Director: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, JK Simmons.
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| The extra arms were handy for doing the housework. |
Giving the fans what they want is a fraught exercise. Often in films, especially superhero movies, this kind of "fan service" is about stuffing the screen full of Easter eggs at the expense of story and character, and often to the detriment of the casual viewer. It's like the old adage about responsible government - don't give the people what they want, give them what they need.
So if a film can manage to not only meet the wild expectations of fans but exceed those expectations, while also giving them the good story and character arcs a good film needs, then that is truly something special. Marvel has done this before, most notably with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. These high watermarks of the franchise stuffed countless beloved characters into a gripping storyline, all the while making sure they got those magical moments of "fan service".
Marvel has done it again with Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film stands on the shoulders of giants, but then somehow pulls the giants up with them. This is a herculean feat of fan service that works because it takes all the "wouldn't it be cool if this happened?" moments and fits them into a story with high stakes, powerful arcs, deep emotions, important lessons and wry humour.
Spider-Man AKA Peter Parker (Holland) finds his life in turmoil, thanks to tabloid media jerk Jonah J. Jameson (Simmons) revealing his secret identity. In desperation he turns to sorcerer Dr Strange (Cumberbatch) to work his magic and make people forget Peter Parker is Spider-Man. But in doing so, they open up doorways into the multiverse, sending Spidey-villains from other universes into Peter's world.
Spider-Man is one of the most beloved Marvel characters for many reasons, and the non-MCU Spidey films that have worked best (Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, The Amazing Spider-Man and Into The Spider-Verse) have understood those reasons. More so than any other Marvel character, Spider-Man is born out of tragedy, defined by adversity, and constantly has to give up everything to make the world a better place. He's perpetually broke, unlucky in love, and struggles with the imbalances in his life in a way that feels real and relatable. He's always been the most human of the superhumans.
No Way Home gets this, just like Homecoming and Far From Home did. The film puts Spidey through the ringer, all the while cherishing what makes him unique and beloved. The film is full of pathos and heart, and isn't afraid to hit you in the feels hard. A lot of that comes down to Tom Holland's continual brilliance in the role, and a script that understands the legacy of the character and why he works.
It does all this in the midst of some remarkable fan service. It serves up things you didn't even know you wanted as a Spidey-fan, on top of the stuff you did want. Its villains are enjoyable and the film doesn't suffer from having too many, even if some get little more than the most basic of motivations. The spectacle is on a huge scale, but still manages to keep the characters front and centre.
The Home trilogy is now complete, and leaves Peter Parker in a fascinating and very Peter Parker-esque place. There has been talk of another trilogy, with Holland continuing in the role. Who knows where the character would go next, but as far as Spidey films go, this seems unbeatable.
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