We’ve been a big fan of Spider-Man since reading the comics and watching the animated series on Fox Kids. Spider-Man’s quippy persona and ability to persevere over devastating tragedy has always stuck with me and my heart.
With that in mind, we loved the ability to swing into a brand new review, and as always our reviews break down the subjects by story, acting, and overall. So let’s web-swing into this.
Story 8.5/10
Before I delve anywhere into the story, I do want to say that this movie has felt the most like a comic book adaptation than really any of the other MCU films. The fact that Spider-Man is helped out by a major comic book character, runs a theory by another comic book character, and then seeks information and help from another comic book character, really makes us feel as if it’s a wider world where there are other characters who Spider-Man is able to interact with. On top of that, the lead up to the beginning of the movie with a rogues gallery of villains, picturesque recreations of scenes from comic books, and energy of the fast forward, really makes you feel as if this is a film that was ripped straight out of the comic books.
I will say however, I felt like we missed out on a pivotal interaction between Spider-Man and The Punisher that would have really been fun and informative. Additioanlly I do feel a lot of this movie rehashed stories and information from prior films. That being said, I don’t think it really took away too much from my enjoyment of the film.
A couple detractors from the story are Bruce Banner’s storyline, and Jean Grey’s story. Banner in this movie is barely present, but feels tragic, specifically the way it ends. The inclusion of Jean Grey in the movie seemingly comes out of nowhere, and frankly feels a little bit like a character assassination of what the Jean Grey, that I have fallen in love with from prior comic books and shows. Of all the issues I have with the movie, these seem to hit the hardest in my final thoughts about it.
Heads up, this paragraph contains a major spoiler, so if you haven’t seen the movie still and you don’t want to have it spoiled definitely make sure to not read this section. The conclusion of the relationship between Peter Parker and MJ is incredibly tragic and sad. It’s believable, that after waiting so long there’s no way she could have been the same person that she was before, regardless of what we would want from their rekindling. Although it is not completely shown, we do seem to gain that reconnection between Peter and Ned. With all the tragedy of this movie, and overall sadness, it’s nice that they ended it on hope between the two characters.
Acting 10/10
Tom Holland has always done a great job in the role of Spider-Man in my opinion. He definitely plays a little bit more of the mentality and mannerisms of Miles Morales’s Spider-Man as opposed to Peter Parker in the original comics, but the Hope, the determination, and the perseverance over tragedy is forefront in his representation of the character and that is universally Spider-Man.
It’s also nice to see Jon Bernthal, playing The Punisher, and such a different light energy in this series. The combination of the character with Daredevil is always going to be a dark one, especially with the way that the MCU has portrayed Daredevil in his personal series. That being said, when you pair the character with such a light and fun characters such as Peter Parker, it’s nice to see that the edges become softened and he would treat a younger child differently than he would treat a grizzled old man. Considering Frank Castle’s backstory, it makes sense that he would have more patience and tolerance for someone he might connect to as a father like figure, to a degree, without losing the essence that makes him Frank Castle.
Zendaya and Jacob Batalon once again reprise their roles as MJ and Ned. While they don’t get as much screen time as I’d like, I think they both do a great job bringing the characters back and feeling on point for their limited interactions.
As for Sadie Sink, who played Jean Grey, while I feel the movie doesn’t do justice to the character of Jean Grey, I still think Sadie Sink did an amazing job playing the role crafted for her. She once again shows that her acting ability and her ability to present emotions and realism in her scenes once again makes this performance stand out. Also, although she’s not the true villain of the film, it’s nice to see her get to play a more sinister role.
Overall 9.5/10
I do have some problems with the story choices… but I will specifically say that on the whole, this movie really hits so many marks. It is an incredibly long film, and at certain points you do feel like they probably could have trimmed certain aspects out for the purposes of a story. They left them in to creating a wider world and showcasing what Peter Parker is going through, this is an excellent tool that showcases the full world of the character. That being said, I still really wish I could have seen more of Tombstone, AKA Lonnie Lincoln, played by Marvin Jones III.
Which is weird to say, while at the same time as saying they probably could have trimmed a lot out of this film.
Conner’s Final Thoughts
If this is to be the last stand-alone Spider-Man film we get starring Tom Holland, I think it goes out on an incredibly high note. There is no wonder why this film is doing so well in the box office, and if you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend you make your way and see it in theaters.
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