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‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Review: Listen Bud, No Spoilers Here

In the latest installment of the “Spider-Man” series, Tom Holland faces the past and a very secure franchise future.

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By Manohla Dargis

The biggest villain in Marvel-wood isn’t Thanos: It’s your friendly, sometimes cranky neighborhood film critic. She’s also the puniest, and that’s OK. Her powers are irrelevant.

Marvel, with its armies of true believers and domination of both movie theaters and a click-baiting media, rendered its product line critic proof long ago. Its movies open, they crush and regenerate (repeat). Now, with “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” it has a movie that’s also review proof. Your critic can toss out adjectives — lively! amusing! corny!— but can’t say all that much about what happens.

The idea is that saying too much would, as the spoiler police insist, ruin the fun here. It wouldn’t, of course. The trailer and the advance publicity have already spilled plenty, and Marvel’s movies cater to their fans so insistently that there’s rarely room for any real surprises. So, spoiler alert: Spider-Man wins. And, once again, Tom Holland, the best of the franchise’s live-action leads, has suited up to play Peter Parker, the eternal teenager who doubles as Spider-Man. With his compact size and bright, easy smile, Holland still looks and sounds more like a kid than an adult, and he radiates the same sweet, earnest decency that has helped make Peter and Spider-Man an enduring twin act.

Peter’s boyish good nature has always been his most productive weapon, even more so than his super-ability to spin webs and swing by a thread. He’s always been a nice, cute boy with the nicest, loveliest girls, too (Kirsten Dunst, Emma Stone). But Holland is also the most persuasive of the other moist-eyed boy-men (Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield) who’ve played Spidey. His love interest is now MJ, played by Zendaya, who was paired with another of this year’s adolescent saviors in “Dune .” Her casting as MJ and her expanded role in the series continue to pay off, and Zendaya’s charisma and gift for selling emotions (and silly dialogue) helps give the new movie a soft, steady glow that centers it like a heartbeat as the story takes off in different directions.

Returning for duty is the director Jon Watts, who has proved a good fit for the material, partly because he gets that Peter is a teenager, if one who retains a curious holy-virgin quality. (Part brand extension, part celebrity roast, the script is by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.) Peter and MJ nuzzle and lock lips, but their relationship vibes more cozy than carnal, no doubt as a concession to the younger members of the movie’s target demographic. (In one scene, Watts splits the screen to show Peter and MJ on their phones in separate bedrooms, a technique that was used to reinforce, if also teasingly to cast doubt, on the chastity of Doris Day and Rock Hudson ’s romance back in the day.)

As for the story, well, there is one, though what this “Spider-Man” movie really has is a clever setup that tightens the sprawl of Marvel’s universe with the aid of one of its MVPs, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). It opens with a busy bang and the revelation of Peter’s secret identity, which changes his life and instigates a series of reunions, fight sequences and emotionally charged moments. Spider-Man racks up a great deal of mileage over the course of the movie for the simple reason that, like almost every Marvel production, this one is too long and, at two and a half hours, overstays its welcome. But before that, the movie nicely snaps and pops.

It does so largely because of the sprawling lineup of performers — including Marisa Tomei (as Peter’s Aunt May) and Jacob Batalon (Peter’s best friend, Ned) — who fill in the spaces between the fights with feeling and discernible personality. As in every successful franchise, the casting in the Spider-Man movies has often been as, or more, crucial than the generic elements. Even at their chilliest and PG-13 meanest, great actors like Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina, two of a number of series veterans making return appearances, can warm up industrial material just by virtue of their presence. They soften rough edges, sell jokes, break hearts and add to the movie’s tonal coherence.

It would be nice to see what Watts could do if he weren’t constricted by Marvel’s rigid template, which gives the studio’s movies their clearly defined genre identity but also means that they’re more alike than not. (For complicated business reasons, the Spider-Man cycle that started with Maguire in the role were not part of the Marvel movie world until the first to star Holland.) Among other things, it would be novel to see a more complex Peter. After all, the world is a complete mess, and it would be super swell if Peter’s great power and keen sense of responsibility could be harnessed for other, greater fights, like the one against climate change. Greta Thunberg can’t do it alone.

Spider-Man: No Way Home Rated PG-13 for comic-book violence. Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes. In theaters.

Manohla Dargis has been the co-chief film critic since 2004. She started writing about movies professionally in 1987 while earning her M.A. in cinema studies at New York University, and her work has been anthologized in several books. More about Manohla Dargis

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Spider-Man: No Way Home  Is Aggressively Mediocre

The one good idea that the Tom Holland–starring Spider-Man films had was a simple, obvious one: They really did make Peter Parker a kid. Tobey Maguire had been 27 at the time of his first turn as the high-school-age superhero, while Andrew Garfield had been 29. It’s not so much that those actors were too old for the material; it’s that the material could never fully utilize the character’s youth and inexperience because we as humans have a visceral resistance to watching people who clearly aren’t kids making childish decisions. Holland, by contrast, was 21 when Spider-Man: Homecoming premiered in 2017, and he looked even younger. As a result, the filmmakers for this latest Spidey cycle, including director Jon Watts and screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, have been able to sell us on some of Peter’s dodgier choices. They’ve also managed to mine the age gap between him and other characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for humor as well as one meme-worthy moment of genuine pathos. (“Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good.”)

But in most other respects, Watts’s Spider-Man films have been black holes of imagination. (The first entry featured a huge set piece at the Washington Monument — an inspired idea on paper — and did absolutely nothing interesting with it. The setting might as well have been an office building in suburban Atlanta. It probably was at some point.) This is a particular shame when it comes to Spider-Man, since previous attempts at the character, even at their worst, have often been visually spectacular. It does take a unique brand of corporate cynicism to drain any and all grandeur from the sight of Spidey swinging through the canyons of Manhattan; trapping the most cinematic of all superheroes in nondescript swirls of CGI sludge feels like its own act of villainy.

In other respects, too, these movies’ Spider shtick is starting to get old. They continue to treat Peter Parker as a child, and the ultrabuff, grown-up Holland now looks increasingly out of place. The new film begins with Peter Parker unmasked and publicly castigated and shamed for killing the previous entry’s villain, Mysterio. Among the real-life consequences of Parker’s cancellation is MIT’s rejection of his and his friends MJ (Zendaya) and Ned’s (Jacob Batalon) college applications. Determined to fix this problem, Parker goes to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and asks him — I am not making this up — to cast a spell making the rest of the world forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man so that his friends can get into the college of their choice. And Doctor Strange — again, I am not making this up — agrees to do so. Holland is a fine actor, but I’m not sure any actor could survive the sheer idiocy of this character’s decisions here. Peter might be a teenager, but I don’t recall him ever being this stupid, either in the comics or the movies. Anyway, hocus-pocus, things go wrong, portal into other dimensions, flashing lights, blah, blah, blah. The magic goes awry, and Potter Peter finds himself face-to-face with a whole new set of problems. It’s all so pro forma that even Cumberbatch’s Strange, called on to convey rage at how his young colleague’s dumb request has prompted him to tear a hole in the fabric of the universe, merely musters some mild annoyance.

The initial big revelations of the new film have already been shown in trailers, so I’ll discuss those first. When Strange’s magic opens a gateway to different realities, once-dead villains from previous Spidey movies suddenly return, including Spider-Man ’s Norman Osborn, a.k.a. the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Spider-Man 2 ’s Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ’s Electro (Jamie Foxx). Again, a potentially promising idea. And judging from the cheers these veteran bad guys’ mere emergence got at my screening, perhaps it was of secondary importance that they be given, you know, something interesting to do . But aside from Dafoe, who once again gets to have some modest fun with his character’s divided self, there’s not much going on here. Why bring back an actor like Molina, who brought so much heartbreak and sneering rage to Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2 , only to give him no sense of inner life or any good lines? The same goes for Foxx’s Electro, whose transformation from oddball engineer to blustery supervillain in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was one of that (admittedly dreadful) film’s few highlights. Here, he’s just a tired wisecrack machine. That the action scenes involving these characters are so insipid just adds insult to injury: Watching Doctor Octopus dutifully toss weightless, computer-generated concrete pipes at our hero, it’s hard not to think back on Sam Raimi’s eye-poppingly imaginative action sequences in Spider-Man 2 featuring these same two characters and maybe even shed a tear for what has been lost.

It’s not just the action and the magic that flop. Even the film’s more intimate moments fall flat. One early domestic comedy scene involving Peter, MJ, Aunt May (Marisa Tomei, mostly wasted here), and Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) has the camera whip-panning and roaming the spaces of their apartment in a pastiche of handheld indie filmmaking, but none of the humor feels organic or earned or even all that funny. It doesn’t build or make any emotional sense. Like almost everything else in the movie, it’s just another put-on. Making Peter more of a child does allow you to play up his sincerity and naïveté, which should ideally be a breath of fresh air in a universe filled with cynical, world-weary superheroes. But for all their alleged earnestness, these last three Spider-Man films have never had any kind of identity to call their own.

And now for the heavy spoilers, which I’m not supposed to talk about … but forgive me, it’s impossible to discuss this picture’s highs and lows without doing so. So, fair warning. Seriously.

Here, I’ll even give you an extra paragraph break to click away before finding out what happens next in the movie. (Even if it’s destined to become common knowledge within a few days.)

As the infinitely superior Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse already taught us, opening up doors to the metaverse means that you might also discover other iterations of Spider-Man. So sure enough, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire return to the franchise that once helped make them stars, and the three Peters Parker now work together to try and handle this cavalcade of villains. And a film that was already engorged with fan service positively erupts with it.

That’s not such a bad thing, at least at first. It’s certainly nice to see Maguire again, and Garfield is a genuine delight. The latter’s previous turn as Spidey was a wildly uneven one. His slightly hapless, rom-com variation on Peter Parker made the first outing quite fun, but by the second entry, he had become twitchy, whiny, annoying. Here, almost as if he’s been given a second chance (a running theme in the film), he gets the goofiness just right. A scene where the denizens of this world ask Garfield’s Parker to prove he has Spider powers offers a charming bit of slapstick, and his uncertainty and insecurity pop up at opportune moments during the big climax. But this also reveals a bigger problem. Because as we watch Garfield act literal circles around everybody else, we are reminded of how lifeless and wanting the rest of the picture is. It’s like getting a new pair of glasses and realizing that your world has been a blur for the past few months. Except that whenever Garfield is off the screen, you’re forced to put your old glasses back on, which just makes everything look that much worse.

