Review: “Spider-Man: No Way Home” according to the plot, finding joy in the past

2.5 stars. 2 hours 28 minutes. Rated PG-13

Despite Marvel’s usual bulkiness and a swirling storm of characters, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” delivers joy and sorrow with its often similar theme, breath-taking action sequences Contrasted with contemplation and grief.

The film also cements star Tom Holland as the ideal Spider-Man and Colorado-born director Jon Watts as his ideal director. They’re back from two Dutch-starred Spider-Man films – 2017’s excellent “Homecoming” and 2019’s darker, less organized “Far From Home” – with Holland as teenager Peter. Parker and his other superheroes.

“No Way Home,” the 27th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, begins exactly where “Far From Home” left off, with fallen nemesis Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) framing Spider-Man for his death via a pre-recorded message and revealed our web-slinger’s hidden identity to the rest of the world.

A quick chase scene, suffocating montage, and lingering after-effects show how much money Parker and his friends, MJ (Vendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon), have to bear. They lose out to their first-choice college because of toxic publicity, while Parker becomes a next-level punching bag for J. Jonah Jameson (JK Simmons), a talk-style vlogger/media -radio whose life goal is to take down Spidey.

The preview ruined much of the first act, but I won’t continue to skip over the surprises. However, it’s no exaggeration to say that Parker’s rage toward himself grew so intense that he sought out Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a New Yorker and ally in two films. “Avengers” first. Parker wanted Strange to magically make everyone in the world forget he was Spider-Man. But he has the terms that interrupt Strange’s mid-magic and force a brief hiatus in the space-time continuum.

That slim door to alternate realities lets villains already know that Parker is Spider-Man – thus establishing the coppyright-apalooza gameplay from the pre-MCU Spider-Man movies, three of which feature references with Toby Maguire (2002-2007) and two with Andrew Garfield (2012-2014). Faces from those movies, some of them digitally de-aged, appeared in rapid succession, setting Parker on a quest to find them all.

Even though they’re superheroes, the script still manages to portray The Green Goblin and Doc Ock as, for example, people with souls – but still runs into trouble. Parker’s Aunt May (Marissa Tomei) tells her nephew not to send them back to their grim fate, but to help them. Referring to moral ingenuity, the trilogy of massive action sets and a roller coaster tour of Sony’s own Spider-Man properties.

When an important character leaves this MCU franchise, perhaps forever, it’s not just a sobbing goodbye. And even foretold, the cameos are truly destabilizing and hilarious. Between the suspenseful, Dutch and Watts themes and new handcrafted moments in Zendaya’s humor and natural chemistry, a compelling score from Oscar winner Michael Giacchino injects the right notes into every auditory crack. last sense.

And there are many. Here’s another feature-length film – almost 2 and a half hours – and at least 45 minutes of it could have been condensed. It’s sure to feel as long, and until it’s over, audiences will be left with something like the endlessly painful farewells of “Return of the King.”

While the new details, the rhythm and the bigger plot (to save the world! Always save the world.) Not. The alternate reality stick is inspired by the popular animated movie “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” of 2018 and the best-selling screenplay doesn’t do much to renew the image of these characters. this character.

However, the number of big names and the constraints of the MCU could have ruined a less experienced director. Watts – originally from Fountain – proves to be an evolutionary talent, keeping what has made his last two Spidey movies so successful while adapting to new environments; he’s also been tapped to direct the MCU’s upcoming “Fantastic Four” reboot.

“No Way Home” is messy, sometimes intentional. But Spider-Man remains one of Marvel’s friendliest characters, even as the growing number of movies about him remind us that we’re all just sequel lovers.

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