Spider-Man: No Way Home

Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, & Benedict Cumberbatch

Director: Jon Watts - Rating: PG-13 - Score: 4 Stars

 

It is the most profitable movie in nearly three years and one of the best reviewed Marvel films of all-time, but does Spider-Man: No Way Home live up to the hype? In many ways it absolutely does, but in some other ways it does fall a bit short. The film starts where Far From Home leaves off, with Spider-Man thought to be a killer and his name exposed to the world. This creates a hell of a problem for Peter Parker (Tom Holland), so he goes to visit Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to see if he can help. Strange creates a spell to help, but accidentally opens a portal to the multiverse, allowing villains and fellow Spider-Men to make their way through into their universe. 

As a Science Fiction geek I love the whole idea of multiple universes, but as a film reviewer, I can't ignore the glaring plot hole here. Why did only Spider-Men and Spider-Man villains come through the portal? I also loved the fact that Andrew Garfield and Toby Macguire came back and played a part in the film, however it seemed like they were having a bit too much fun with their roles, and not taking it very seriously. Most of their dialogue was jokes and instead of fellow superheroes from another dimension, they really came across as more of a gay couple than anything else. Finally, where was Miles Morales? ...and don't give me any of this he was a cartoon shit! This was a perfect opportunity for Disney/Marvel to address the lack of cultural diversity among their superhero franchise and they didn't do it.

That being said, this was every Spider-Man fans dream. This film not only appeals to fans of Marvel, but to Science Fiction fans as well. The whole multiverse angle was ingenious and will tie directly into the next Doctor Strange movie. It was also a blast from the past and brought back great childhood memories to see the other actors who portrayed Spider-Man in those roles one more time. As always Tom Holland was spectacular, the writing was clever and good for a few laughs, and uncharacteristic of most Marvel films, even the ending was unexpected. Despite the obvious plot holes, I really enjoyed this film and I think you will too.