The Tom Holland Spider-Man films have been so eager to please that one does feel like a bit of a crank criticizing them. Nobody should enjoy kicking puppies. At the same time, along with the oft-rebooted Batman , Spider-Man is the one superhero franchise for which we do have proofs of concept for different approaches. And while the previous Holland films have been mediocre in modest ways, No Way Home feels downright aggressive in its mediocrity, bringing back better actors from better movies and calling back to an endlessly inventive and moving masterpiece like Spider-Verse . Is it an attempt to try and gain residual luster from associating with better work? Or is it something more cynical, an attempt to bring that better work under the big tent of its blandness? If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that No Way Home was trying to make us forget that a better Spider-Man movie is possible.

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‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Review: Tom Holland Cleans Out the Cobwebs of Sprawling Franchise With Multiverse Super-Battle

Convoluted as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has gotten, Holland's latest opus spins two decades and three iterations of the Spidey brand into a satisfying meta-adventure.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

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SPOILER ALERT: The following review contains spoilers.

What do you call the opposite of a reboot? The “system overload” of “Spider-Man” movies, Sony’s ninth (and almost certainly not last) feature-length riff on the friendly neighborhood superhero, “ Spider-Man: No Way Home ” seeks to connect Tom Holland ’s spin on the web-slinger with the previous live-action versions of the character by first reassembling a rogue’s gallery of all the villains Peter Parker has vanquished to date. Returning director Jon Watts — whose bright, slightly dorky touch lends a welcome continuity to this latest trilogy — wrangles the unwieldy premise into a consistently entertaining superhero entry, tying up two decades of loose ends in the process.

The mind-bending plot hinges on a convenient comic book device called the multiverse, which allows infinite iterations of Spider-Man/mineral/vegetable to exist in their own parallel dimensions. That’s a radically different strategy from the one Sony has been peddling till now, whereby the studio simply recast the character every few years (lest the rights revert back to Marvel), without offering much in the way of closure to fans of Tobey Maguire’s or Andrew Garfield’s earlier outings.

Granted, the idea should be familiar to anyone who saw 2018’s animated “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” which introduced the thrilling possibility that virtually anyone could be Spidey. But whereas that toon suggested infinite paths for the character going forward, “No Way Home” serves to wrap up what has come before, starting by reviving Spidey’s past adversaries, forcing Holland’s Peter Parker to face off against five of the villains pulled in from the movies that preceded him.

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It all happens because Peter’s life has been turned upside down by Mysterio (the bad guy he vanquished at the end of “Far From Home” two years ago), who managed to unmask Spidey before biting the dust. Desperate to protect his family and friends, Peter appeals to all-powerful wizard Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell that will make everyone forget his identity. Instead, the plan backfires, calling everyone who ever knew that Peter was Spider-Man out of their dimension and into his.

To make things a little easier for the movie to manage, it’s really only the villains who answer Strange’s calling — which is impressive enough, considering that means enlisting Alfred Molina (Doc Ock), Willem Dafoe (Green Goblin), Jamie Fox (Electro), Thomas Haden Church (Sandman) and Rhys Ifans (The Lizard) to reprise their roles. Meanwhile, to make things easier for Spider-Man to manage, none is even remotely as intimidating as we remember them.

“No Way Home” keeps the surprises coming up to (and even through) the end credits, but perhaps the most unexpected is Peter’s decision — together with girlfriend MJ ( Zendaya ) and best bud Ned (Jacob Batalon) — not to defeat these villains the way his predecessors did. Instead, Peter hopes to “cure” the goons of the mutations that are making them unhappy, even if it means defying Doctor Strange (one of several characters on loan from the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe, in which Holland’s Spider-Man has been making now-regular appearances).

Peter’s empathy seems perfectly fitting for a movie that targets a fresh wave of idealistic teens very much engaged with questioning everything Western civilization thought it knew about crime and punishment, power and privilege. As a critic who grew up on movies in which the bad guys were routinely impaled (Tony Goldywn in “Ghost”), decapitated (Dennis Hopper in “Speed”) or otherwise made to pay dearly for their sins, it’s fascinating to encounter an escapist Hollywood offering that seeks to understand the root of these characters’ megalomaniacal behavior.

The reason, as Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers’ screenplay tries to explain, is that this version of Peter is still dealing with Mysterio’s death. In that reaction, we see the franchise trying to make the character more fully dimensional and dare I say “realistic” — much as 21st-century Bond “Casino Royale” and Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” did in recognizing the physical toll saving the world had on their respective protagonists.

For my money, Holland has been the least interesting of the three big-screen Spider-Men, coming across younger and less mature than Maguire or Garfield. Until now. This simple plot development makes him more than just an acrobat in spandex, juggling awkward high school experiences with flashy visual effects battles — although both elements carry through to this film, in which college acceptance carries equal weight with a big CG showdown at the Statue of Liberty. He’s further disrupting the Marvel-movie formula (which already got a massive upset with the “Infinity War”-ending “snap” and inevitable time-travel gimmick it took to reverse it) and even going so far as to redefine audiences’ collective notion of heroism in the process.

As complicated as it all sounds, “No Way Home” sticks to a relatively straightforward idea of the multiverse, taking extra care to walk us through the logical loop-de-loops its plot requires. Whenever Doctor Strange shows up in a Marvel movie, audiences ought to be prepared for some magical monkey business — the kind of rule-bending that essentially makes anything possible. Superhero movies are only as good as their villains, and it’s a thrill to be reunited with Doc Ock and Green Goblin. Though the other three baddies were relatively disappointing in their original incarnations, this film focuses on the tragic dimension of their characters and their capacity for redemption.

It’s not quite so successful at identifying the rage building in Peter Parker, whose good intentions directly result in an irreversible loss. While incendiary news reports — from conspiracy-monger J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons), an unlikely constant across the multiverse — paint him as a menace, Spidey is torn between the instinct to help his adversaries and a much darker impulse to seek revenge (a watered-down version of the Jedi-Sith tug-of-war we’ve seen in “Star Wars” protagonists). Though Holland looks too much like an eager Boy Scout for us to believe he’ll go rogue, that conflict serves as a promising setup for the movie’s obvious midpoint twist — one that trailers have hidden, but reviews really ought to unpack. Be warned that spoilers will follow.

If villains can make the dimensional leap, it stands to reason that other Spider-Men can too, and sure enough, first Garfield and then Maguire show up seemingly up-to-speed on Peter’s villain-infestation problem. Because they’ve all faced variations on the same challenges — from losing loved ones to reconciling their romantic interests with a demanding day job — the movie balances easy-target comedy with more profound life lessons. What could easily have felt like one of those tacky Disneyland parades, where all the princesses are assembled to do fan service, instead finds a strong emotional foundation.

Garfield, so good in this year’s “Tick, Tick … Boom!,” radiates more charisma here than he ever did in his two Spider-Man installments. And the older-and-wiser Maguire, who’d gotten soft and lazy between his second and third Spider-Man movies, reminds audiences who haven’t seen him on screen in years why we found him so appealing in the first place. There’s something fundamentally worrisome about dissolving the barriers between these separate iterations of the franchise, and yet, the entire creative team seems committed to treating the multiverse not as a stunt or a crass corporate ploy (it does conveniently repair a rift in the MCU), but as an opportunity to more fully explore what Peter Parker stands for.

“No Way Home” doesn’t pretend that the earlier films were perfect, poking fun at elements we can all agree were weaknesses while also leaving room for the villains and Spider-Men alike to do some much-needed healing. The movie can be ungainly at times, and it’s much too committed to setting up even more craziness to play out in upcoming Marvel product (these aren’t stand-alone films so much as overloaded episodes, after all), but it provides enough resolution for the past two decades of Spider-Man adventures that audiences who’ve tuned out along the way will be rewarded for giving this one a shot.

Reviewed at AMC Century City, Los Angeles, Dec. 13, 2021. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 148 MIN.

• Production: A Columbia Pictures release and presentation of a Pascal Pictures, Marvel Studios production. Producers: Kevin Feige, Amy Pascal. Executive producers: Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, JoAnn Perritano, Rachel O’Connor, Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach. Co-producers: Mitch Bell, Chris Buongiorno.
• Crew: Director: Jon Watts. Screenplay: Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, based on the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko. Camera: Mauro Fiore. Editors: Jeffrey Ford, Leigh Folsom Boyd. Music: Michael Giacchino.
• With: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei, Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire.

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'Spider-Man: No Way Home' Spoiler-Packed Review: A Marvel Masterclass

As Tom Holland and Zendaya swing into home release, let's just say we'll all be signing the Amazing Spider-Man 3 petition.

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No Way Home stuck the tricky landing.

It's the next Avengers: Endgame . It's bigger than Avengers: Endgame, because it combines 20 years of movies, instead of 10. It's the movie that will save cinema, and it features the best best-friend handshake of all time.

Prepare for all of those hot takes and more right here in CNET's global spoiler-packed review of Spider-Man: No Way Home , available to buy and watch at home on Vudu now (and coming to Blu-ray and DVD April 12). The third Tom Holland Spider-Man movie  broke box office records , and the reviews are, for the most part, radiant. It's the crowd-pleasing, fan-servicing Spider-Man bonanza years in the making, and somehow it sticks the landing.

Check out how CNET staffers reacted to Spider-Man: No Way Home below.

'A masterclass'

Spider-Man: No Way Home is a masterclass in balancing MCU Peter Parker's story with nearly 20 years of legacy elements. Green Goblin is particularly intense, and Willem Dafoe is clearly having an amazing time being a total monster. Ditching the silly flight suit was a wise move; the new look lets Dafoe do plenty of face acting and brings him much closer to the horrible comics version of the character.

The arrival of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield Peters was magnificently timed, bringing hope in a super dark moment. It was fun to catch up with Maguire after 14 years – I was super relieved he and MJ stuck together. However, Garfield reminds us that he's the most talented actor to play the role (but got stuck with a mess of a movie in The Amazing Spider-Man 2); he oozes charm every moment he's on screen. 

