At the end of 2021, Marvel’s fortunes became crystal clear: no matter what the company released after The Final Solution, the only thing the public really cared about was Spider-Man. Neither Black Widow nor, much less, Forevermore were able to get people back into the cinemas. Only Shan-Chi miraculously failed, and that was more thanks to positive word of mouth than to the efforts of marketers. On the contrary, the trailers for No Way Home broke the record of viewings, and every leak about the film was discussed in the thematic media – this is hype, pure and unfiltered. So coveted and so dangerous. Because when you promise the audience a movie-events, you can’t get away with just a solid average, what studios rivet several times a year. You can get booed and the box office can collapse on the second weekend. But fortunately, the new Spider-Man delivers on all its promises, both those made by the creators and those made by the fans.
Mysterio’s final trick worked flawlessly: Peter’s public exposure ruined his life. Now Aunt May’s house is besieged by fans and haters of the hero, he himself is pressured by the secret service, and J.J.J. Jameson is all over the city’s screens, slinging mud at Spidey. But worse, MJ and Ned are the victims, and their bright future with college, a decent job and a clean reputation goes down the drain because of their association with Peter. And Parker can’t let that happen. In desperation he asks for help from Dr. Strange, who suggests a very radical way to solve the problem – to erase all people’s memories of the true identity of a friendly neighbour. But the ritual fails, with the result that visitors from other worlds – those who already know that under the mask of Spider-Man hides Peter Parker – show up in New York.
The previous two films in John Watts’ Spider Trilogy have been justifiably accused by many of being too lightweight. Peter performed feats, fought villains, even complexed himself a little bit, but it was all given to him somehow too painlessly, especially in comparison to previous versions of the character. Mistakes were not fatal, bumps did not hurt, and in crisis situations either Tony Stark or his inventions bailed him out. In addition, everything was so lavishly spiced with humour that the tone of the narrative gravitated more towards teen romantic comedies than superhero epics. And while Return Home was forgiven for this, the sequel was already a bit secondary. Fortunately, the third installment takes a completely different path.
“No Way Home is entirely a film about Peter Parker and the difficult moral dilemmas he faces. Neither Doctor Strange nor guests from previous adaptations throw off the focus of the story. For too long the hero has been running away from great responsibility, too often getting away with it – it’s time to finally learn his lesson and grow up. While it’s still a Marvel blockbuster with the obligatory cascade of jokes, the intensity of the drama is higher than most of the studio’s projects. Problems pile up on top of Peter, and their weight is palpable. Mostly, of course, by Tom Holland’s efforts. Over the last couple of years, even die-hard sceptics have been able to see that he’s not just a smarmy kid with puppy-dog eyes, but a talented actor – thanks to the dramas The Downward Bound and The Devil Is Always Here. “No Way Home” allows him to demonstrate his abilities to the fullest – there’s fear, anger, powerlessness and a whole other palette of emotions that this Spidey couldn’t boast before, because the script wouldn’t let him. Glimpses of something like this we’ve only seen in the famous scene from Infinity War. Here, however, Holland confidently shines.
However, we have the screenwriters and director John Watts to thank for that. How easy it would have been to turn the film into a two-hour fanservice festival. Here are references to past adaptations, here’s a wagonload of memes, there’s, after all, Alfred Molina as Dr. Octavius and the usual insane Willem Defoe (oh, no spoilers – they were shown back in the trailers). The unassuming audience would have squealed with delight anyway. But no – the film tells a coherent and cohesive story. Yes, not so original in the franchise framework: we have heard the moral that it is not easy to be a hero and that right actions have a high price, way back in 2002. It’s a central message in any Spider-Man story – think of Uncle Ben’s great admonition. However, No Way Home delivers simple truths in an effective and heartfelt way.
And while we’re on the subject of villains, let’s talk more about them, because the characters from the earlier films weren’t just added for the publicity campaign. The Octopus and especially the Green Goblin arcs get their own legitimate development, which surprisingly doesn’t contradict Sam Raimi’s films, but complements them. It’s not a stretched-out cameo, but precisely that long-awaited revenge. And not so much against Spider-Man as against the inner demons that plague both scientists. However, scenes of Otto scattering cars with his tentacles and Osborn tossing bombs around with a devilish laughter will also quicken any fan’s heartbeat. The rest of the supervillains in the film appear more for company to close out Sony’s long-standing gestalt on the Sinister Six theme, but their presence is fully justified by the final battle – Watts has never been a critic in terms of action staging, but here he’s probably outdone himself.
Conclusion
“No Way Home is not just another Marvel blockbuster, but the quintessence of Spider-Man’s twenty-year history on the big screen, a declaration of love for the red and blue tights hero and his fans. Is this the best feature film about the character? No – Sam Raimi’s second film is still out of competition, and there’s a reason why Through the Universe won its Oscar. But it’s definitely, beyond any doubt, the best Spidey solo film played by Tom Holland and one of the best pictures of the year. We have no idea how Kevin Feigy will now attempt to evoke a storm of emotion from audiences, similar to the one that swells a cinema hall during a screening.