Directed by Jon Watts
Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, and Alfred Molina
Backstory
Another year, another Spider-Man film! And the hype for this one has been ridiculous. Rumours growing out of control as to who would be coming back from previous Spider-Man films, which all kicked off when it was announced that Alfred Molina would be reprising his Spider-Man 2 role of Dr. Octopus. With the addition of Dr. Strange and the Marvel Studios TV shows on Disney+ introducing the multiverse, it seemed like it was all possible. But let’s not forget about our hero. With that cliffhanger at the end of Far From Home, everyone wanted to know what was next for our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.
Plot
With his dying breath, the villain known as Mysterio outed Peter Parker to the world as Spider-Man. With his true identity now known, Peter’s life has grown a lot more complicated. But when it starts affecting the lives of his girlfriend MJ and his best friend Ned, he knows he has to put a stop to it. So Peter goes to Dr. Strange and asks him to cast a spell to make the entire world forget he’s Spider-Man. But Peter starts getting cold feet, resulting in Dr. Strange botching the spell. Now, the multiverse has fractured, and some of Spider-Man’s greatest foes from other realities have started coming to our own. We’ve got Electro, we’ve got Dr. Octopus, and Spidey’s deadliest foe of all, the Green Goblin. Will Spider-Man be able to send all these villains back to their home dimensions, or will he have to pay the ultimate sacrifice?
What I Liked
Tom Holland is still a spectacular Spider-Man. His youthful charm really makes you love this Spidey. And the return of all the classic villains from the other Spider-Man films really makes this a nostalgic lovefest for the franchise. It’s not just those villains, but there are a few other (poorly kept secret) cameos that just really push this over the top. There’s a lot of heart and a lot of emotion and Spider-Man is really pushed to his limits this time out. It’s good seeing Dr. Strange again. And I really enjoyed the end. It reminded me a lot of the James Bond film Skyfall, in how it really sets the stage for some classic Spidey adventures to come.
What I Didn’t Like
There’s very little in this film to dislike. It might be a little bit long, as I did find myself glancing at my watch a few times.
Final Verdict
Spider-Man: No Way Home isn’t just the culmination of the trilogy that started with Homecoming, but a nostalgic love letter to 20 years of Spider-Man films. I thoroughly loved it.