-- Sean Keane, London

'Best bit: Charlie Cox's pitch-perfect Matt Murdock cameo'

Pretty much everything you've read about in the online rumor mills is in the film – even the now-iconic midair fight, which has its missing characters airbrushed back in. The result is that, much as with an Apple press event when all the news has leaked ahead of time, the surprises aren't really all that surprising, even if they're still pretty cool. 

The three Spider-Men do what they came to, although I would have liked to see more Maguire-Garfield interaction as a pair of fish-out-of-water (universe?) heroes, and they could have clawed back some excess Happy Hogan screen time. One of the film's best grace notes is how the characters from the first two Spider-verses are stunned that magic (of the Dr. Strange variety) exists on Earth-616 ( or is it Earth-199999 ?). In fact, in the film's denouement, Spider-Tom resets himself to something closer to those more grounded incarnations, with a hand-sewn suit and a new shabby neighborhood to patrol. Best bit: Charlie Cox's pitch-perfect Matt Murdock cameo. Worst bit: They couldn't find a spot for 1970's TV Spider-Man Nicholas Hammond .

-- Dan Ackerman, New York

'Redemption'

I've always said Avengers: Endgame is the best MCU movie because it's the movie that pulls from more than a decade of movies to make an amazing and coherent movie. Then we have No Way Home, and it does that even one better. It combines three different universes that were never meant to tie together, and it just works. 

What I appreciate the most about No Way Home is how much redemption this film provided for Andrew Garfield and Jamie Foxx. These are two great actors who were put into a bad sequel, but they were given another shot. Foxx establishes himself as the smoothest supervillain Spider-Man ever faced, while Garfield gives everything that you want from a great hero. I think the biggest compliment for No Way Home is that it's easily on the same level as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which many consider to be the best Spider-Man movie. 

-- Oscar Gonzalez, New York

'Sense of closure'

No Way Home is not only an excellent movie on its own, but it somehow retroactively makes prior movies — going back to the original Tobey Maguire trilogy — better. The film could have easily brought in the cast of the previous films in one-off cameos, but No Way Home brilliantly incorporates many of these characters so they're critical to the plot and the development of Tom Holland's Spider-Man.

Andrew Garfield, as mentioned, was dealt a poor film, and the way the film resolved his arc by saving Tom Holland's MJ (after, spoilers, losing Gwen Stacy the same way) was powerful, as was seeing Maguire stop Holland from killing Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin. Little grace notes like Maguire reconnecting with Alfred Molina's Doc Ock and Garfield talking with Jamie Foxx's Electro were nice moments that offered a cathartic sense of closure.

The ending, when Holland's Spider-Man opts to live in a world where no one remembers his Peter Parker, brings back that classic down-on-his-luck character that doesn't have the luxury and Stark technology or aid from the Avengers. By turning the "Home" trilogy into an extended origin story, it lets us better appreciate the films while getting hyped up for what's next.

-- Roger Cheng,  New York

'Incredibly moving'

I'm struck by this film's emotional impact. Not only was it thrilling to see the three Spider-Men come together, but it was also incredibly moving to watch them relate to one another's pain and loss. Nothing makes a superhero more relatable than the problems they can't solve, and their struggles with accepting a fate they can't change. 

I loved the advice the older Spider-Men gave to Tom Holland's character to never become bitter about what's happened in the past, because it won't fix anything. It made me think about how everyone watching in that theater had surely experienced some form of loss and grief, and we could all take a moment to disconnect from that pain and find comfort in these characters – and, by extension, in each other.

-- Abrar Al-Heeti, San Francisco

'Real stakes'

My favorite thing about this film is its commitment to real stakes and the consequences that come with them. It would have been easy for the writers to have come up with a quick fix from Dr. Strange to make a happy-ending all around, but Peter is forced to make a real sacrifice and give up the things that are most important to him.

The dynamic between the three Spider-Men was absolutely brilliant. Some people might think that the "joke" got old during their dialogues (for example, how the eldest Spider-Man's superhero body could actually make webbing), but I was eating up every minute of it. All three absolutely nailed their characters, and where they realistically could have been in their lives this many years later. Though this proved once and for all what I've always thought: Andrew Garfield is the king of all Spider-Men.

 --  Andy Altman, San Francisco

'Blending vibes'

If there's one thing you absolutely need to give this film credit for, it's how seamlessly it blended the vibe of each Peter and his film set. Tobey Maguire's mature Peter has always held more of the weight of this responsibility, so it felt all the more rewarding to see him as a sage mentor for not just Tom Holland's Spider-Man, but also Andrew Garfield's. Meanwhile, Garfield's Peter was easily the most troubled, so to see him finally shed the emotional baggage and guilt in No Way Home felt right. 

Yes, this is me echoing all the demands for an Amazing Spider-Man 3. 

Tom Holland himself did a lot of heavy lifting, but I think it was most important to have No Way Home bring back Peter's wild science brain. From mid-dimension mathematics through to developing cures for not one, but five different ailments, Peter grounds himself in science in a world that feels more magic than reality half the time. Science gives him something to hold onto.

-- Steph Panecasio, Sydney

'Educational'

No Way Home turned out to be an incredibly educational movie. It taught me several things. The golden ratio is a unique mathematical relationship that can be found in the natural world. Tobey Maguire is 46 (and still in incredible Spidey form). And, unequivocally, Andrew Garfield is the best Spider-Man ever and The Amazing Spider-Man 3 needs to happen. Please look up #MakeTASM3 for more information.

-- Jennifer Bisset, Sydney

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Spider-Man: No Way Home review: Welcome to the multiverse

Oh, what a tangled meta-web he weaves.

In 2018, a movie called Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse floated the idea that there could be an infinity of Spideys: an Afro-Latino teen from Brooklyn or a small Japanese girl, one all in monochrome and another made of ham. It went on to win an Oscar, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, and spawned a pile of sequels and spinoffs.

Meanwhile, either in some other dimension or just down the hall, the other Spider-Man carried on, confined in this mortal coil (or at least for three films now) to the body of Tom Holland . But if moviegoers have learned anything in the last two decades at the multiplex it's that no Peter Parker is fixed forever, and in Spider-Man: No Way Home (in theaters Friday) the glue that puts the uni- in universe has come unstuck.

That's less breezy to do without the magic wand of animation, and No Way Home struggles early on to put the pieces in place and find its storyline. At the end of 2019's Far From Home , Holland's Peter was "unmasked" by Jake Gyllenhaal' s malevolent Mysterio — railroaded for crimes he hadn't committed and recast as a dangerous teenage menace in the public's mind. He'd like to shrug it off, but the reveal has also cast a pall on the people that love him: His Aunt May ( Marisa Tomei ), his loyal girlfriend M.J. ( Zendaya ) and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon), even his cheerful bachelor-uncle benefactor, Happy ( Jon Favreau ).

If they've all become outcasts because of him — even MIT decides it doesn't want to see M.J. and Ned on its incoming-freshman rolls — how can he get their good names back? An irritable wizard several Manhattan zip codes away might know; and in fact Doctor Strange ( Benedict Cumberbatch , very much enjoying his snits) does have a few thoughts on how to fix it, including a forgetting spell that can, he promises, wipe Peter's slate clean. But a mid-spell intervention comes with side effects, and suddenly, portals are spitting out MCU ghosts like pinwheel sparklers on the 4th of July, long-dead villains and heroes emerging from the studio backlots that time forgot: 2014, 2007, even 2002. (It's no secret from the trailer at least that the resurrected-enemies list includes Jamie Foxx 's Electro, Alfred Molina 's Doctor Octopus, and Willem Dafoe 's Green Goblin).

Along with Holland, director Jon Watts is on his third installment, and the tone he brings to the franchise remains a kind of goofy, self-referential high-school sweetness; his previous two were like updated John Hughes movies that just happened to have agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The first chunk of No Way Home feels noticeably less cohesive than the ones before it, a hectic collision of convenient plot points and winky one-liners pinging off every available surface while the script scrambles to find its footing. (A major part of Peter's appeal has always been that he's a kind, guileless kid, the most human superhero — though this script makes a strong case that great power should be no 17-year-old's responsibility.)

The way that the movie eventually manages to bridge all those multiplicities and pull them into focus feels both obvious and ingenious, though pretty much everything that happens after the 40-minute mark is a spoiler that early title cards and even a recorded pre-show entreaty from the cast beg you not to share. At just under two and a half hours, that leaves a lot on the table. So it's safer maybe just to say that what seems at first like pure fan service turns out to be some of the best and by far the most meta stuff Marvel has done, tender and funny and a little bit devastating. (There were audible sobs in the theater at an industry screening.) It's also Holland's last time in the suit (unless it isn't ); if and when Peter finds his way home, maybe this bigger, broader Spider-Verse will find a new way — or a new form altogether — to take him there. Grade: B+

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Movie Reviews

A review of 'spider-man: no way home' with as few spoilers as possible.

Bob Mondello

Marvel's latest superhero film, Spider-Man: No Way Home finds its hero battling foes he thought he'd already vanquished.

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‘No Way Home’ is a joyous valentine to Spider-Man movies and their fans

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The plot of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is set in motion by a threatened bout of collective amnesia, which is fitting because I could barely remember anything that happened in the last of these movies. That’s odd, because I definitely saw it. ( I’m pretty sure I reviewed it. ) Fortunately, like most installments of endless cinematic franchises, this latest Spidey adventure seldom stops explaining itself or referencing its predecessors (more on that in a bit). Within moments you are helpfully reminded of how 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home” ended, with that belligerent hack journalist J. Jonah Jameson (Spidey mainstay J.K. Simmons) exposing the famous webslinger’s true identity to the entire world. And most thoughtlessly of all, he didn’t even think to preface it with a spoiler warning.

The people at Sony Pictures, by contrast, have taken their usual care to warn journalists not to spill the secrets of “No Way Home,” expecting us to behave with more scrupulousness and care than some of their own marketing materials. I’ll proceed as cautiously as I can, with the caveat that your spoiler sense may tingle differently from my spoiler sense.

If you’re that concerned about plot details, I implore you: Put down this review and read something else. Read the sports section. Read a Thackeray novel. (Do not read Twitter.) And yeah, sure, see the movie first if you must. If “West Side Story” hasn’t already sated your appetite for impetuous teenagers leaping acrobatically around New York, this one might do the trick.

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ tried to hide its lineup of villains. One leak upended a Marvel-ous strategy

The cast and creatives of Sony’s ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ discuss spoilers, returning villains and the Marvel multiverse at the film’s premiere.

Dec. 14, 2021

Or you could just plunge ahead and read on, especially if, like me, you harbor some skepticism about the way studios use the promise of jaw-dropping, game-changing twists to preempt criticism and sell material that’s actually fairly predictable at its core. Really, given the months of speculative hype that have preceded “No Way Home,” the most surprising thing about it is how … unsurprisingly much of it plays out.

If you’ve had your ear even remotely to the ground, you know what’s up: Due to unprecedented ruptures in the multiverse, characters from the first two Spider-Man series make appearances in this one. To discuss who those characters are and what they do would apparently be a crime on par with leaking the nuclear codes, so let’s just swing around them, Spidey-like, as gracefully as possible.

The narrative pretext for all these series-blending shenanigans is charming enough, in a low-stakes teen-movie kind of way. Due to an accompanying whiff of scandal, being outed as Spider-Man hasn’t exactly done wonders for Peter Parker (the excellent Tom Holland). Nor has it boosted the reputations of his girlfriend, MJ (Zendaya), and his best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon), whose associations with Peter have gotten them rejected from MIT. With bricks flying through the window of the Queens apartment he shares with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei, winning as ever), Peter calls on his old friend Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), asking him to cast a spell that will cause the entire world to forget that he’s Spider-Man. Much digitally confected spectacle and human error ensue, and rather than erasing the world’s memory, Doctor Strange winds up accidentally jogging ours.

And so a caper becomes a point of convergence, a nearly 2½-hour reunion special. Amid a jumble of clashing timelines and multiplying meta-paradoxes plotted out by screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (who also wrote “Far From Home”), the familiar faces include a handful of villains from the Tobey Maguire-starring, Sam Raimi-directed trilogy of “Spider-Man” (2002), “Spider-Man 2” (2004) and “Spider-Man 3” (2007), as well as the less fondly remembered Andrew Garfield-starring, Marc Webb-directed duo of “The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012) and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (2014).

I doubt anyone will be shocked when Willem Dafoe’s snarling Green Goblin arrives, or when Alfred Molina’s metal-tentacled Doc Ock turns up, daring Spider-Man to beat him to a bloody poulpe. My own surprise was entirely genuine when Jamie Foxx resurfaced as Electro, a super-baddie I had completely forgotten about from the misleadingly titled “Amazing Spider-Man 2.”

As I was saying: amnesia. But “No Way Home,” directed by Jon Watts (who also steered “Far From Home” and 2017’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming”), does strive to pull off something memorable, and largely succeeds. It’s rare to see such surreally elaborate narrative gymnastics arise from what is basically a long-running game of corporate tug-of-war. The Spidey custody battle that has ensnared Sony, Disney and Marvel Studios over the years is too tedious to rehash here, but there is something admittedly disarming about the solution that “No Way Home” hits upon. Without saying too much — OK, without saying anything at all — three parallel Spider-Man universes that once were forced to stand apart now get to belatedly salute each other, in a warm, even reconciliatory spirit.

This exercise — call it the Spidey Variations — may be fan service on a maximalist scale. And it doesn’t have quite the delirious invention of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” the 2018 animated feature that made the most of its multiverse-collapsing conceit. Still, it’s nice to feel a persistent human touch amid the otherwise mechanical sound and fury of “No Way Home,” especially during its wobbly, draggy midsection. Bridges rumble and scaffolding crumbles; the Statue of Liberty really should file for hazard pay. Comic relief arrives on cue (hello, Jon Favreau); tragedy strikes without warning. It’s a Spider-Man movie, in other words, and also a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.

But while the action ultimately turns as murky as in any Avengers epic, the smug, depersonalized air that often mars those glorified cinematic frat parties is notably absent. And for all “No Way Home’s” vertiginous heights and precipitous drops, few things here shake you more fully than the anguished closeups of Holland, in which Peter’s genetically modified strength — and his all-too-human vulnerability — are on tear-soaked, grime-smudged display.

Holland was only 19 when he landed this role (he made his scene-stealing first appearance in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War”). And while his Peter has always seemed younger than predecessors Maguire and Garfield, what united the three of them was a fundamental sweetness, an immutable sense of decency. The movies weren’t always great or even particularly good, but the actors kept you watching. Maguire put the most distinctive stamp on the character, his awkward, wide-eyed charm aided by the freshness and pop energy of Raimi’s direction. Garfield had a rougher time of it, being the standout element of a rudderless middle-child cycle that felt more commercially motivated than any of its brethren, and that’s saying a lot.

Holland’s task hasn’t been much easier. Like his predecessors, he’s an enormously likable screen presence, which has been crucial to making this third go-round with Spider-Man feel like more than just another retread. That’s no small thing, since every Spidey cycle must essentially trace the same arc, hit the same beats and rites of passage: the loneliness and isolation of superheroism, the all-too-relatable challenges of teenagerdom, the bittersweet ache of young love, the pain of sudden, irreversible loss. When someone here intones, “With great power comes great responsibility,” it’s with a wry awareness of how often those words have been spoken before, and how often they’ll likely be spoken again. The poignant (and ultimately spoiler-proof) achievement of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is that, for the moment at least, it leaves you considering that prospect with more affection than fatigue.

Here’s what we can tell you about ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

Arguably the year’s most anticipated movie had its world premiere on Monday, and fans are likely to rejoice at what’s in store.

Dec. 13, 2021

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

Rating: PG-13, for sequences of action/violence, some language and brief suggestive comments Running time: 2 hours, 28 minutes Playing: Starts Dec. 17 in general release

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‘spider-man: no way home’: film review.

Tom Holland’s webslinger fights a bunch of familiar faces in Jon Watts’ third outing as Spider-director.

By John DeFore

John DeFore

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The heroes who went clobberin’ through the pages of Marvel Comics in the 1980s were still relative kids when the mythology over at rival publisher DC started creaking under its own weight. Superman and Batman had started fighting crime in the late ’30s, for Pete’s sake, and the many iterations of their stories, not to mention those of less revered characters, had piled up in confusing or contradictory ways. The solution was a series called Crisis on Infinite Earths , envisioning a collision of alternate realities in which some characters died, others had their stories straightened out, and many (though far from all) overly literal fanboys were allowed to stop fretting if next month’s adventure contradicted one they read 15 years ago.

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That influential series solved some obvious problems. By contrast, one might wonder what issues are being fixed in Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: No Way Home , where Spidey and Doctor Strange open a rift between parallel dimensions, forcing Tom Holland ’s Spider-Man to face villains who starred in movies opposite Tobey Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s versions of the character.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Release date: December 17 Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei Director: Jon Watts Screenwriters: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers

Was the problem “there’s not enough fan service in Marvel movies”? Certainly, this outing is a textbook example of that phenomenon, in which little moments of pandering (be the moments loving or cynical) make inside jokes, throw in gratuitous cameos, or bring intergalactic bounty hunters back to life because there just aren’t enough Star Wars products out there yet for Disney to sell.

Some of the fan service plays fairly well here; some is unsubtle enough you expect an actor to look into the camera and wink at you after delivering his line. But in the end, No Way Home does use its multiversal mayhem to address the only real problem with the Holland-era web-slinger: the Iron Man-ification of the character, in which his already amazing powers keep getting overshadowed by the gadgets given to him by billionaire jerk-hero Tony Stark. This is the least fun of the Watts/Holland pictures by a wide margin (intentionally so, to some extent), but it’s a hell of a lot better than the last Spidey threequel, Sam Raimi’s overstuffed and ill-conceived Spider-Man 3 .

The story begins with the scene that closed the last film: Spidey is perched outside Penn Station when J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) exposes his secret identity. Soon, the whole world knows it’s Peter Parker under that mask, and hordes believe Jameson’s bizarre claim that Spider-Man is a war criminal. (This iteration of Daily Bugle editor Jameson is obviously modeled on real-life idiocy-promoter Alex Jones; but as is often the case these days, intended satire pales in comparison to the stupidity of the real thing.)

Life gets hard for our hero and his pals Ned (Jacob Batalon) and MJ ( Zendaya ), who have to deal with constant media attention and uncomfortable scenes at school. Somehow (just don’t question it), this notoriety even prevents the three brainiacs from getting into any of the colleges they apply to. So Peter Parker heads to Greenwich Village, hoping Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) can cast a spell and make his identity a secret again.

Several moments of poor judgment later, Strange has had to quash his own out-of-control magic, which threatens to summon to our planet every person, on every alternate Earth out there, who knows the name Peter Parker. But the cat’s partly out of the bag, and any viewer who has seen a trailer knows at least some of the characters who are coming to play — first, and most enjoyably, Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus.

As the old villains reappear, we’re reminded that practically every one of them is a good soul gone wrong — some made monstrous by the same kind of dumb luck that made Peter a hero. So when Strange prepares to send them back to their own timelines (where, we may recall, most of them perish spectacularly), Peter balks. Urged on by his fiercely moral Aunt May (Marisa Tomei, the only woman in the multiverse who can get away with the godawful outfits these movies give her), he insists on trying to heal the villains before sending them home. Arguments between Avengers being what they are, Spidey and Strange duke it out in a magical realm where the scenery goes all Inception- y on them, then Spidey steals a magic doodad and sets off to cure the bad guys.

Rather than spoil any of the surprises the plot may have in store, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Who thought it was a great idea to tackle this material so soon after practically the same thing happened in 2018’s animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse ? That rollicking, eye-popping adventure was so fresh, funny and exciting that No Way Home can really only look stodgy in comparison, relying on the novelty of faces we haven’t seen in a while and building up to the kind of operatic emotional moments the previous Watts films tended to avoid.

Yes, Peter suffers here, losing so much he’s at risk of also losing the spirit that has made Holland’s Peter Parker so winning onscreen since swinging into Captain America: Civil War . At moments, the anguish feels like the paint-by-numbers routine of superhero franchise-building: more of the same, despite the unusual circumstances.

