“Spider-Man: No Way Home” gives us a finale that’s truly amazing

By: Adam Beam 12/18/2021

Not since “Avengers: Endgame” has the excitement for a comic book film been this contagious. While “Endgame” was the culmination of ten years of MCU films, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” had quite a lot to follow up on. Not only is it the third film in a trilogy, but it had to also deliver on the shocking cliffhanger at the end of “Far From Home” as well as being a companion piece to two previous Spider-Men series. With so much to juggle in one movie, no one really knew what to expect, mainly because something like this had never been done before. Thankfully, not only does this movie succeed at balancing 20+ years of material, but it comes out being one of, if not, the best Spider-Man movies.

This review will be mostly spoiler free, but do keep in mind that what you’re seeing in the trailers is only the first 30 minutes of the film, so in order to talk about certain elements it may fall on the spoiler side of things. The film picks up right after the end of “Far From Home”, Peter Parker’s life is put through the ringer as the whole world knows he’s Spider-Man. Suddenly, the citizens of New York are split, some still support the web-slinger, while others believe him to be a murderer (mainly spearheaded by J. Jonah Jameson). This especially hurts Peter as his friends and loved ones are caught in the crossfire. Desperate to undo these events, he turns to Doctor Strange for help. One botched spell later, suddenly villains from across the multiverse have arrived. From Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus, Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin to even Thomas Hayden Church’s Sandman, and now Peter must find a way to stop these other worldly intruders.

Now while it’s debatable whether this is the best out of all the Spider-Men movies, there’s no denying this is the best of the Tom Holland movies. The main reason being this is the movie where Spider-Man becomes Spider-Man. Not to spoil anything, but by the end of this movie Peter is no longer the nerdy kid hiding in the shadow of Tony Stark and pushing his responsibilities off on another hero. Finally, he becomes the true friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Tom Holland really delivers a great performance. All the actors are on point here, and the best part is they all are given plenty of time to shine. Molina and Dafoe are just as engaging as they were in the Raimi trilogy. The biggest surprise here is Jamie Foxx as Electro. He really shines and comes off as a far more charming and

interesting character than his bizarre turn in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”.

Most of my issues with the film are more nitpicks than anything else. The action in the film is great, with some really brutal fight scenes that truly pack a punch. However, some of the fight scenes set at night, especially the final battle, are a little too dark to see what’s going on. The visual effects range from pretty good to surprisingly fake looking. While the film balances the plethora of characters, some do get the short end of the stick. Character motivations can change from scene to scene and some characters are just able to do things they never could before with little explanation.

Despite these few flaws, it in no way hinders the overall enjoyment fans will get from “No Way Home”. The film delivers on some long term promises and serves as the best conclusion possible for the “Homecoming” trilogy, but also serves as the beginning for a new era of Spider-Man. The film is funny, action-packed and shockingly emotional. This film ties for “Endgame” as the most emotional MCU movie to date. If you consider yourself a Spider-Man fan I assure you that this movie will not disappoint.

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