't always considering the full consequences of his actions. He still has some learning to do on his quest to be more than that "Spider-boy" Tony Stark first met in 2016's "Captain America: Civil War."
(Reminder: Peter never received the whole: 'With great power comes great responsibility' speech that every other Spider-Man has heard to help get them into gear. He's just been thrust into chaotic world-saving situations.)
Naturally, Peter's actions (read: incessant interruptions) result in the spell going awry, leading to a breach in the multiverse. In turn, it causes any person who knows Peter Parker to enter his world.
That leads to the return of some familiar faces from other, older "Spider-Man" films who knew their Spidey's identity. The Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), and Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) from Tobey Maguire's trilogy return while The Lizard (Rhys Ifans) and Electro (Jamie Fox) from Andrew Garfield's subsequent Spider-Man films are back, too.
Now, Peter, MJ, and his best friend Ned (a once again, very funny Jacob Batalon) need to send those guys back where they came from before they cause too much damage to their world. That becomes complicated.
Does this multiverse event include some other familiar faces? Maybe. Maybe not! I'm not telling. "No Way Home" is something that should be experienced as I experienced it, without knowing what to expect.
What I will say is that, from there "NWH" largely ditches the idea of being a "Far From Home" sequel to, instead, be a film that wants to replicate the success of Sony's 2018 Oscar-winning animated film "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." That film brought together all sorts of Spider-people from across the multiverse.
That may bother some viewers, but it works to great effect. "NWH" starts with high stakes that continually get higher and higher throughout the movie. Easily a film you'll want to watch again, "No Way Home" is a ride I never wanted to end. It's a marvel that something this ambitious came together.
The trailers largely don't spoil the movie, but they probably could've left a few secrets hidden.
For the most part, the majority of the material in the trailers is from early on in the movie with a few notable exceptions.
Marketing probably never needed to reveal the return of Sandman and The Lizard. Doc Ock, Goblin, and Electro would've been more than enough to let people know this was an event film. Those would've been nice surprises to see on screen for the first time.
That said, there are two moments I wish weren't teased in trailers that occur late in the film. I won't say what they are since their spoilers, but I think they're worth discussing briefly since one may lead to a moment of frustration for fans.
The first moment centered on Doctor Strange, which appears in just about every trailer, sets up a huge expectation for the film that's never fully delivered upon. That will bother some fans a bit because it feels like a bit of a bait and switch. I'm concerned fans will wish there was a bit more (even though they are being heavily rewarded in this film).
I wish the second moment, which involved MJ, wasn't teased in the most recent trailer. It's one I've seen fans largely discuss and theorize about online to the extent that many, including myself, guessed how it would play out. While it doesn't ruin the experience of watching the final movie, it would've been a larger, more satisfying reveal if it wasn't teased.
The villains get plenty of screen time to shine. Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina are scene-stealers. Jamie Foxx gets redemption.
There was a time where Sony wanted to make a "Sinister Six" movie, a film that revolves around a group of Peter Parker's greatest foes. It just never came together.
Here, in "NWH," it feels like you finally get a taste of what that could have looked like as some of Spidey's adversaries interact (often playfully). It's such a highlight of the film.
I don't want to say a whole lot on this front, but seeing these characters interact on screen reminded me of one of the best episodes of the Emmy-winning "Batman: The Animated Series." A 1992 episode titled "Almost Got 'Im" revolves around a series of villains reminiscing about times they almost caught the Bat. It was such a great episode because you finally saw many of Batman's legendary villains interacting and it made for a fascinating watch.
On paper, it seems like such a simple idea. Why wouldn't you put together all of a hero's villains on screen to work together? What would Two-Face and Penguin say to one another if they ever had the chance? Would they get along? Why aren't they pooling their resources to take down the Caped Crusader?
But no one — not Marvel or Warner Bros. — has been able to deliver a live-action replica of a group of supervillains other than in animation. Sony succeeds in being the first studio to finally make it work with a big cast in a way that's nostalgic but also ridiculously fun.
Foxx, as Electro, finally sheds the blue look and is redeemed as a more badass force to be reckoned with. Alfred Molina and, especially, Willem Dafoe steal every scene they're in. The greatest fan service is that audiences get to see these two actors share the screen and scenes. Since they've never interacted in the first trilogy.
Dafoe is pure movie magic on screen. At 66, it's impressive to see this man in so many action sequences. There's one fight sequence in particular that fans will immediately want to watch again. If Sony had its own streaming service, I'd imagine they'd fast-track a Norman Osborn series.
If this film succeeds, which I think it will, I wouldn't be surprised if the other studios follow suit to try and get their own villain groups on screen.
'No Way Home' takes Parker from Spider-boy to Spider-Man and sets up a potentially exciting next film.
"No Way Home" very much feels like the end of a trilogy.
One of the largest critiques of Tom Holland's solo "Spider-Man" films is that they've never truly felt like solo Spider-Man flicks. Holland's Spidey has always had help from Happy and tech suits or a bigger A-list hero to swoop in and save him when he got in over his head. He was never the adult in the room.
"Homecoming" was an Iron Man and Spider-Man film. "Far From Home" was a Nick Fury and Spidey team-up (with Stark tech at Spidey's disposal). "No Way Home" has Doctor Strange to aid in Spidey's mishap.
In "No Way Home," Peter has graduated from Spidey kid to full-fledged Spider-Man. The training wheels protocol (a security measure Stark put on Peter's first suit) is finally complete.
I expect the next "Spider-Man" sequel (or series of films) will hone in on Holland's Spidey as he really comes into his own without the need of someone, who needs to swoop in and save the day for him. Spider-Man can finally handle it on his own.
As always, stick around until the film's very end. There are two end-credit scenes. The first teases what's ahead (hopefully) in "Spider-Man 4," and, ultimately, may lead to another source of frustration with fans.
The second isn't so much an end-credits scene as it is the teaser for next summer's "Doctor Strange" sequel. I'm saying this because, if you miss it, it's likely only a matter of time until it's online.
I don't know if we'll ever get a bigger "Spider-Man" film than "No Way Home," but if the fans show their love for this one, I'd love to see Sony try and top it.
'Spider-Man: No Way Home' is a love letter to fans that should be seen with fans, if you feel safe to do so.
People have asked me which "Spider-Man" movies you should rewatch before "NWH." I've said all of them since it includes villains from the five Maguire and Garfield-era films. I still stand by that assessment.
Just as "Avengers: Endgame" rewarded those who watched all 20+ MCU movies beforehand, "NWH" rewards long-time Spidey fans with nods, quips, callbacks, jokes, and, most of all, closure.
Most importantly, the film doesn't retcon or reboot any of its returning characters (Yes, Electro may look a bit different, but that's addressed. There will be no "WandaVision" Ralph Bohner repeat, here). There may be a few holes in the film, but overall the two decades you may have invested into watching "Spider-Man" films are respected on screen.
Is the fan service ever too much? I didn't think so. My press screening, filled largely with critics, cheered, laughed, and clapped a few times throughout. There was even an "awww." (Just so you know, press screenings are usually rather quiet for the most part.)
For that reason, if you feel comfortable, "No Way Home" is better viewed with a crowd who loves these films.
For the past two years, box-office analysts have wondered what film would get fans back to the theaters. This is it.
This is a film you want to experience with other people. You want to collectively cheer and cry out and react. Not every film necessitates that. "No Way Home" is the first time since "Avengers: Endgame" where I've truly felt the presence of an audience would only add to your experience because of the nature of the film.
Directed by Jon Watts and also starring Jon Favreau, J.K. Simmons, and Marisa Tomei, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is in theaters Friday.