Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) Review

Multiversal Mania

SCORE: 86/100

Directed by: Jon Watts

Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alfred Molina, Willem Dafoe, Jamie Foxx, Marisa Tomei,

Synopsis: With Spider-Man's identity now revealed, Peter asks Doctor Strange for help. When a spell goes wrong, dangerous foes from other worlds start to appear, forcing Peter to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.

****THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW****

REVIEW:

I will reiterate that I will not have ANY spoilers in this review, as to maintain the theater experience for all who may read this.

No Way Home is the best Spider-Man film in the MCU, there's no doubt about it. It's darker, more emotional, and features some of the best performances from these characters yet. However, I do think it has a few glaring issues, most of which I can't discuss due to spoilers. 

I'll start with my critiques I CAN discuss. The first act of this movie definitely feels rushed. It's almost like they wanted to tell this awesome multiverse story, but still had to ground it in the world of Homecoming and Far From Home. It feels similar to the beginning of The Rise of Skywalker, where there was a lot of ground they wanted to cover in a small amount of time. It's edited at a breakneck pace, and can feel like an afterthought. 

Let's talk some positives, as there are a lot. Performances all around are fantastic, with Tom Holland giving the best performance of his career in the role. He's at his most broken, exposed, and emotional here, and shows of his acting skills perfectly. Willem Dafoe, Jamie Foxx, and Alfred Molina give so much more to their respective roles and are able to make them more relatable and down to earth, with Dafoe being the definite standout. That's not to discredit any of the other actors though, as everyone is pulling their weight. 

Director Jon Watts has also stepped up his game, providing us with better camerawork than he's given us before, with some particular scenes being so much more interesting because of the work being done behind the camera. This film is also a mammoth task to be undertaken be one director, and he performs admirably. 

I know it's short, and probably frustrating that I'm not going into more detail for this review, but I really can't talk more without spoiling it, so make sure to watch The Drive Back's YouTube channel for an upcoming spoiler review at a later date.

Final Thought: No Way Home is a fantastic bit of multiversal fun and provides a darker and more emotional Spider-Man than ever, even if it starts a bit uneven.

Score: 86/100