SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (2021) 

There’s a lot to unpack with the latest MCU entry and the end of the Tom Holland trilogy, however most of it can’t be unpacked properly due to spoilers so… I’m gonna tiptoe. Go in with the same level of hype you currently have, it’s exactly the right amount because no matter what you’ll find lots to love, several things to take aim at and most of all a lot of surprises (depending on who you ask.) 

 

What’s so fantastic is the inclusion of so many great Marvel characters from the past and their returning actors taking on the roles once more. Their return is triumphant in an infinite amount of ways - letting us forgive the shortcomings of such actors as Jamie Foxx’s Electro from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 or even poking fun at the flawed, short-lived Rhino villain; while also letting us celebrate the brilliance that is Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn. For ONCE a Spider-Man film with this many villains doesn’t fall victim to a convoluted plot. 

 

No Way Home is Tom Holland’s time to shine - this is where Holland finally becomes the Spider-Man we have come to expect in every regard. His performance is powerful, showcasing his acting abilities we have yet to see - with only glimpses in films like Infinity War or Endgame. The film also delivers less of a mentor role for Peter this time around, allowing Parker to make his own critical decisions and allowing Doctor Strange to merely be a plot device to get the ball rolling. 

 

No Way Home’s biggest flaw is the fact that the multiverse opens up an entire can of worms of plot holes that are simply explained away as a circumstance of the multiverse taking place. This excuse doesn’t always cut it; however, as thoughts introduce themselves more and more after the credits roll, some of the writing choices appear rash. 

 

Once the flair of the film subsides we are left with a film that tries to combine a Spider-Man film with a Doctor Strange film with an Avengers event film. It’s A LOT and while it’s not necessarily convoluted, the story feels like the MCU is trying to unpack a little too much all at once - similar to Captain America: Civil War taking the Captain America title but instead giving us a “secret” event film. For those wanting something simple like the previous two Jon Watts' Spider-Man entries this might not be what you’re looking for, but for fans of the entirety of Spider-Man’s legacy (on film) No Way Home is surely not one to miss out on.