But there’s a lightness to the movie’s final scene that makes one hopeful. What if all this colliding-multiverse stuff freed Peter from attachments, not only to his former incarnations, but to some of his more grandiose present-tense buddies as well? Would it be so bad if he were allowed to be a “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” for a while, with no obligation to fight aliens and giant monsters every other year? Let Doctor Strange explore the mystic depths for a while, and let Spidey swing.

Full credits

Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing Production companIes: Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios, Pascal Pictures Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei Director: Jon Watts Screenwriters: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers Producers: Kevin Feige, Amy Pascal Executive Producers: Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, JoAnn Perritano, Rachel O’Connor, Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach Director of photography: Mauro Fiore Production designer: Darren Gilford Costume designer: Sanja Milkovic Hays Editors: Jeffrey Ford, Leigh Folsom Boyd Composer: Michael Giacchino Casting directors: Sarah Finn, Chris Zaragoza

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‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Review: Hero Wrestles with Place in Universe in Emotional, Unsteady Sequel

Kate erbland, editorial director.

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There’s little question that diving deep into the psyches of superheroes can render some dark finds (hell, Batman has turned that into a signature move over the course of numerous film franchises and television series, and that’s just one bat-eared dude), but the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s treatment of the state of young Spider-Man’s ( Tom Holland ) soul has continually added fresh dimension to an ever-expanding franchise. Spidey has always been an emotional dude — baseline biographical bits like “is just a teen when that damn spider bites him” and “is orphan” help that along with ease — but Holland’s appealingly wide-eyed superhero has spent a number of movies grounding wild action in a human frame. Being a superhero is both hard and lots of fun, and few MCU heroes have been able to quite so ably strike that balance in the midst of world-destroying action sequences.

Not so with this Peter Parker. The most believable on-screen Spidey — which is not to say that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield didn’t bring their own special sauce to their individual Spider-Man franchises, cough cough — Holland’s take on the webslinger has always felt like the most human, the most real, the most “holy wow, I’m a superhero!” version of this beloved character. Which also means we’ve seen this Peter Parker in some pretty tough spots — his bond with Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man is some of the most darling stuff to pop up in the MCU, obviously its end was tear-streaked — and that we’re inevitably going to end up in some deep, dark places.

And that’s not where Jon Watts ‘ satisfying, emotional, and occasionally unsteady “ Spider-Man: No Way Home ” begins. The third film in the franchise picks up immediately after 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far from Home,” and finds Holland at his grinning Peter Parker best: in love with a girl (Zendaya, continually a scene-stealer as the sarcastic MJ). Yeah, yeah, yeah, “Far from Home” might have ended with the death of a secret baddie (Jake Gyllenhaal, who appears in flashback footage) and forced Peter to really start grappling with his place in the world, but it also wrapped up with Peter and MJ both together and totally honest with each other. What could possibly go wrong now that the girl he loves knows who he is?

How about the whole world knowing who he is? As hinted at during the end of “Far from Home,” Peter’s identity is almost immediately disclosed at the start of “No Way Home” — big thanks to returning franchise star J.K. Simmons, who brings new life into a very current incarnation of loud-mouthed journalist J. Jonah Jameson, who he last played in the Tobey Maguire-starring Spidey films — turning his entire existence upside down in the process. And yet Watts somehow manages to keep this revelation feeling light, as Peter, MJ, Ned (Jacob Batalon), Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), and Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) soon band together to keep Peter’s life feeling, well, sort of normal. There’s even a scene in which he heads back to high school for his senior year, and an early focus on ensuring the Midtown High trio all get into college. (College! The stakes are college ! In a superhero movie!)

For far too long, the fate of the entire universe has dangled in the balance during Marvel’s many cinematic outings, and while “No Way Home” goes so far as to add in  multiverses  and the possibility that the very “fabric of reality” will forever tear, there’s still something charmingly small-scale about this film. It’s  personal , and that’s a theme and an idea that is only further hammered home as the film zips through its first act, starts to slow down in its second, and completely nails the whole damn thing by its eye-popping final forty minutes.

Rumors about not just the content, but the actual  cast  of the film have long abounded, and while we won’t confirm or deny anything here, suffice it to say that the film is filled with both familiar faces and surprising additions. The real trick, however, is that even bits that might, in a lesser film, feel like stunt-casting here exist in true service to the story. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has rarely balked at throwing in a winking cameo whenever the chance arises, but “No Way Home” is the rare MCU film to actually make them count, baking them straight into the story at hand.

So, back to the college thing: Peter is dismayed to discover that his newly-ousted superhero personality is something of a liability, particularly as J. Jonah Jameson, a rumor-spewing internet talking head who has (sadly) many real world parallels, is hellbent on making people think that Spidey is the bad guy. All that attention isn’t so great for a trio of eggheads who want to get into MIT, and when Peter, MJ, and Ned are all rejected explicitly because of their Spidey-tivities, Peter comes up with a genius plan: he’ll just get Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast some kind of spell to make people forget that he’s Spider-Man.

But Peter is indeed still a kid, and an impulsive one at that, and even when he gets the sorcerer to agree to the wish, his last-minute caveats (wait, did he say he wants  everyone  to forget? no, not  everyone! ) screw so badly with the spell that the whole thing has to be shut down. But magic is a weird thing, and so is the multiverse, and the nutty power cooked up by Doctor Strange works itself out in wacky, scary, and (sorry) strange new ways. Let’s put it this way: even with the spell cut short, ensuring that no one has forgotten that Peter is Spider-Man, its reach is wide enough to ensnare a special class of people, the kind of people who know few things as well as they know that Peter is Spider-Man.

Soon, Peter’s universe is overwhelmed with new friends and foes, including a few who have long been hinted at in marketing and interviews (hello, Jamie Foxx and Alfred Molina, reprising roles as signature baddies from those other Spider-Man series), and a few pleasant surprises. And while that franchise-spanning combination has been what’s kept so many fans thrilled about what “No Way Home” might hold, things start to stall out a bit when Peter and his pals attempt to wrangle up the many ( many ) baddies he and his pals need to battle. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers’ script spends far too long dwelling on the machinations of people and plans we already know, throwing in some awkward misdirection and simply delaying the inevitable. The pacing suffers, and that wonderful lightness that kicked off the film soon swings between something still wackier and the kind of deep despair this particular Peter has already endured.

Similarly, the film’s many fighting sequences run the gamut, starting off with an overpass-set battle in broad daylight that’s awe-inspiring and a jaunt through the Mirror Universe with Doctor Strange that out-“Matrix”es “The Matrix,” before dipping into a messy series of battles — so very many of them set at night — that are bland and dark, even when Foxx’s Electro is there to literally light the place up. At least it all leads to the film’s final act, a truly joyful (and often funny and wise and emotional) tour de force that will delight fans, both new and old, of the varied adventures of their Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Somehow both self-reflexive (sometimes, even self-mocking) and deadly earnest, these final sections combine so much of what makes Spider-Man special, across movies and times and places and even universes .

It also lays the groundwork for more adventures to come, even if the very past itself will look very different by the time the credits roll. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not always willing to get  really  risky — particularly in standalone features that will undoubtedly impact the rest of the slate — but “No Way Home” isn’t scared of throwing down an entirely new gauntlet, with a truly reverential eye to the past, and hoping for a new future worth fighting for. The road to the closing moments of “No Way Home” — both warm-hearted and heartbreaking — might have hit a few bumps, but the darkness is worth it. After all, when was the last time the third film in a franchise got audiences truly thrilled for what comes next? Maybe there is no way home, but Holland, Watts, and company make a case for something else, something even better.

Sony will release “Spider-Man: No Way Home” in theaters on Friday, December 17.

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Recent projections, delegate tracker, georgia, oregon, idaho and kentucky primaries 2024: willis, mcafee win; tough night for progressives, 'spider-man: no way home' review: tom holland is better than ever in this thrill-a-minute whirlwind.

It's impossible not to have a blast watching Spidey’s worlds collide.

In his third solo turn as Spider-Man, the irresistibly dorky Tom Holland may be just the webslinger to sling audiences back into theaters for some ho-ho-ho for the holidays and also save the world for in-person moviegoing. That’s a big job for “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which scales the entertainment heights with humor and heart to spare.

Paranoia about spoilers from the suits at Marvel and Sony is so heated that I’m jumpy even telling you that Holland—the Brit actor with the best American accent—is back in the game, both in Spidey spandex and as Peter Parker, the hormonal kid from Queens whose accidental bite from a spider gave him swinging powers that still can’t help him swing on a date.

So read no further till after you see the movie if you don’t want even sketchy details that are readily available in the trailer and studio advertising. The basic plot is sequel 101. Last time out, Spider-Man had been unmasked as Peter by the evil Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal, whose unmasking in song by Taylor Swift should have taught him not to pry).

Even worse, Internet conspiracy theorist J. Jonah Jameson (a wowza J.K. Simmons) has labeled our boy a “web-headed war criminal!” Scandal! Not only is Peter rejected to attend MIT, so are his brainiac girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and bestie Ned (Jacob Batalon, the film’s comedy MVP).

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What’s an unfrocked Spider-Man to do, now that his Avenger mentor Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) is out of the picture? He teams up with supreme sorcerer Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch enjoying a lark after the heavy dramatic lifting of “The Power of the Dog”) to make the entire planet forget that Peter was ever Spidey.

But instead of global amnesia, Strange rips a hole in the multiverse. That means that do-badders from past Spidey films that starred Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield show up to wreck havoc in the persons of Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Lizard (Rhys Ifans) and the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe).

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How exactly they raise hell, under wizardly director Jon Watts, will not be revealed here. What can be said to fans and detractors alike is that it’s impossible not to have a blast watching Spidey’s worlds collide. It’s delicious to see Molina and Dafoe back in the mischief business, that is until Peter decides these titans of terror may really be good at heart.

It must also be said that the animated version of the franchise, 2018’s Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” did all this and more, not just clashing worlds and multi-Spideys but the idea that any of us could be Spider-Man. It’s what we do with the power that counts.

