Spider-Man: No Way Home is the Spider-Man franchise at its strongest
Photo: Sony Pictures
Spider-Man: No Way Home has succeeded in perhaps what every film franchise can only dream of — to appease all their fans across the universe. This review will be a little different as I asked the youngest one in our family and keeper of all Spider-Man knowledge to write his thoughts for me. But first…
The Official Synopsis:
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.
A word count and solid deadline (plus a late night burger meal and a bribe of Robux) later, here’s what they had to say:
Spider-man No Way Home was by far the most enjoyable piece of superhero content this year )and we all know 2021 had lots of them) and exceeded my expectations. The hype this movie generated was only matched by films like Avengers: Endgame, perhaps even more. The villains actually felt like they were taken straight from the original movies, serving a purpose, and weren’t just used for fanservice. After the cliff-hanger that Spider-Man: Far From Home had, it was nice to finally see Peter Parker face consequences in a film. The aftermath of this is gone into heavy detail throughout the film, which affects everyone close to Peter Parker, such as his aunt, his girlfriend, and his best friend. With the entire world against him, Peter has almost no one to go to for help. This was a perfect way to introduce Doctor Strange in the movie, as he offers to help Peter by making everyone forget he is Spider-Man. With all the action and plot points in the movie, you would expect it to be all over the place, and a general mess, however that is not the case, and they managed to make it all make sense, while also keeping it complex. Overall I’d say this is one of the best MCU films ever.
What did I tell you? This film delivers for even the most discerning critics. On a personal note (minor spoilers — skip this, exit out of this browser now if you haven’t seen it)…
The Filipino representation in the new Spider-Man: No Way Home was so unexpectedly delightful. This scene in particular had me and the only other Filipino girl in the theatre (hi Lara!) in fits while everyone was silent. Even though we are told repeatedly that representation matters, you don't realise the full extent of what it feels like until you sit in a movie theatre and hear your own language and see people who look like you on screen. And I looked over to my youngest brother and saw the look of pure joy in his face and realised that this means so much to him too.
The scene itself was short but said so much about the Filipino culture. The set perfectly captured the essence and feeling of Lola’s house from the lace to the decor. But it was the depiction and symbolism that I thought really resonated as a Filipino. We are known for our unparalleled hospitality and caring nature, and that scene brought that to life. How in a crisis, one will always be welcomed into our homes, fed, sheltered, and taken care of whether you are family by blood or by choice.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is out in cinemas now and is directed Jon Watts and stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau with Marisa Tomei. Watch the trailer here: