Spider-Man: No Way Home is here. And it’s probably one of Marvel’s all-time best
This movie proved to be an epic fanservice with immaculate execution and blasts from the past
"With great power comes great responsibility", this iconic dialogue rang true not only to Spider-Man but also to the British actor, Tom Holland as a lot was riding on him to deliver on the intense hype surrounding 'Spiderman: No Way Home'.
Breaking away from the long cycle of forgettable sequels, the latest installment in the Spider-man saga did not disappoint.
The youngest Spider-Man in Tom Holland was indeed a perfect fit for the role of this youthful superhero.
From the IMDb ratings and Box Office reports, Sony's ninth feature film, 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' has broken all records of previous Spider-Man franchises.
But what makes this movie so special to the superhero movie fanatics? Well, it will take you back to the days you first got introduced to 'Peter Parker' and fell in love with Spiderman.
Synopsis: Caution! Spoilers ahead
The movie proceeds from the end-credit scene of 'Spider-Man: Far from home', where the pseudo-antagonist Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) blamed Spider man for his murder and all the destructions caused by Edith (Tony Stark' security AI).
To make matters worse, he revealed Spider-Man's real identity to the public which resulted in chaos. From his college to his home, Peter, and everyone close to him suffered from harassment and undue public scrutiny.
Soon enough, that led us to the first surprise cameo by Matt Murdock aka Marvel's Daredevil that made the audience gasp with excitement. He appeared as the lawyer who consulted Peter in the Mysterio murder trial and warned him of more catastrophe.
And he would soon be proven right as Peter saw his friend Ned, his girlfriend MJ and himself getting rejected from their dream colleges because of the rising hatred from the public.
Thus a frustrated, devastated and still naive Peter Parker desperately seeks a way out of this mess, to possibly turn back time so everyone would forget that he was the spider-man.
So where do you go to unwrite a story from your life? Or to treat your misery? A magician? A doctor? The right answer is both, meaning Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch).
After a reparte with Dr. Strange, Peter requested for a unique favour to make everyone forget that he was Spiderman. Strange impulsively agreed to cast a spell aftera few minutes of hesitation. However, the doctor warned that the spell "holds the power to mess with the unknown".
Again, spoiler alert! The return of the villains
After Dr. Strange's attempt to cast a spell and the introduction of the multiverse, the madness began with the merging of three Spider-Man eras. Undoubtedly, it further excited the theatre crowd. Villains from different universes/dimensions started to enter into Peter's world who knew Peter Parker is the original name of Spider-Man.
First comes, Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), with his epic robotic hands. And eventually Peter encounters the other ferocious villains such as Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Electro (Jamie Fox), Sandman (Thomas Haden) and The Lizard (Rhys Ifans). However, Doctor Strange locks everyone in his dungeon to send them back to their fate, which might eventually kill some of them.
As an empathetic kid, this decision shook young Peter's mind and he questioned Strange's actions. So Peter voiced a philosophy that favour rehabilitation over just getting rid of them. As Strange disagreed we see a cinematic fight scene between them which, in some parts, proved funny rather than serious. made us chuckle as well.
Of course, the idea of rescuing the evils at some point backfired. And interestingly Ned gained the power of Dr. Strange which, eventually, led to a few unforgettable events.
The casting selection was top-notch as the first two installments. Zendaya as MJ reflected a realistic teen next door, sarcastic, intelligent and authentic. Jacob as Ned poked at funny bones spontaneously.
Tom Holland might be the youngest among all the Spider-Mans but he proved himself anything but noob as the protagonist. His dialogue delivery as both a nerdy teen and a strong superhero were spot on. At the end we see him leading a miserable life as Spidermans are fated to do so, which shows how the movie respected the essence of the comic-books.
When it came to antagonists, the presence of Alfred Molina and Willem Dafoe was as menacing as always while Jamie Foxx and Thomas Haden Church were decent.
In terms of story-telling, 'Spiderman: No Way Home' adopted multiple comic book arcs merged in this epic tale. Although the story felt linear with rather one-dimensional characters and no real antagonists, it was consistent, delivered on its promises and was an emotional roller-coaster ride.
It tactfully portrayed Peter's journey from a naive but brilliant teenage superhero to his struggles with the daunting new reality. The big revelation in the end will leave you with mixed feelings when Peter takes the ultimate decision, proving how much he has matured. It is a visible contrast of how the film started.
The action sequences, as it always is with Marvel, was once again brilliant and the choreography of the superhero battle might be one of the greatest appeals for the audiences.
Like any other Marvel's film this movie had few logical loopholes, however the overwhelming amount of positive sides made the fans underestimate those gaffes.
The easter eggs, impeccable CGI, thoughtful screenplay, stellar cast, well executed jokes and the mind-boggling surprise cameos, overall made this action packed cinema one of Marvel's most incredible movies.
And yes, do not make the mistake of leaving the hall once the movie is over. It is not really over till you sit through both the post-credits.
A perfect movie to watch to end a dramatic year.