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“Into the Spider-Verse” was revolutionary. “No Way Home” plays it safer, but its joyous spirit is not to be dinged. And Holland is better than ever, tempering this thrill-a-minute whirlwind with a sense that growing up for Peter means coping with loss and learning to work as a team.

Despite the teachable moments, there’s a big-swing of an ending that packs an emotional punch you don’t see coming. Before the climactic showdown, Peter must deal with the darker impulses of his Avenger side. You leave “No Way Home” actually caring about what’s ahead for our maturing hero. I’m happily hooked for next time. You will be too.

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Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

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‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ review: Marvel’s mad mash-up in the multiverse

**Light spoilers below**

H istorically, Spider-Man series don’t have much longevity. Sam Raimi’s noughties take had two soaring instalments, before hitting a wall with its third. Marc Webb only managed two, neither fulfilling their potential. Jon Watts is now on his third. He’s not only setting out to prove he can hit three in a row but trying to tie all the Spider-Man movies together, effectively making this the capper on one 20-year saga. It’s an insane mission, yet in all the most important ways he succeeds triumphantly.

• Read more: The 20 best films of 2021

It’s only been two years since Far From Home , but there’s been a lot going on, so to catch up: the dying hurrah of villain Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), who the public thought was a hero, was to tell the world Spider-Man (Tom Holland) murdered him and then reveal Spidey’s true identity. No Way Home begins with Peter, still just 17, the most famous kid on the planet, being investigated for murder and wishing he could go back to simpler times. He knows a man who can do that, so he swings off to visit Doctor Strange ( Benedict Cumberbatch ), who casts a spell to make the world forget Peter Parker. That spell goes very, very wrong. Instead of making the world forget Peter, it makes everybody in every reality fixate on this Peter Parker. In short order, villains from every Spider-Man universe are leaking through the fabric of reality to kill Peter. So you have the villains from Raimi’s and Webb’s movies invading Watts’. Welcome to the multiverse.

The wild ambition of that idea brings both joys and awkward difficulties. Let’s do the downsides first. Using villains from all the films means you’re not just treated to the good ones but lumbered with the ones you may not even remember. Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) and Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) were so vivid in Sam Raimi’s films that they arrive with the weight of solid backstory and clear personality. The others are wisps by comparison. Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) from Raimi’s dreadful third outing, and Electro (Jamie Foxx) and Lizard (Rhys Ifans) from Marc Webb’s messy efforts, were underwritten in their own films and it’s too much to ask that their brief screen time here can flesh them out into fulfilling characters. The film tries some Suicide Squad -ish comedy with them but little of it lands because there’s not much personality to play with. The villain performances range from gleefully pantomime (Dafoe and Molina) to phoned-in (Jamie Foxx does not even attempt to reprise his characterisation from Amazing Spider-Man 2 , instead rebooting the character as ‘a man like Jamie Foxx’).

And yet, we start with the bad because the good far outweighs it. For one, the audacious spectacle of putting all these baddies in one film is thrilling, even before they’ve done anything. They could sit and relay the complexities of their contract negotiations and it would still hold some excitement. The real triumph is in how Watts and writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers use this opportunity. It’s not lazy fan service, Easter eggs from films past served up for cheap cheers. The gimmick is used to really get into what it means to be Spider-Man. A comic book villain is always a cracked mirror version of the hero. No Way Home reflects Peter back at himself in so many ways that he can’t avoid reckoning with what he sees.

While Strange wants to return the villains to their universes and inevitable death, Peter thinks he can rehabilitate them before they return. He can’t bring himself to effectively kill people he’s never met. This is always Spider-Man’s lot. He thinks everyone can be saved. This is a film about the MCU ’s most upbeat hero realising that’s not true. Tom Holland’s boyscout-ish Parker faces up to the reality that being Spider-Man means failing, facing tragedy, and learning to come back swinging. Spider-Man’s greatest power is eternal optimism in the face of inevitable tragedy.

Recommended

Holland has always been a great Spider-Man but he ascends to a new level here. All the ‘aw gosh gee willikers’ stuff he still does charmingly, but this time he has to do some hefty emotional lifting. The weight of two decades of Spider-Man movies are on his wiry shoulders and he carries it manfully. To go into detail about how the film explores the soul of Peter Parker would give away secrets – although knowing ‘spoilers’ should in no way ruin your enjoyment of the story, such is a the quality of the character writing – but suffice to say that in terms of getting to the heart of the character, No Way Home is the ultimate Spider-Man film. There are moments here that make you want to cheer and weep simultaneously. It’s not the most visually spectacular, it’s not the funniest, but it’s the most emotionally rich. For Spider-Man fans who’ve stuck with the character through the soaring highs and the sticky lows, this is your reward. And it makes it all worth it.

• Director: Jon Watts
• Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, J.K. Simmons
• Release date: December 15
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Spider-Man Movie Review

Updated 10 August 2022

Subject Movies

Downloads 29

Category Entertainment

Topic Movie Analysis ,  Movie Review ,  Movie Summary ,  Spiderman

This Spider-Man movie review will discuss the positive and negative aspects of the film. We will focus on the role of Tom Holland's Spider-Man, the new villains, positive themes, and Action sequences. To get a better understanding of the movie, we will look at some of the most notable aspects of Spider-Man: Homecoming. The film was released on July 7th and received maximum applause in its opening scene. The audience roared for the supervillains, drowning out the opening dialogues. Tom Holland's Spider-Man Is Tom Holland's Spider-Man movie worthy of the hype? This review will give you my opinion about the film. I think Tom Holland's Spider-Man is one of the best superhero movies in recent history. He plays the web-slinger in an emotionally compelling way. And if you love the comic book series, you'll love Tom Holland as the web-slinger. Tom Holland is a joy to watch in any of the upcoming Marvel movies. Spider-Man is a beloved superhero, but his real identity remains a mystery, even in the most recent film. The story starts with Peter Parker, played by Holland, and J.K. Simmons' J. Jonah Jameson. Jameson is a renowned newshound and Public Enemy No. 1, and his relationship with Peter Parker and the rest of the Spider-Man gang is quite interesting. Mary Jane The Mary Jane in Spiderman is Peter Parker's girlfriend. She is about to get married to John Jameson but secretly longs to have a relationship with Peter. The movie is a good example of what friendship can do for the soul. Mary Jane has an incredibly powerful role and is a good example of how friendship can be the purest form of love. This review will give you an in-depth analysis of Mary Jane in Spiderman. After the events of Spider-Man 3, Tobey Maguire requested that no details be included about the relationship between Mary Jane and Peter Parker. The movie hints that Mary Jane and Peter have reconciled, but it doesn't go into their relationship status fourteen years later. Regardless, Mary Jane and Peter Parker's chemistry in this movie is top-notch. If you haven't seen Spider-Man, don't miss this new installment of the lovable superhero. Action sequences While there are several action sequences in the Spider-Man franchise, this latest one is particularly impressive. Director Sam Raimi reimagines the classic comic book hero with two epic action sequences. Tobey Maguire and Alfred Molina work closely together to create the sequences. They begin work on these action sequences years before they are filmed and continue throughout the production. As a result, you will be able to enjoy the movie as a whole before you see the final product. The first action sequence features a back-and-forth sequence between Peter Parker and the evil Green Goblin. Spider-Man's web-slinging powers allow him to stop a train. This fight is so intense, it rivals Sam Raimi's Evil Dead. The shock factor is the death of the Goblin, which is a memorable scene. The movie also starred a cameo from Marvel's Generalissimo, Stan Lee, who is completely oblivious to the chaos. Positive themes The positive themes of Spider-Man are abundant throughout the film. These themes include social responsibility, single-mindedness, and a sense of honor. They also highlight the contrast between loving family relationships and destructive ones. The film also draws a clear line between good and evil, with Spider-Man often falling on the right side of the line. What's more, the movie also features a surprisingly strong female lead, Mary Jane.

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Interestingly, the film's themes aren't exactly confined to the positive, as the negative ones dominate. For example, the love theme, though central to the film, isn't given its own long suite. Despite its importance, it is only incorporated sparingly in the film. One of the best pieces of the score, Still Crazy, combines strings and mournful electronics to create an epic piece.

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Spider-Man: No Way Home Movie Analysis Essay Sample

The roar from the crowd was deafening on opening night of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” as audiences tried to fathom what we were seeing. Cheers, profanities, and gasps filled the air, along with the muted sounds of tears rolling down cheeks. Marvel superfans and casual viewers alike sat stunned in their seats while the movie continued on with its impressive effects, heartbreaking plot points, and altogether excitement at every turn.

We can’t talk about this movie without addressing the return of Spider-Man veterans Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, who were incorporated into the movie quite seamlessly. Despite continued denial of their involvement, both actors reappeared on screen, and not just for small cameos. They built a lovely relationship with Peter Parker – that is, Tom Holland’s version – and became mentors to him, aiding in both his physical and emotional battles. Maguire and Garfield’s characters also developed a mutual respect and camaraderie with each other, even sharing a few good quips. The three’s dynamic was well done in that it was heartwarming without being overly cliche. They bonded over their shared pain and humored the audience with references to their respective movies.

I could easily see that the people behind this project knew what fans wanted. Along with the aforementioned moments, the particular parallel between Garfield’s portrayal of Peter being unable to save girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) in 2014’s “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” and rescuing MJ in “No Way Home” was not lost on viewers. We gasped and cried along with this Spider-Man as he realized he had succeeded where he once failed.

Along with these heroes came villains Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Electro (Jamie Foxx), Lizard (Rhys Ifans), Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), and Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), all of whom were plucked from moments before their respective deaths in their universes and transported to ours. Though there were evidently a lot of characters and opportunities packed into the film, the pacing was good and everything was adequately spaced so that audiences were always captivated without being overwhelmed. One villain who stuck out to me was the Green Goblin. Willem Dafoe topped his original 2002 performance, delivering a frighteningly unhinged Norman Osborn that laughed in the face of death and seamlessly switched between personalities.

Something especially impressive regarding “No Way Home” was the visual effects. The way they were able to combine the mind-bending imagery of “Dr. Strange” with the traditional fight sequences we’d expect from a Spider-Man film, as well as the looks of each individual villain’s powers was astounding. The VFX team truly deserves so much credit for managing to adapt these 2000s and 2010s practical effects to the 2021 screen without making them look out of place within the newer technology, nor striving too far away from their original designs.

