ZOEY LARSON | DEC. 23, 2021 | ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
The roar from the crowd was deafening on opening night of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” as audiences tried to fathom what we were seeing. Cheers, profanities, and gasps filled the air, along with the muted sounds of tears rolling down cheeks. Marvel superfans and casual viewers alike sat stunned in their seats while the movie continued on with its impressive effects, heartbreaking plot points, and altogether excitement at every turn.
We can’t talk about this movie without addressing the return of Spider-Man veterans Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, who were incorporated into the movie quite seamlessly. Despite continued denial of their involvement, both actors reappeared on screen, and not just for small cameos. They built a lovely relationship with Peter Parker – that is, Tom Holland’s version – and became mentors to him, aiding in both his physical and emotional battles. Maguire and Garfield’s characters also developed a mutual respect and camaraderie with each other, even sharing a few good quips. The three’s dynamic was well done in that it was heartwarming without being overly cliche. They bonded over their shared pain and humored the audience with references to their respective movies.
I could easily see that the people behind this project knew what fans wanted. Along with the aforementioned moments, the particular parallel between Garfield’s portrayal of Peter being unable to save girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) in 2014’s “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” and rescuing MJ in “No Way Home” was not lost on viewers. We gasped and cried along with this Spider-Man as he realized he had succeeded where he once failed.
Along with these heroes came villains Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Electro (Jamie Foxx), Lizard (Rhys Ifans), Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), and Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), all of whom were plucked from moments before their respective deaths in their universes and transported to ours. Though there were evidently a lot of characters and opportunities packed into the film, the pacing was good and everything was adequately spaced so that audiences were always captivated without being overwhelmed. One villain who stuck out to me was the Green Goblin. Willem Dafoe topped his original 2002 performance, delivering a frighteningly unhinged Norman Osborn that laughed in the face of death and seamlessly switched between personalities.
Something especially impressive regarding “No Way Home” was the visual effects. The way they were able to combine the mind-bending imagery of “Dr. Strange” with the traditional fight sequences we’d expect from a Spider-Man film, as well as the looks of each individual villain’s powers was astounding. The VFX team truly deserves so much credit for managing to adapt these 2000s and 2010s practical effects to the 2021 screen without making them look out of place within the newer technology, nor striving too far away from their original designs.
The storyline itself was well-written, incorporating a multitude of other characters while still focusing on Tom Holland’s Peter and his life, with the normal college admissions, friendships, and relationships that come with being a high school senior. The ending rounded out his character well, leaving room for more movies revolving around his new life and the introduction of new characters while also providing a nice closing point for this trilogy.
A downfall of this movie packing so much into its two-and-a-half-hour run time was that the writers were forced to sideline Dr. Strange for much of the film. While I agree that with him there would have been too many levels of conflict in the second half, it is unrealistic for a character of his skill to be rendered incapable how he was.
Another critique of the film is the sequencing of scenes, which at times gave viewers emotional whiplash. For instance, Aunt May’s death scene was followed immediately by Garfield and Maguire’s entrances. While this kept the pacing on track to include everything audiences wanted, it was a large emotional jump from despair and a sorrowful deja vu moment for audiences to inane excitement and applause.
None of this is to say that “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is a bad movie or underdelivered in any aspect – it was all audiences hoped for and more, an “Endgame”-level film with enough surprises to keep even those who have done deep dives into the leaks on the edge of their seats.
If Garfield and Maguire’s appearances weren’t enough, the film includes a cameo by Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, who had not been confirmed as part of the MCU since his show came out, as well as other characters in the post credit scenes. The first featured Eddie Brock and Venom, a continuation of them being teased in the post credit scene of “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” from October earlier this year. It was a humorous scene, but a bit disappointing. While I’m glad the Venom symbiote was left in this universe for Peter or someone else to find, I would’ve loved for Eddie to stay in the MCU and interact with other characters. However, the “Venom” franchise is one that doesn’t take themselves too seriously so it did not come completely unexpected.
The second scene, a full teaser for “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” exceeded expectations. With the return of Baron Mordo of the first “Dr. Strange” film and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, as well as a mysterious Dr. Strange doppelganger (a possible connection to the “What If…?” animated series) and young hero America Chavez’s first on-screen appearance, fans left the theater with much to speculate about.
Overall, this film soared above viewer expectations and delivered a visually pleasing film full of twists and history-making scenes alongside a heart wrenching storyline that left viewers stunned. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is a must-see for Marvel fans or anyone looking for an interesting, emotional, and jam-packed movie. While nothing will beat the excitement of watching it for the first time in theaters, I’d gladly rewatch “No Way Home” again and again.