There will be spoilers, of course. There’s no way to write my reaction without them. I’m not a professional film critic encouraging people to see the movie for the first time. Read my review after you’ve seen it.
The premise is simple but the plot quickly complicates. The first act has its charms, including Doctor Strange’s rapport with Peter, Netflix Matt Murdock finally appearing in the MCU’s big screen, JK Simmon’s J. Jonah Jameson leading the pro-Mysterio fanaticism (calling him the greatest hero in the history of the world right after the Avengers defeated Thanos and brought half the universe back is especially amusing) and the tail end of Happy and May’s relationship. Jon Faverau’s endearing schlubbiness, the recently dumped Happy forced to stay in the Parker apartment as the world closes in on the now exposed Spider-Man is just one fun part of the manic opening act chaos that leads to Peter’s plea to the Sorcerer Supreme (an excellent annoyed Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell which, when botched, brings multiverse visitors into the MCU and fan cinema into previously untapped realms.
I’ll be honest, and let’s get this out of the way, because I loved certain elements of this movie so much that I don’t want to dwell on the parts I wasn’t so hot on. This might sound like a huge deterrent, and it is, but the redeeming qualities are so fantastic that the movie as a whole is still a meta masterpiece. So here we go:
Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man is, generously, underwhelming, lacking in charisma, and annoying. He has a perpetual boyishness, but he lacks Maguire’s earnestness and Garfield’s vulnerability, let alone the chemistry they both had with their respective romantic leads. He does find his charm eventually however. Zendaya’s “MJ” (a not-red hairring continuing Hollywood’s bizarrely specific and possibly racist recent tradition of replacing comic book redheads with black actors) is flat and uninspiring, with none of Dunst’s poignant whimsy or Emma Stone’s charm. The starting point of Holland’s conflict this time out, that he wants everyone to forget he’s Spider-Man so that he and his friends can go to college, is dull and trivial.
So now that that’s out of the way, with such criticism of the main character and the premise, how can I still love this movie so much? Are the surrounding elements and the second half developments really so fantastic?
Oh yes.
Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus and Jamie Foxx’s Electro were officially announced a year ago. Yet despite some sand, electricity, a goblin bomb and a Dafoe laugh in the teaser, all five villains were not fully confirmed until the final trailer. Curious choice, as the Green Goblin is the Big Bad and Willem Dafoe is such an important and entertaining presence throughout, and highlighting his presence along with Sandman and Lizard would surely draw nothing but more hype. And of course they were so cagey and outright dishonest about…
The crowd grins with satisfaction when Doc Ock from the Raimi movies first appears. We knew this was coming of course, but it’s so much fun to see him again, and that’s just the start. What’s so extraordinary about the film’s integration of the previous franchise isn’t simply that they bring back these characters we saw before in other movies, but the way it uses them and respects their history. It’s almost surreal how seamless the transition for these characters is. The premise is that due to the botched spell, they are whisked out of their respective universes at critical moments, perhaps right before they would have died otherwise. And indeed, here is Otto right in the climax from Spider-Man 2 mode, talking about the power of the sun in the palm of his hand. Molina picks up his performance from 17 years earlier without missing a beat. The hubris, the intellect, the paternal sincerity and compassion for Peter and Norman when he’s back to his senses. It’s like he’s picking up right where he left off. It’s the same guy. With the same problems. The MCU doesn’t try to reinvent him, or the other villains from the other movies, because it acknowledges and respects who THESE incarnations of the characters are. Jon Watts and the MCU continue the canon and personalities Sam Raimi and Marc Webb crafted, because these are the characters they choose to bring in. So while there are decades of comic book history and infinite possibilities, this is not a movie that seeks to retcon. This is the Dr. Octopus who is obsessed with creating a fusion reactor and is an academic father figure to Peter, and that’s who this is. No more Ralph Bohner trickery. This is the real thing.
And Sandman was already redeemed! One of the sweetest moments (and there are a lot of them) is his introduction here. MCU Spider-Man is drawn to confront Electro and a living swirl of dust gets between him and the electricity to protect Peter. Flint Marko’s face appears and asks Peter if he remembers him, he’s here to help. Holland’s Peter has to explain that he’s not Flint’s Spider-Man, but those of us who have been following the cinematic Spider-Men for the past two decade know and understand. This is the man who killed Raimi Uncle Ben, but he reconciled with Peter, who forgave him.
