Some kids feel like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders while other kids feel like they have the weight of three worlds. You might say that about Peter Parker in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. The fallout from the events of the previous film turns out to be worse than expected but not as bad as what comes from Peter's attempts to rectify the situation. It comes together in a sequence of big, rising tension that's surprisingly effective. I hated the previous film in the MCU Spider-Man trilogy and, since this one comes from the same director and writers, I wasn't expecting much. I'm so happy to have been surprised.
The previous film, Far From Home, felt weak due to a broad comedic tone that drained any real feeling of stakes or tension from every turn of events. No Way Home dispenses with that tone right away as the immediate consequences of the world learning Spider-Man's identity come into play.
A tense scene in which Spider-Man (Tom Holland) has to save MJ (Zendaya) from a suddenly hostile crowd turns into a death-defying chase sequence above and below the city that ends with a long take in Parker's home. He and others shuffle in confusion through hallways as he tries to shut all the windows to the suddenly congregating helicopters while trying to focus on the more down to earth relationship issues between May (Marissa Tomei) and Happy (Jon Favreau). The physical tension of these scenes blends well with the more long lasting psychological tension as Peter's friends and family adjust to the new, constantly changing normal that brings disaster in a steady stream. There seems to be no respite until Peter has the bright idea of visiting Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). But actually that's when his real troubles begin.
It kind of reminded me of the beginning Raimi's Spider-Man 2, which I watched again recently. The first half hour of that film so brilliantly establishes just how desperate Peter's (Tobey Maguire) financial situation is. There's a feeling of authenticity to his poverty that the new films can't match. But this is a common problem in media because there is a wealthy class now that is very good at convincing itself that it's poor, which makes it difficult for them to research or contemplate actual poverty. But speaking of Raimi's Spider-Man films, they certainly have a palpable presence in No Way Home, as does the Mark Webb series.
The best point of comparison for what this movie does would be to look at the Doctor Who anniversary specials. As far as I know, that's the only other time the various incarnations of the same character in a popular screen franchise have met. No Way Home certainly seems to have taken notes and uses the opportunity nicely. It's not just a fan service stunt, the characters have meaningful interaction that is kind of touching. They try to give each other advice based on what they've learned as well as endearingly rejoice at meeting someone who understands their solitary struggles.
There are a few logical aspects of the plot that don't make sense (other critics have covered them well enough I won't go into them here) but they never override the film's positives the way they did in Far From Home. The result is one of the best in the now well established nostalgia genre of films with a very effective story in its own right. It certainly made me want to see Doctor Strange 2 even more though I am worried about the reshoots Raimi was compelled to do by Disney. People have been complaining Book of Boba Fett is too "Disney-fied"--I don't think that's true, I just think people expected Boba Fett to be a psycho killer for reasons never supported by the canon. But the MCU has shown repeatedly the dangers of Disneyfication to diminish dramatic effect. I really want Doctor Strange 2 to be a good Raimi horror movie.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is available in theatres.
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