Mark Reviews Movies: SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

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Review by Mark Dujsik | December 16, 2021

Spider-Man: No Way Home picks up immediately where the web-slinger's previous adventure ended, with Spider-Man's identity revealed to the world as seemingly ordinary teenager Peter Parker (Tom Holland). Within this initial setup, there's probably a fun story, filled with comedy and suspense and action and all that other stuff we expect from a story involving this friendly neighborhood superhero. It seems to be going that way, and then, much to their credit, screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers decide to get weird.

The inevitable future installments in the ongoing and seemingly never-ending Marvel Cinematic Universe could learn a thing or two from this one. We know Spider-Man, from the comics and/or the previous iterations of the character on the screen. The superhero is probably one of the most well-known and liked of his ilk, and one of the smarter moves made by this extended franchise is that it plopped the wall-crawler directly into the continuing narrative. There was no introduction to the character's origin, because no introduction was required.

This film, directed by new-Spidey regular Jon Watts, continues that spirit in the few important ways. It accepts that we know the revelation of Spider-Man's secret identity is a Big Deal. It accepts that this is a Spider-Man story, so any character outside of his world is only here to play second fiddle, in little more than a glorified cameo. In its most daring move, the film acknowledges that this Peter Parker/Spider-Man is another iteration.

There are other "Spider-Men"—or, as this story refers to the multiverse certainty of the same hero existing in other universes, "Spider-Mans"—out there, with their own but similar struggles and a completely different rogues gallery of villains with which to contend. The main reason we were so certain of this Peter and how well Holland played the part was because of the character and the actor's predecessors on screen. The filmmakers understand that, too, and boy, do they have some fun with it.

The point, perhaps, is that this isn't some stepping stone in the mythology and new phase of storytelling in this expanding universe of heroes. It is its own tale, and in the scope of Spider-Man adventures, it feels like one of those one-off, limited-run comic series, which depend on a gimmick and don't care a lick for whatever else may be going on in the character's life or the broader comic universe's narrative.

Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), for example, shows up here, but his entire purpose is simply to set the plot in motion. That's all he can—and, because this is a Spider-Man adventure, all he should—do (An action scene in Strange's Mirror Dimension does offer some of that cityscape-bending-and-unfolding wonder). Peter—witnessing how the public knowledge of his superhero alter ego is causing a lot of trouble for his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya), his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon), and his aunt May (Marisa Tomei)—asks the mystical Strange to fix things.

A magic spell could make the entire world forget that Peter is Spider-Man. Poor Peter, too-late realizing this would change his relationships with MJ and Ned and May, interrupts the spell and accidentally breaks the thread of the multiverse (or something like that). Everyone who knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man, across the various universes out there, is coming to find this Peter/Spider-Man.

The rest of the story is purely fan service, as Peter/Spidey has to contend with the likes of—from Tobey Maguire's run as the superhero—Doc Ock (Alfred Molina, appreciatively given the most to do of the many villains) and Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe, who's tragically defeated in the role and whose cackle is great to hear again) and—from Andrew Garfield's shortened turn at the role—Electro (Jamie Foxx, without the blue glow but with a sarcastic edge) and the Lizard (Rhys Ifans, whose computer-generated alter ego still looks a mess, which is a good intentional or accidental gag). A few more characters appear, of course. Without giving away the specifics of how and how much those particular characters fit into the story, let's just say that we end up with a reminder of how perfectly Maguire fit into this role. There's also a newfound appreciation for what Garfield could have brought to his variation, if the story had continued past the point of that Spider-Man's ultimate tragedy.

The trick for this Peter/Spider-Man is that all of these villains have been transported to this universe at the height of their rage—just at the climax of their respective plots, essentially. On the flip side, this also means a return to each one's universe will result in their immediate death. The empathetic Peter, who suspects these villains aren't all bad deep down, decides to find a way to cure them of their villainy. It's nice how such a simple belief gives us the core of Peter's character.

None of this is particularly substantial—save for those continuous reminders of the past, Peter's inherent sense of decency, and an event that will define this Peter's crime-fighting philosophy, just like his predecessors/alternatives before/alongside him—if that really means anything in a film such as this. The nostalgia is the main substance, and if that's shallow and pandering, it's also exciting, in the sense of surprise that comes with each new turn and returning character, and clever, in the humor and action of these characters interacting with each other.

Most importantly, Spider-Man: No Way Home is undeniably sincere about the legacy of this character, what he stands for, and, finally, where he's going next. That will mean more to some than others, but it means something. That's more than can be said of this franchise's recent outings.

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