The storyline itself was well-written, incorporating a multitude of other characters while still focusing on Tom Holland’s Peter and his life, with the normal college admissions, friendships, and relationships that come with being a high school senior. The ending rounded out his character well, leaving room for more movies revolving around his new life and the introduction of new characters while also providing a nice closing point for this trilogy.

A downfall of this movie packing so much into its two-and-a-half-hour run time was that the writers were forced to sideline Dr. Strange for much of the film. While I agree that with him there would have been too many levels of conflict in the second half, it is unrealistic for a character of his skill to be rendered incapable how he was.

Another critique of the film is the sequencing of scenes, which at times gave viewers emotional whiplash. For instance, Aunt May’s death scene was followed immediately by Garfield and Maguire’s entrances. While this kept the pacing on track to include everything audiences wanted, it was a large emotional jump from despair and a sorrowful deja vu moment for audiences to inane excitement and applause.

None of this is to say that “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is a bad movie or underdelivered in any aspect – it was all audiences hoped for and more, an “Endgame”-level film with enough surprises to keep even those who have done deep dives into the leaks on the edge of their seats.

If Garfield and Maguire’s appearances weren’t enough, the film includes a cameo by Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, who had not been confirmed as part of the MCU since his show came out, as well as other characters in the post credit scenes. The first featured Eddie Brock and Venom, a continuation of them being teased in the post credit scene of “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” from October earlier this year. It was a humorous scene, but a bit disappointing. While I’m glad the Venom symbiote was left in this universe for Peter or someone else to find, I would’ve loved for Eddie to stay in the MCU and interact with other characters. However, the “Venom” franchise is one that doesn’t take themselves too seriously so it did not come completely unexpected.

The second scene, a full teaser for “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” exceeded expectations. With the return of Baron Mordo of the first “Dr. Strange” film and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, as well as a mysterious Dr. Strange doppelganger (a possible connection to the “What If…?” animated series) and young hero America Chavez’s first on-screen appearance, fans left the theater with much to speculate about. 

Overall, this film soared above viewer expectations and delivered a visually pleasing film full of twists and history-making scenes alongside a heart wrenching storyline that left viewers stunned. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is a must-see for Marvel fans or anyone looking for an interesting, emotional, and jam-packed movie. While nothing will beat the excitement of watching it for the first time in theaters, I’d gladly rewatch “No Way Home” again and again.

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Common sense media reviewers.

Fun movie, but may be too intense for younger kids.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Core messages about empathy and responsibility are

Peter Parker is one of the comic book world's more

Lots of cartoon violence, with fight scenes (some

Passionate kissing. MJ wears a clingy wet T-shirt

"Ass," "damn," and one "s--tty."

Tie-in to vast quantities of related merchandise.

Parents need to know that Spider-Man 's PG-13 rating comes from a couple of swear words, a clingy wet T-shirt, and -- particularly -- a great deal of comic book-style violence. It can get very intense and includes not just fires and explosions, but people getting vaporized, shot (off-camera), and impaled…

Positive Messages

Core messages about empathy and responsibility are strong. "With great power comes great responsibility" is the lesson learned here as a new hero is born. Other themes include integrity, self-control, perseverance, and courage.

Positive Role Models

Peter Parker is one of the comic book world's more thoughtful heroes. He's all about saving people who are in trouble and learns important lessons about responsibility. On the other hand, he blames himself for one of the movie's sadder moments. The main villain is deceitful and conflicted, but wants the best for his son.

Violence & Scariness

Lots of cartoon violence, with fight scenes (some intense), fires, explosions and people getting vaporized, shot (off-camera), and in one case, impaled. A group of schoolchildren is in peril; and parents emotionally abuse their children.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Passionate kissing. MJ wears a clingy wet T-shirt in one scene.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Parents need to know.

Parents need to know that Spider-Man 's PG-13 rating comes from a couple of swear words, a clingy wet T-shirt, and -- particularly -- a great deal of comic book-style violence. It can get very intense and includes not just fires and explosions, but people getting vaporized, shot (off-camera), and impaled. Characters lose people close to them; a group of schoolchildren is in peril; and parents emotionally abuse their children. But the movie's core messages about empathy and responsibility are strong, and Peter Parker is one of the comic book world's more thoughtful heroes. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (70)
• Kids say (243)

Based on 70 parent reviews

Great film with positive message, but has scary scenes and suggestive themes

What's the story.

In SPIDER-MAN, Toby Maguire stars as Peter Parker, a brilliant and sensitive high school student who's so deeply in love with his next-door neighbor Mary Jane ( Kirsten Dunst ) that he can barely bring himself to say hello to her. On a school field trip, he's bitten by a genetically engineered spider; the next morning he wakes up with some distinctly arachnid-like qualities: He can see without his glasses, climb walls, eject webbing with the swinging power of rope and the strength of steel, and anticipate danger. Peter plays around with his newfound superpowers but quickly learns that power comes with great responsibility. Great risk comes as well: Everyone Peter cares about is put in danger because of who he is. Meanwhile, Peter's best friend's father, industrialist Norman Osborn ( Willem Dafoe ), has decided to try out his company's new product on himself. He, too, develops extraordinary power -- and a mad fury. His new alter ego is dubbed the Green Goblin for his bizarre armor-like covering.

Is It Any Good?

Maguire is just right as Peter, the supporting cast is great, and the script is excellent, striking just the right note of respect and affection for the source material. Spider-Man has a contemporary feel without being showily post-modern or ironic. The special effects are thrilling. New York City is brilliantly stylized. Peter's relationship with MJ is sweetly romantic. The movie's weakest point is that it fails in the single most important requirement for a comic book-based movie: The villain isn't unforgettably crazy or evil or larger-than-life. Dafoe is a brilliant actor, but the part of Osborn/Green just isn't interesting enough to be truly scary.

Parents who are struggling with whether this movie is appropriate for kids under 13 should know that it's at about the same level as the X-Men movies. Keep in mind that just because kids can repeat after you that "it's only pretend" doesn't mean that they fully understand what that means until they're 10 or even older. Some kids may see the movie and appear to have no problems with it but later act out in other ways. Be watchful for kids who respond by desensitizing themselves to violence or re-enacting it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Uncle Ben's influence on Peter Parker in Spider-Man . What role does he play in Peter's life?

What does "with great power comes great responsibility" mean? Can you think of other superhero movies that tackle that theme?

Also, do you agree that people "love to see a hero fail"?

How do you think this live-action film compares with Spider-Man comics or the other Spider-Man films ?

How do the characters in Spider-Man demonstrate self-control , integrity , and empathy ? What about perseverance and courage ? Why are these important character strengths ?

Movie Details

• In theaters : May 3, 2002
• On DVD or streaming : November 1, 2002
• Cast : Kirsten Dunst , Tobey Maguire , Willem Dafoe
• Director : Sam Raimi
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Columbia Tristar
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Superheroes , Adventures , Great Boy Role Models
• Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Integrity , Perseverance , Self-control
• Run time : 121 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : violence.
• Last updated : February 7, 2024

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Every 'Spider-Man' Movie, Ranked by Rewatchability

With a great franchise, comes great rewatchable movies...

Spider-Man is one of the most universally loved superheroes of all time. His story has dozens of comic, TV, and film adaptations , and he has only grown in popularity since the character's creation sixty-two years ago. Marvel icon Stan Lee created the friendly neighborhood web-slinger alongside fellow comic artist legend Steve Ditko . But nobody could've imagined how far it would go and just how much Spidey would come to mean to millions of fans all around the world.

Following three animated Spider-Man films between 1977 and 1981, studios began consistently releasing new features on the web-slinger every few years from 2002, and in the twenty-two years since Tobey Maguire first swung onto cinema screens, Spidey now has ten standalone movies across his extensive multiverse. Every single one of these movies has a unique likeness to them . They are action-packed, full of that classic Marvel comedy, and pay homage to one of the franchise's best heroes. While these qualities alone are enough for any fan to sit down for a rewatch, there's something special about them that makes it more than effortless to do so. From where it all began over two decades ago to the most nostalgic MCU film to date, every Spider-Man movie can be rewatched on repeat without audiences getting bored, and they're perfect for a binge-watch for the ultimate Spidey experience.

10 'Spider-Man 3' (2007)

Directed by sam raimi.

Although essentially disliked as a Spider-Man film by fans, the third and final installment to the Sam Raimi trilogy has one specific reason why it could be considered rewatchable. That reason has probably just sprung to the minds of everyone reading this and is, of course, Bully Maguire and the instantly recognizable meme that follows him everywhere he goes.

That instantly recognizable meme has been used endlessly by fans and even the 2018 animated adventure Into the Spider-Verse . It remains one of the most memorable moments of Spider-Man movie history . However, poor pacing and a whole lot of everything at stake mean Spider-Man 3 isn't too high up on the list for many to rewatch. That said, it is performing well for Sony's 100-year re-release , and it's always fun to see the original meme and the comedy it brings to those who watch it.

Spider-Man 3

Watch on Disney+

9 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (2014)

Directed by marc webb.

Despite a questionable portrayal of the iconic villain Green Goblin, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was an entertaining follow-on from its predecessor two years prior. It followed Andrew Garfield 's Spidey on a mission to stop Electro ( Jamie Foxx ) and Harry Osborn's Green Goblin ( Dane DeHaan ) from wreaking havoc through the streets of New York.

The movie has one of the most devastating scenes in a Spider-Man film. Uncle Ben's death has been seen a few times, and every fan knows how the story goes with that classic quote always springing to mind at the mere mention of his name, but Gwen's ( Emma Stone ) death was a huge shock to those who didn't see it coming. Garfield's performance as Peter in his second solo film solidified what an incredible actor he is. It may not be the most successful out of the character's ten features, but many fans feel the second would-be-trilogy was robbed of its full potential when the third installment didn't even get a chance to shine.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

8 'spider-man: homecoming' (2017), directed by jon watts.

Spider-Man's introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a highly anticipated next step in the character's story. While his first official appearance came in Captain America: Civil War , the next entry in his standalone features was where the excitement for fans truly lay. Tom Holland took over the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man role for the character's transition into the MCU in Spider-Man: Homecoming , and he immediately proved himself a good fit for Spidey.