That’s the core theme of the film, not dimension hopping or the weight of responsibility. It’s all about redemption. After 5 movies and half a decade of just…being there, Tom Holland finally finds his charm in his approach to these otherworldly villains. He doesn’t want to defeat them. He wants to help them. Before he sends them back to their universe, he insists he must cure them of their ailments and redeem them. This is nothing new. It’s a common thread throughout all the Spider-Man movies that Peter, the most innocent and noble of Marvel heroes, wants to save everyone, even his villains. It was strongest in Spider-Man 2, perhaps the greatest superhero movie ever made, when Peter’s pleas convinced Otto to not die a monster. But this is the first time it’s really resonated in the MCU. Now it’s cathartic and heartwarming, for the sincerity of the heroes as well as the meta acknowledgement that the arcs already established (Raimi-Maguire) or cut off (Webb-Garfield) are not undone but rather celebrated and deepened.
Look at Jaime Foxx’s Electro, for example, a surprising highlight. His bizarre appearance (translucent, blue, and bald) and dubious motivation (he wanted more attention and was mad Spider-Man didn’t remember his name) were deserved criticisms of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. That movie was a mess, but it’s touching how No Way Home doesn’t throw it under the bus. Like the way X-Men: Days of Future Past brought back Ellen Page’s Kitty Pryde and Kelsey Grammar’s Beast from the maligned X-Men: The Last Stand, this film gives the character another chance rather than pretending he never existed because his movie was flawed. And in an applaudable magnanimity that speaks to the general vision, Watts and co pick up what Webb was attempting, not totally reinventing the character, but seeing what they were trying to do with him, building off that vision, and making him the best possible version of *that* character. So Max’s nebulous nebbishness and insecurity are clarified and simplified into the powerful human arc they were going for in the first place. Even his off-putting design is not erased. Before the different energy signature of the MCU transform him into a more pleasing yellow form closer to the comics and more recognizably Jaime Foxx, the older blue appearance is briefly seen. Somethings are improved, but nothing is forgotten. TASM2 awkwardly expressed Max’s desire to be seen and envy of Spider-Man in a rushed, risible scene where Electro briefly sees himself on the Times Square screens before being replaced by the Webslinger. No Way Home gets to the heart of this same pathos, but smoother and more convincing, letting the Oscar-winning Foxx perform the same intention, but more fully realized without the previous flaws. Electro has the most interesting reaction of the rogues to Spider-Man’s attempt to fix them. Feeling the power of the mainstream Marvel universe and Stark’s arc reactor especially, he doesn’t want to be “fixed”. He’s empowered here and doesn’t want to lose it. When he does, he feels like he’s a “nobody” again. It gets to the heart of what Webb was trying with the character and distills it without the baggage. Sweeter than that, Max’s arc doesn’t end this time with the cliche climactic deathsplosion. Rather, Garfield’s Spider-Man is there to tell him, no, you were always a somebody. It’s a surprisingly sweet moment of reconciliation in a film full of them as Max opens up to Peter about how he always admired Spider-Man and thought he was black under the mask. Garfield’s musing then gives a sly Miles Morales reference, clear but not on-the-nose. So it’s not only a redemption in multiverse of Max Dillon the character, but on a larger scale of Jamie Foxx’s performance and Webb’s characterization.
Yes, Andrew Garfield is this. And Tobey Maguire, of course. After a half a billion dollar worldwide opening weekend, we can reasonably conclude that the campaign of obsfusicating the biggest draw didn’t end up hurting the box office, and what they were going for, the delight of a surprise we were all hoping for and 90% sure would see, paid off.
Because even though very soon into the introduction of the multiverse characters, making explicit, very specific references to the events of their respective films, it becomes increasingly obvious that not including Garfield and Maguire would be absurd and render this choice of villains pointless, even with the sense of inevitability, the reveal is a delight and a treat. When the Spider-Man with the different suit comes through that portal, we know what’s up, and when Andrew Garfield pulls off the mask, we’re through a portal ourselves. Tobey Maguire casually strolls in, and the gang’s all here.
The script knows just how to use the Spider-Men and how to built their relationship. Holland is still the young, impressionable kid. Garfield is hardened and haunted by Gwen Stacy’s death. His inability to save her still tears him up inside. Maguire is of course the classic, offering wisdom and counsel to the others. Plus, he shows off his organic web shooters, a source of humor and fascination. The three Spider-Men have aesthetic and personality differences, but it’s clear that at the heart they are the same hero. A key scene comes when they discuss loss. Holland’s Aunt May has just murdered by the Green Goblin, sending her nephew into a desperate, murderous despair. Maguire and Garfield, who have lost their respective Uncle Bens know of the futility of revenge, warn him of it, and all three share his wisdom, in this universe coming from Aunt May, “with great power comes great responsibility”. It’s a powerful scene and it illustrates the point, that for all their differences, they represent the same themes, and the same values.
