It basically goes like this: “You should expect to be dissatisfied, that way you’re never disappointed,” according to Zendaya’s MJ in Spider-Man: No Way Home. The worst probable outcome for young characters who are trying hard to get into MIT, is disappointment. No Way Home’s creators also gave off the impression that they were utterly terrified of letting their audience down. Viewers would be extremely angry if their anticipations for something a Spider-Man film featuring the multiverse should be and what they longed to observe were not met. Sony would be more than glad to provide the audience what they requested because it is anxious to generate as much money as humanly possible from this movie. But effective narration doesn’t always involve providing fans what they want; instead, it is about giving them what they need, even if it leads to defying their expectations. Because of this, Spider-Man: No Way Home mostly has the air of terrible fanfiction—an effort to turn unsatisfying old stories into something enjoyable. Is it hilarious? Similar to how consuming a lot of sugar is entertaining, but you don’t actually feel well afterwards.
During the final sequences of No Way Home, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio disclosed that Tom Holland’s Peter Parker was Spider-Man. People now all know that Peter is Spider-Man and speculate that he might also be a killer, even though he is awkwardly exonerated of the charges of murdering Mysterio. In fact, the 1st half of the story in the movie is a muddle, and the whole thing about Peter being accused and suspected of killing Mysterio doesn’t make a lot of sense. Peter personally asks Benedict Cumberbatch’s Dr. Strange to turn back time as he would like the world to return to the period before his identity was revealed. Though Strange claims he is no longer able to accomplish that, he’s still capable of using magic to cause everyone to lose their memories about Spider-Man’s true identity. Yet the ethics of tampering with people’s memories was never discussed as the film made no relevant effort at all. The spell turns awry and unlocked the gateways of the multiverse to allow additional beings who are aware of Spider-Man’s identity as Peter Parker to enter, since during the casting process Peter continues to interfere as he wants certain people to remain acknowledging his secret. This entails encountering the antagonists from the Spider-Man trilogy, which are Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin, Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus, Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman, together with those from The Amazing Spider-Man series, including Rhys Ifans’s Lizard and Jamie Foxx’s Electro.
Far From Home makes it apparent that, despite Sony and Marvel‘s remarkable commercial success in producing these films, Spider-Man has had a tough time as a character. Tom Holland keeps getting better at playing the part sincehe’s a likable man and understands the way to deliver the smartass elements of a juvenile Peter Parker. His ability to rebound off MJ and Jacob Batolon’s Ned has also been of great assistance. However, considering that this is Holland’s 5th film as Spider-Man, I am unable to comment on how he has actually developed, transformed, or what motivates him throughout these tales. This is because the Spider-Man version in the Marvel Cinematics Universe is whatever the plot of the given film calls for him to be. In other words, you wouldn’t miss out on anything significant about Peter Parker if you jumped to No Way Home without having watched Homecoming or Far From Home. He doesn’t really change between films as much as he just has a new conflict, and that conflict often takes precedence over his personal motivation.
Strangely, in No Way Home, his dispute centers around the cliché that “with power comes great responsibility,” despite the fact that Captain America: Civil War strongly suggests that Peter had already internalized that lesson after Uncle Ben’s passing. Here, Peter is currently prepared to abdicate his duty even if doing so will possibly result in the deaths of the antagonists. Moreover, the multiversal factor doesn’t make a lot of sense, thus don’t attempt to figure it out, as these characters know one another, but they’re from various points in a timeline as well, and the only thing that truly counts is that Marvel gathered the characters in this movie. Then, Peter was taught the lesson that everyone deserves a second chance, by Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May. This seems like a strange lesson for Peter who previously chose to save Michael Keaton’s Vulture, who constantly attempted to kill him and acknowledged who he really was. As such, Peter makes the decision to “cure” the six antagonists before sending them home to ensure their survival.
