“Spider-Man: No Way Home” Review

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Marvel’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” has been one of the most anticipated films of 2021 and did not disappoint, making over $600 million worldwide from the opening weekend alone. The finale in the comic-based trilogy has now surpassed “Avengers: Infinity War”, landing the second-biggest debut in Hollywood history behind only “Avengers: Endgame”.

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” follows Peter Parker directly at the end of “Spider-Man: Far From Home”, after Spider-Man’s identity was exposed by Mysterio, causing severe conflicts for not only Peter but his family and friends as well. In an attempt to regain his privacy, Peter contacts Dr. Steven Strange and requests that he perform a spell to make the world forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. However, Peter makes too many requests to change the spell, causing corruption which opens up the multiverse to villains that Tom Holland’s Peter Parker has never met before, but somehow knows Spider-Man’s identity. Peter, Ned, and MJ all now have to work together to track down these villains and contain them so that Dr. Strange can send them back to their rightful universes.

One of the reasons that the film was so highly anticipated is because of the appearances of all the pre-MCU villains. For those who watched Toby Maguire’s Spider-Man as a child growing up, seeing Doc Oc and Sandman on the big screen again is a wonderful experience and was an excellent way to bring past superhero films into the MCU. This is something that was done really well, nothing felt forced. Often with cross-overs or bringing old characters back in film or television, it can feel random if it is not executed properly and then it ends up feeling like a cheap attention grab. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” perfectly brought together the villains of all three Peter Parker’s and created the perfect common ground for general comic book fans and fans of the MCU.

While the film did have some more intense moments and heavier scenes, Tom Holland always manages to combat the gory fight scenes with his wholesome portrayal of Peter Parker, arguably the best of the actors that have played Spider-Man. Tom Holland has been a fan favorite not only because of his ability to play a teenager effortlessly but also because of his on-screen chemistry with his cast. Tom Holland and Zendaya truly encapsulate the love between Peter and MJ and in this movie specifically, it shows. The movie has the perfect balance of moments where the audience will be crying followed by a heartwarming laugh. 

Another thing that had the film highly anticipated by Marvel fans was all of the things that were opened up by the movie regarding future films and what’s next for the MCU. The opening of the multiverse in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is huge for Marvel and not only sets it up for “Doctor Strange 2: In The Multiverse of Madness” but leaves open lots of possibilities regarding the ending of this movie as well as previous ones. Matt Murdock, being Peter’s lawyer in the film, also leaves fans questioning Daredevil’s future in the MCU. Marvel has been known for its ability to seamlessly pull storylines together and this movie is another perfect example. 

One thing that fans as a collective have not responded well to, is the bleak ending of the movie which leaves the audience questioning what is in store for Peter Parker in the future. Dr. Strange completes the spell and Peter Parker’s identity is erased from the world’s memory, including his family and friends. Parker is shown in his own apartment completely alone and when he sees Ned and MJ, they have no recollection of who he is. It’s been argued amongst online conversations that too much was left unanswered and the ending as a whole was unsatisfying. Writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers responded to this by saying that they did things in the “most satisfying way and just focused on the emotion of it” as well as implying that whatever questions were left unanswered at the end of this film would at some point be answered in later ones. I think that while the ending was bittersweet and not necessarily what I had hoped for, it was for the best and any other way would have either caused too much turmoil or been unrealistic. 

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” is a film that I would recommend for everybody whether they are a fan of the genre or not. I would give it a 10/10.