Spider-Man: No Way Home Review
In a year that’s been jam-packed with MCU content, Spider-Man: No Way Home stands at the top of what everyone wanted to see. Fans absolutely lost when the first trailer dropped, myself included, and the hype just kept building from that point on. So, when opening day finally arrived, you can bet I was going to see it. And it is not an exaggeration when I say that No Way Home is a movie 20 years in the making, and worth the wait. It’s likely the best Spidey film since Into the Spider-Verse.
All the Rumors Are True
Let’s get this out of the way: all the rumors we heard about No Way Home are true. Do what you will with that info, but at this point, there’s no need to hide it.
The Villains Are Absolutely Amazing
One thing that can be said without giving away too much, though, is what the fans already guessed. Since their reveal, fans speculated whether or not the villains we see are the same incarnations from past Spider-Man films. They are, in fact, the same ones from the Raimi and Webb films. Thanks to the botched spell, the majority of them were pulled right before they ended up dying. As a result, most of the villains aren’t too keen on going back, and actively try to avoid that.
A few people have criticized No Way Home for having too much fan service. After seeing the film, it’s easy to understand why. The sheer number of villains makes it a tough juggling act to maintain. Fortunately, the movie makes up for this shortcoming by letting the two most famous villains really shine: Dr. Octopus and the Green Goblin.
Dr. Octopus Was Awesome…
Alfred Molina was beloved for his role as Doc Ock, and fans were ecstatic over his return. Already superb as the villain, Molina shows that his acting has only gotten better in the last 17 years. It’s a joy seeing him once more, even if he got pulled before his redemption.
But There’s a Reason Why Goblin’s the Most Dangerous Villain
The best villain, though, is undoubtedly Willem DaFoe as the Green Goblin. Some have criticized his performance as Spider-Man’s greatest enemy, but for an entire generation, he was the Green Goblin. I see the Goblin, and all I can imagine is Willem DaFoe playing him. And in this film, he reminds everyone why he’s Spidey’s worst enemy.
Willem owns it as the Goblin. Ditching the, admittedly, clunky mask early on let’s DaFoe use his full acting chops, and the results are breathtaking. He gives all the megalomania and madness that goes into the character, and does more damage to Peter than any other villain. Goblin is the king of Spidey villains, and No Way Home reminds us of that.
Peter Messes Up and Pays for It
On the other side of this film, we have Tom Holland as Peter Parker once again, and by now, he has truly grown into his role as Spider-Man. Unfortunately, this film also sees Peter get out through the ringer.
Thanks to Mysterio’s lies, Peter’s life gets shot to hell. At first, the idea of a Spider-Man whose identity is publicly known seems like a unique and interesting concept. After all, most of the heroes of the MCU are known to the public. However, the film’s quick to remind us that Peter is not Tony Stark. Whereas Stark would soak up the attention like a sponge, Peter is still a teenager and can’t handle the attention, both positive and negative. And, like any teenager, this leads him to make some bad decisions.
I’ll be honest: much of the conflict in this film is because of Peter’s short-sightedness. Had he thought things through more, he could’ve have come up with a better solution without messing things up so bad. Dr. strange even lampshades this by saying he could’ve specified who to exclude from the amnesia spell beforehand and saved them a lot of trouble. I could practically hear the “Here’s a Bright Idea” Guy from HISHE at one point.
No Way Home puts Peter through absolute Hell, and by the time it’s done, the title has a very literal meaning. He can’t go home or go back to the way things were. However, it also lets Peter step up and show just what makes him so great. I dare say it, but the MCU Spider-Man proves that he’s not just as amazing as his predecessors, but superior. And if you get that joke, good for you.
No Way Home is Marvel’s Film of the Year
So, is No Way Home everything the fans wanted. It is, and then some. This was a movie that Marvel and Sony had set us up for twenty years beforehand, and delivers on almost everything it promises. In a year where Marvels worked to make up for 2020, it’s only natural that they end it with their best character and best film.
Now, go buy yourself a ticket and watch this movie. Or go see it again if you want!
Now, listen to this fusion of the three Spider-Men’s themes, thanks to the likes of the brilliant YouTube composer, Samuel Kim.
I Give Spider-Man: No Way Home a 4.9/5.
Stray Observations
- I have a list of the people I now hate from this film: screw Mysterio for ruining Spidey’s happiness, and screw that guy from Damage Control who tries to bring Peter in.
- Spider-Man 4 is already in development, confirms Marvel
- I’m expecting Sony to start having all their Spider-Man films crossover with each other. The flood gates are opened and we can’t close them!
- Expect Doctor Strange to deal with the consequences of his screw-up in The Multiverse of Madness.
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