About the film (courtesy of Columbia Pictures):
For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero’s identity is revealed, bringing his Super Hero responsibilities into conflict with his normal life and putting those he cares about most at risk. When he enlists Doctor Strange’s help to restore his secret, the spell tears a hole in their world, releasing the most powerful villains who’ve ever fought a Spider-Man in any universe. Now, Peter will have to overcome his greatest challenge yet, which will not only forever alter his own future but the future of the Multiverse.
Basically 20 years in the making, Spider-Man: No Way Home is an amazing tribute to the past and present Spider-Man movies of the 2000s. This latest entry feels both nostalgic and completely new at the same time. Director Jon Watts, writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, along with Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios deserve major kudos for putting an ambitious and completely fulfilling project together.
Tom Holland gives his best performance yet, filled with charm and emotion at every turn. Zendaya is right there beside him while shining brightly while gaining even more screen time. And of course there’s Jacob Batalon (Ned), who brings quite a few laughs. Marisa Tomei (Aunt May) and Jon Favreau (Happy) are their normal sensational supporting selves, as usual. Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange) presence helps tie everything even tighter to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I could go on and on with the callouts of the actors involved with Spider-Man: No Way Home, but we’d be here all day, and you need to purchase your tickets. Seriously!
I’m avoiding all spoilers, so I’m keeping this review short and sweet. Spider-Man: No Way Home has a 148 runtime and I have to admit that I wouldn’t have been crushed if they tacked on another 20 minutes. That speaks to how complete of a project this movie is. There are no weak spots and it’s completely enjoyable from the opening scene until the final moment. It’s very rare that a third leg of a trilogy is the strongest, but I believe that’s what we have here.
You’ll be talking about Spider-Man: No Way Home long after you’ve left the theater since there’s just so much to unpack and digest. Heck, I’m writing this review a mere two hours after seeing it for the first time and I know that I haven’t mentally fully processed everything that was thrown at me. Tom Holland and team go that extra mile to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth, and even better, your time won’t feel wasted with a forcefully bloated storyline. Everything has purpose.
The good news is that you can feel like you’re getting a head start on seeing Spider-Man: No Way Home since there are screenings as early as 3PM on Thursday, December 16th to see this event-filled feature. And trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to risk having anything spoiled for you by waiting. This should go without saying, but make sure to stay put through the credits. Just go ahead and take our money as this is definitely worth the price of admission. Swing by your local theater today.
