Today’s quick review: Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now that the world knows Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is Spider-Man, he and his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) can’t get a moment’s peace. Afraid that he ruined his friends’ lives, Peter asks Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell to make his identity secret again. But when the spell goes haywire and pulls in Peter’s enemies from other universes, Peter must find a way to send them back.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is a superhero action comedy set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The third Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland, No Way Home picks up in the aftermath of Far from Home as the revelation of Peter’s identity suddenly turns him into a public figure. The film continues the story begun in Homecoming, touches on the post-Endgame state of the MCU through Dr. Strange, and tells a clever story that Spider-Man fans are sure to love.
No Way Home is a love letter to Spider-Man’s film history. The story draws in villains from previous iterations of the character, including Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) and Electro (Jamie Foxx). The transplanted characters are given their due, with continuations of their character arcs, new action scenes, and plenty of chances to interact with the Homecoming cast and each other.
At the same time, No Way Home stands as the culmination of its own series. It is easily the most ambitious of the Tom Holland films, not only in terms of the reality-altering scope of its plot but in what it does with its characters. The film introduces some of the elements of Spider-Man’s story that were missing from the Homecoming universe. In doing so, it gives Peter and MJ the chance to mature and sets Peter on the path of being his own hero.
As for the basics of the superhero genre, the film outdoes itself. The grab bag of villains leads to varied fight scenes that take full advantage of the characters’ powers, especially Dr. Strange’s reality-bending magic. The writing is crisp and consistently funny, and the dialogue is packed with quips without turning the story into a joke. Finally, every combination of characters has great chemistry, making the large cast well worth the effort.
No Way Home sets a difficult task for itself but manages to pull it off handily. The film effortlessly pivots between comedy and drama, juggles an enormous cast with no apparent difficulty, and builds on the events of previous Spider-Man films in satisfying ways. The film is a must-see fans of Spider-Man and a worthwhile pick for any superhero or action fans who are familiar with the preceding movies. Go check it out.
For an animated Spider-Man film with a similar premise and a lot more stylization, check out Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. For another Spider-Man movie featuring a grab bag of villains, check out Spider-Man 3 or The Amazing Spider-Man 2. For more mind-bending magic set in the MCU, check out Doctor Strange. For another deftly handled superhero crossover with even higher stakes, check out Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
[9.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10872600/). I give it an 8.5 for top-notch storytelling with lots of action and a keen sense of humor.