Also fascinating, funny, and moving are the villains’ reactions to each other. Otto knows of and admires Norman Osborne, but he is also cautious of his insanity. He asks Norman how he feels being complete again with genuine compassion, unaware that the Goblin has taken control again and mocks the concept. Marko, who survived Spider-Man 3, recalls that both Otto and Norman died, which he relays with a poignant resignation. Rhys Ifans’ scenery-chewing Lizard mentions Max’s previous uncombed, poor teeth appearance. These characters might not have known each other, but they knew of each other, because they are from the same universes, something that comes across organically.
Willem Dafoe steals the show. As Norman, weak and desperate, we can believe him right back to his most vulnerable moments in the original Spider-Man, horrified at what he has done. As the Green Goblin, mask off so that he can go full wicked with his own face, he has the time of his life, a manic, vicious force of nature. The Tom Holland Spider-Man, previously up against greed and revenge driven villains Vulture and Mysterio, has never faced one like this before. Their fight scenes are incredibly brutal, ranking among the best in the MCU, most of the villains of which Dafoe blows away. There’s no fatherly bond with this Peter, no offer to team up. Just pure spite and malice, and killing Aunt May has more dramatic impact on Holland than anything in the franchise
Alfred Molina’s Otto Octavius vowed not to die a monster, and he won’t live like one either. After the broken inhibitor chip is fixed, he is not only no longer a villain, but actively a hero, putting himself in the line of danger in the terrific Statue of Liberty climax to help save the day. It’s what’s so inspiring about the story. This is about redeeming even the villains.
Andrew Garfield reminds us, at long last, that he was never the problem with The Amazing Spider-Man movies. Those movies were choked by their own ambition to rush a shared universe, and awkward writing. Garfield’s Peter Parker had some bad moments where he came off as more of a stalker than a romantic, and the melodrama in the second was forced. But Garfield himself, so fantastic in Hacksaw Ridge, is a truly gifted actor, and when he is given a solid script as he is here, we can see his previously unrealized potential as this character. What hits hardest is his grief over failing to save his beloved Gwen, which has an incredibly powerful payoff when he catches this MJ. The movie doesn’t have to force it. If you’re familiar with the earlier film, you get it. Garfield also displays the compassion inherent to all Peter Parkers when he comforts Max Dillon. Now no longer Electro, Max fears that he is a “nobody” again. Peter assures him he never was. So Andrew Garfield too is redeemed, showing that he could have been a great Spider-Man all along.
Tobey Maguire didn’t need a redemption, or more closure than we got. As I’ve said before (https://www.reddit.com/r/raimimemes/comments/8f9ni9/serious_post_how_ive_come_to_peace_with_the/), the ending to Raimi’s trilogy was perfect as stands. Taken as the saga of three young people and their complicated journey of love, friendship, and redemption, it is complete. Yet his arc is not diminished by his presence here. Instead, it enriches him, updates us on where he is, and shows his importance in a larger multiverse. He is there to stay Holland’s hand from killing the Green Goblin, both because he knows Norman and he knows Peter. A key scene, the pinnacle of the film’s ability to relate these characters, comes when he and Garfield are discussing their love lives. Garfield, still in mourning, has seemingly given up. But though Shailene Woodley’s scenes were cut, Raimi Peter is there to offer him hope. After such a rocky road, he assures Garfield, and us, that he and Mary Jane made it after all, and Garfield could still find love after all.The bonds and loved are maintained. There is a flourish of Elfman’s classic score when he heals Sandman and helps Marko get back to his daughter. When this Peter meets his old mentor after the fight is over, Otto notes that he’s all grown up. Yes, we are. Peter responds, in a rewarding callback, that he’s trying to do better.
Does he need to? This is a masterpiece. The CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths, with everyone from Brandon Routh’s Superman to the short-lived Birds of Prey to Burt Ward opened the door to the incredible potential, both in story and fan service, which should not be a dirty word. Yet other than wrapping up John Wesley Shipp’s Flash arc tragically and beautifully, it was not nearly so emotionally epic or cathartic as this. Leading into Sam Raimi’s own return in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, this is an accomplishment, an impressive effort by all involved, to finally give us exactly what we want, and redeem it all.