Stuck in the web: “Spider-Man: No Way Home”

★★★★★

Stuck in the web: “Spider-Man: No Way Home

By Thomas Jones, Intern

The new “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is an action packed movie about a hero that will inspire you to want to make a change for the better. The movie became the second-biggest box office opening of any movie ever, reaching 260 million dollars for opening weekend, and rightfully so. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is the third of the movies in which Tom Holland plays the friendly neighborhood superhero.

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” mostly takes place in New York City, just like many other Spiderman movies. The film closely follows the events of “Spider-Man: Far From Home”, after Spider-Man’s identity as Peter Parker is revealed by Mysterio. Mysterio’s accusation of Parker being a murderer and villain causes chaos to ensue for Parker and his friends and family. Following three college application rejections to Parker, his best friend, Ned Leeds and girlfriend, Michelle Jones, or ‘MJ’, from their dream school of MIT, in distress Parker reaches out to Doctor Strange for help. He asks Dr. Strange to make everyone forget he is Spider-Man besides a select few, and the change in Strange’s spell opens up the multiverse. Villains from earlier Spider-Man movie franchises flood in, including Dr. Otto Octavius, Green Goblin, Electro and The Lizard. Strange wants to capture the multiverse men and send them back to their own universes, however Parker realizes this will result in their deaths, and wants to cure them from their ‘evilness’ before doing so. This results in major conflict between Strange and Parker, and Parker traps Strange to try and cure the villains before Strange sends them back. 

Later in the film, former Spider-Man franchise actors Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire enter the main Marvel Cinematic Universe from their own respective universes. The appearance of old villains and Spider-Mans brings joy and nostalgia to new and old fans of Spider-Man. The chemistry between Holland, Garfield and Maguire was outstanding. Holland’s acting was also amazing, and brought the audience to the highest of highs and lowest of lows. 

The movie definitely has a ton of comedy, but at times veers into the territory of a lack of seriousness, something that happens frequently in modern day movies where they try to be goofy and silly all the time. However, I will give them credit, as towards the end of the movie, things got more serious. 

Tom Holland’s ability to show emotion even when wearing the mask was evident. You could tell when he was angered or stressed or mad just through his movements. Andrew Garfield and Tobey expressed their connection to Tom Holland’s Peter Parker well and showed how they’ve had many of the same experiences and how going through some of the same painful situations made them feel. The movie had well-done special effects for villains, especially Electro. Some of my favorite effects are with Spider-Man’s suit, which in the film is made out of nanotechnology. The suit seamlessly reforms and changes shape. The soundtrack was mediocre, and was very similar to previous movies. The score was intense and captured the action that engulfed the film.

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” puts Tom Holland’s Spider Man in situations with the highest of stakes and tests Peter Parker’s personhood, and Parker comes out as a stronger superhero than he was at the start of the film. The fantastic acting, nostalgia and effects make this movie one of the best I’ve seen, and I give it five stars.