Spider-Man: no way home... review

Happy Day 18 of Blogmas! Which also means exactly one week left until the big day!

For today's blog post I thought it would be a good decision to finally write a spoiler-free review of Spider-Man: No Way Home. It seems as though every single person in the world has seen it, so it is a good time to talk about it, yet for those who haven't seen it, I absolutely will not mention any potential spoilers.

So, let's get started. Here is day 18 of Blogmas and my thoughts on Spider-Man: No Way Home.

With Spider-Man's identity now revealed, our friendly neighbourhood web-slinger is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life as Peter Parker from the high stakes of being a superhero. When Peter asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.

This movie was everything fans needed it to be. Not only was it a love letter to the character, but is filled with old and new elements of the character that fans love, including a few familiar faces from previous movies. So, let's start with the characters and the actors who play them.

We can't discuss Spider-Man without talking about the man himself, Tom Holland. I will argue with everyone who says this man was not BORN to play this role, he literally is Spider-Man. Now, I loved Holland in his previous two Spider movies, yet he stepped up his game in this movie. Not only have the action and fighting scenes stepped up, but Holland's emotional vulnerability on screen. I thought he was a great actor before, but this performance has solidified my thoughts. Holland is great and this is absolutely his greatest performance to date. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are also great in this movie - allowing for some much deserved solo screen time that allows these side characters to be more fleshed out. The relationship the three share on screen is great, enabling some light-hearted humorous scenes, alongside some serious and emotional moments as well. The trio have done an amazing job in this movie, and if it the last one with these three, they have done an amazing job and should be super proud of themselves.

Benedict Cumberbatch also deserves a special shoutout, and whilst he may not be in the movie for a long time, his scenes are charming, focussing on pushing the next phase of the MCU forward and his on screen relationship with Holland is outstanding, creating some really funny and heartfelt moments between the two.

Now, the villains. Willem Defoe in his reprising role as the Green Goblin is genuinely terrifying and his ability to morph his face into the goblin-like smile is insanely talented and creepy. That laugh never ceases to amaze and terrify me, and it was such a special experience to hear it back on the big screen. Alfred Molina reprising his role as Doctor Otto Octavia was an absolute stand-out for me, creating many vulnerable moments on screen, very reminiscent of the character he used to play. One thing that I noticed throughout this movie was the absolute love these actors have for their characters, they fall straight back into place. Jamie Foxx as Electro, Ryhs Ifans as Lizard and Thomas Haden Church as Sandman were all absolutely phenomenal and it still hasn't sunk in that all of these iconic villains are all sharing the screen together.

Before we move away from actors, we must shout-out J.K. Simmons for his role of J. Jonah Jameson. I really don't think the movie would have been the same without him in it, and whilst I wish we had some more interaction between the characters and Simmons, I really can't complain.

Now, let's discuss plot (without spoiling it of course). One thing that I think must absolutely be highlighted here is the film's complete understanding of the vision and the goal. Not one did I ever think the story got lost amongst the action or the surprises, the story was only emphasised more due to the plot. It also stayed very true to the MCU version of Spider-Man, having moments of the story revolving around teenage drama and young love, not straying too far away that it feels like a completely different movie, and yet takes on more mature themes which will only propel this character further in the MCU if they do decide to make more. And yet, if they decide to leave it as the trilogy, every loose end has been tied up to a completely satisfying ending.

Michael Giacchino has once again done it again with his jaw-dropping score, potentially my most favourite of all after Endgame. The ability to create music that sounds so nostalgic and yet still new and fresh is such a gift and I really hope marvel never lose Giacchino as he creates magic.

The action is, arguably, the best yet we have seen out of a stand-alone MCU movie. It is potentially the most well thought out and extravagant of a stand-alone movie, and whilst it has nods to previous Spider-Man movies, such as landing on the Bridge and web-swinging throughout NYC, it still has elements of the new marvel, having grandiose stunts that look absolutely incredible on screen.

I would say, be prepared for just how emotional this movie is... I was surprised and taken aback when I found myself violently sobbing in the cinema. What i appreciated most about this movie was the moments it allowed for the extremely emotional moments, before we went back into the action and humour. Many super-hero movies focus very heavily on just the action and skip past the more heartfelt moments, but not this one. Each moment got time to be fully recognised by the audience and I truly appreciated that.

No matter what spoilers you may have seen about this movie, do not let it put you off. You will be in awe of how they have managed to pull off such a HUGE movie. There are shocks and surprises throughout, and no one is less or more shocking or surprising even if you may know what is about to happen. Enjoy this movie for everything it is, the twists and the turns included.

This film is a masterpiece, it is a fully fledged, thought-out love letter to fans and audiences all around the world. This is a character that we have grown up adoring and aspiring to be, and this movies gives us everything we could ever want. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this film, it was an absolute joy and pleasure to watch, and I am so thankful I was born at the same time of this incredible feat of storytelling.

Movie fans all around the world, remember...

With great power, comes great responsibility.

I hope you enjoyed reading my review and if you would like to discuss further spoiler filled moments with me, please message me on instagram: @a.film.a.day_. I would love to hear your thoughts on the movie.