No Way Home’s storyline eventually settles into a rhythm at this point, and it is undeniable that it’s entertaining to observe these bad guys joking around with one another. If you count his appearance in Spider-Man 2, Willem Dafoe hasn’t portrayed the Green Goblin since 2004, so it’s wonderful to see him reclaim the role and show off everything he’s got. Nobody in this movie feels like they’re getting paid, and the movie is awesome when it just puts all the characters in one room and lets them connect. Nonetheless, since the MCU‘s Peter Parker isn’t founded in anything, the idea that he feels obligated to “rescue” them doesn’t feel reasonable either. Nothing that has occurred until now suggests that Peter is compelled to stop the antagonists, particularly given the fact that he didn’t appear overly distraught about Mysterio’s demise. Instead, Peter remains full of love towards his friends and family. It’s not so much that I think Peter would have no concern as it is that there is a dramatic discrepancy in how he has been portrayed throughout this franchise.
Additionally, the movie looks a lot more at ease when Doctor Strange isn’t present, which is another indication that it struggles with how to use the character. Cumberbatch and Holland don’t have a lot of chemistry, and Strange doesn’t really disclose any information related to his relationship to Peter, or Peter’s opinion of him; he just appears to be there, acting as a plot device. Even though this, of course, isn’t Strange’s own film, he’s barely used much to his value. When it comes to action sequences, this fight with Peter in the mirror reality is perhaps the best one in the movie. He is either using spells or is in a large set piece.
You could inquire, “How can you say that? How is that superior to the ending when Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield appear altogether?” It’s a bit simple to say that since it’s the only action sequence that feels reasonably imaginative and appealing to the eye; nevertheless, we’ll answer such questions in a second. Although I was impartial about Jon Watts as a director before seeing No Way Home, I now have no doubts that he is a completely boring director. I am aware that Marvel has a distinctive style, but there is no requirement that their films must have a dishwater-brown color. His shot compositions are perplexing, and the pacing appears to be more concerned with getting to the next one-liner than with hitting any emotional notes. His approach to No Way Home shouts, “This will do,” from every angle.
The worst part is that since he has Garfield and Maguire at his disposal, he can almost get away with it. Despite what you think of their individual films, audiences would go crazy when the actors appeared on screen since they adored those who played Peter Parker and Spider-Man. The fact that Holland, Garfield, and Maguire are now able to appear together and interact with one another in No Way Home nearly seems like a prize for everyone who endured a number of Spider-Man films. It’s enjoyable, I won’t argue. They are endearing in these roles, but their participation in No Way Home is limited to conveying the lesson that “With great power comes great responsibility” and the fact that they have also struggled with wrath and loss. It’s not a horrible idea to borrow that passage from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse book, but it would have made more sense in the first film in the franchise rather than the sixth, or third, if you only care about the franchise that features Tom Holland.
I’m sure this review comes across as cynical. I mean, I’ve already said the movie is entertaining. No Way Home gives the audience what they wait for , and I’m certain there will be a lot of applause when these Spider-Man movie alumni appear. However, is this the only thing that all films should be? Is it just a matter of realizing what it is? In fact, great movies are about great plot, and No Way Home is more about assembling a bunch of actors you know to perform roles you’ve already been accustomed to watch before than it is about delivering a great plot. Spider-Verse makes a point about the reason Spider-Man became a special figure who delivers so many meanings to this world, and its brilliance lies in how it demonstrates that this “many Spider-Men” method is able to deliver in a terrific picture. No Way Home’s sole purpose is to cause viewers to nod and grin at familiar images before the movie closes with all of the characters having their memories about Spider-Man’s true identity erased.
What is the reason to end the movie in this way? Does Peter need to exercise caution in what he wishes for, and this is the lesson he was supposed to learn from the film? No, it’s a business decision since Tom Holland, Sony, and Marvel haven’t decided what the character’s future holds. Since No Way Home never truly intended to present a satisfying Spider-Man story, that is not a satisfying conclusion. It substitutes quantity for quality, but quantity is sometimes acceptable. Even though it is the most Spider-Man movie, some people mistake it for being the “greatest.” Spider-Man: No Way Home, however, is simply “OK.”