Witty, young, and a real childlike excitement emitted from him, as if he really were a kid who just found out he had superpowers . It was refreshing to see the beginning of a new story for the favored hero starting without the Uncle Ben explanation that everyone knows and to see Spider-Man officially become a part of Marvel's extensive universe. At the time, it left fans curious to see where it would continue to go, and the second two certainly didn't disappoint their fans.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

7 'spider-man' (2002).

It's where it all began twenty-two years ago. The first live-action Spider-Man feature hit theaters on May 3rd, 2002, and over two decades later, it remains one of the most favorable on-screen superhero origin stories. Every fan knows how it goes for Peter Parker. A nerdy kid, bitten by a radioactive spider, loses his uncle and turns to a life of saving people, but seeing it live-action on cinema screens for the first time was an experience fans aren't soon to forget.

"With great power comes great responsibility" is arguably one of the most recognizable comic quotes of all time . It springs to mind anytime Spider-Man is brought into a conversation, and this is the first time it was heard on the big screen. Other than a memorable quote, the original Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie started a journey of exploration for a beloved character, and it's difficult to imagine where the franchise could've ended up without it. This film will always be a worthy contender for a rewatch just to go back to where this adventure began.

Spider-Man (2002)

6 'the amazing spider-man' (2012).

The eternal question "Which Spider-Man is your favorite?" is often asked between friends and fans, and more often than not, Andrew Garfield's portrayal is criminally underappreciated . But for some people, his friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is the best for his comic accuracy and Garfield's spot-on embodiment of the character's personality.

Favored for the above reasons, the 2012 interpretation of the iconic character introduced viewers to the story in an almost identical way to its predecessor's trilogy, but it featured a different love interest and villains to cause havoc for poor ole Spidey. The Amazing Spider-Man sees Peter Parker's alter take on Dr. Curtis Connors' after he turns himself into the Lizard and devises a plan to show the rest of New York the benefits of scaly skin. The story may not be as loved as the original, but the first in the TASM duo is gripping, action-packed, and a fun take on the treasured character.

The Amazing Spider-Man

5 'spider-man 2' (2004).

As with the third Raimi film being recognizable for a specific reason, Spider-Man 2 also has its own memorable moment that will arguably remain one of the best of the franchise. The scene in which Spider-Man struggles to stop an out-of-control train has become one of the most iconic of them all , spiraling into an unforgettable superhero moment that likely will never stop being as such.

2004s Spider-Man 2 continues telling the story of Tobey Maguire's original web-slinger and takes audiences on an action-packed adventure as he attempts to stop his mentor and iconic Spidey villain Doc Oc (played by Alfred Molina ) from destroying New York, all while dealing with a personal crisis as his powers begin to fluctuate. Spider-Man 2 is the most beloved of the Raimi trilogy for many fans. Winning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and dubbed the Movie of the Year by the AFI , it's captivating from start to finish, making it incredibly easy to rewatch this classic Spidey story.

Spider-Man 2

4 'spider-man: far from home' (2019).

It goes without saying that the Tom Holland portrayal of Spider-Man has seen more "out of this world" villains than Tobey or Andrew, but perhaps the funniest moment referring to this came in Spider-Man: Far From Home . When Peter tries to make the point that he's just a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and that there are people better equipped to help when Mysterio ( Jake Gyllenhaal ) arrives, Nick Fury ( Samuel L. Jackson ) comes out with this gem of a line that had everyone giggling, while also agreeing with the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D .

In the wise words of Fury, "Bitch please, you've been to space." But a comedic line isn't the only thing that makes Far from Home an entertaining Spidey adventure. In the wake of the events in Avengers: Endgame , Peter is back in action, and everyone in the audience was in need of some lighthearted comedic fun with the seasoned wed-slinger . The film didn't disappoint, and it's also one of the earliest times in Jon Watts ' trilogy that shows Peter transitioning from a kid to an adult as he deals with the aftermath of his mentor's death and begins taking on more responsibility. It's a turning point for the MCU's Spidey, and watching the character start to grow leaves audiences with a strange sense of pride.

Spider-Man: Far from Home

3 'spider-man: into the spider-verse' (2018), directed by bob persichetti, peter ramsey, rodney rothman.

This little gem came out of nowhere in 2018. When the teaser trailer first dropped, it wasn't exactly clear what to expect whenever it hit theaters. It was apparent a new animated Spider-Man project was on the horizon, but with a very noticeable difference. The movie tells the story of a different Spider-Man, delving deep into the realm of the multiverse in what became an unwavering, universally loved delight among everyone who saw it.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an incredible success story that gave fans a look into the life of Miles Morales . While there are some slight differences between the movies and his portrayal in the PlayStation games, his story finally got an on-screen depiction that opened numerous doors (and portals) to the future of the multiverse in the Spider-Man franchise. The art style, screenplay, soundtrack, and even the Easter Eggs to past movies, characters, and TV shows are all exceptionally done, and it's not hard to see why it was nominated for over 120 awards (winning 83). A film for any lover of Spidey, Into the Spider-Verse will go down as one of the most uniquely styled and unexpected gems in superhero movie history.

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Watch on Netflix

2 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Directed by joaquim dos santos, kemp powers, justin k. thompson.

It's impossible to watch this movie just once. There are dozens and dozens of Spider-People to be missed on a single watch-through. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse delves deep into the multiverse, exploring the many Spider-People of the many, many Earths, and it's so fun to watch .

The film is a direct continuation of its predecessor from five years earlier, and it's the highest-rated movie of them all on IMDb . It's a gift for the fans in the sense that it gives credit to lesser-seen Spider-Men (and pigs) in media, and seeing them together on screen is such a uniquely entertaining experience. It was known from the start that this film would be released in two parts, so while fans impatiently await news regarding the third installment, there's plenty of time for another rewatch of one of Spider-Man's most distinctive tellings.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

1 'spider-man: no way home' (2021).

Spider-Man: No Way Home was the perfect Christmas gift for Marvel fans. Following Vincent D'Onofrio 's return as Kingpin in Hawkeye , the hope for a new Daredevil project immediately came to light. When Spider-Man: No Way Home was released soon after, fans further suspected something was coming after Charlie Cox returned as Peter's lawyer, Matt Murdock.

But the teased return of Daredevil wasn't the only thing that made the final installment of Tom Holland's Spider-Man trilogy so special for fans. For months, it had been speculated that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield would reprise their roles as Peter Parker, and when the film rolled around in December 2021, that suspicion was confirmed. Not only did the two previous Peter's show up, Miles Morales was hinted, and the iconic villains from two decades of Spider-Man films also reprised their original roles. No Way Home played with the emotions of every Spider-Man fan. Whether they grew up with the character or came to love him later, the film held a special place in the hearts of millions worldwide, and it only continues to do so. As a movie dedicated to making the fans happy, there'll never be a wrong time to rewatch Spider-Man: No Way Home for the sheer level of nostalgia it delivers every time .

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Watch on fuboTV

NEXT: From 'The Avengers' to 'The Guardians of the Galaxy': The 15 Most Rewatchable MCU Movies, Ranked

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, spider-man: into the spider-verse.

Now streaming on:

“Mom, can we go see ‘Into the Spider-Verse,’ again?” my nine-year-old son asked me as I was tucking him in to bed the other night. And I was happy to hear his request. I’d been thinking about how much I wanted to revisit the film for days after the screening we’d attended, myself—not only because it’s such a pure blast of creative joy, but also because there’s so much going on that a viewer couldn’t possibly catch it all the first time around.

It’s only fitting that my kid would be thinking about “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” as he was drifting off to sleep. As rooted in a vividly specific, recognizable New York as it is, and as closely as it hews to comic-book imagery and structure within its animated format as it does, “Spider-Verse” has a wonderfully trippy, dreamlike quality about it. And that’s not just because it features a wisecracking pig in a Spider-Man get-up named Peter Porker, the kind of character you might conjure in your subconscious after eating too much barbecue and taking a shot of Nyquil before bed.

It would seem like an impossible feat, but somehow, directors Bob Persichetti , Peter Ramsey , and Rodney Rothman have breathed thrilling new life into the comic book movie. The way they play with tone, form and texture is constantly inventive and giddily alive. Given that we get a handful of Marvel films every year—and we’ve certainly had no shortage of movies featuring Spider-Man among them, either as a main character or as part of an assembled ensemble—the idea of yet another might sound like overkill or worse: a shameless cash grab.

But “Into the Spider-Verse” is after something different, both in its storytelling and in its stakes. And it knows that you know all the various incarnations of this character, and might even be tired of them yourself. The screenplay comes from Rothman and Phil Lord —one half of the brilliant team behind “The LEGO Movie” (alongside Christopher Miller ), which also played in myriad meta ways with the audience’s knowledge about and expectations of ubiquitous pop-culture characters. It features plenty of fourth-wall breaking and self-aware narration, both of which might seem like trite crutches in less clever hands. These are comic-book characters that know they’re comic-book characters, which in no way diminishes the excitement of their adventures. On the contrary, this device welcomes us even more powerfully into their world.

It helps hugely that “Into the Spider-Verse” features a tremendous cast of voice actors to bring these characters to life. They hit the humorous beats with superb timing and élan, but they also find the humanity and pathos within their adventures to give the story dramatic heft. Familiarity with this parallel universe of Spider-Man characters isn’t necessarily a must. I didn’t really know any of them going into it, and I had a blast, but my son had seen them in various TV shows he’s watched and video games he’s played, which added a level of excitement with the introduction of each one.

At their center is Miles Morales (voiced with heart and smarts by “ Dope ” star Shameik Moore ), an ordinary Brooklyn teenager who undergoes an extraordinary transformation when he gets bitten by a radioactive spider. The streets and brownstones, cabs and subways of his daily life have a detailed, tactile realism about them, but also the heightened aesthetic of a comic book come to life, complete with panels and dialogue bubbles. It’s simply gorgeous.

As was the case with his Queens counterpart, Peter B. Parker ( Jake Johnson ), the newfound powers Miles discovers are simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating. These characters, and the various others we meet in the Spider-Verse, introduce themselves in cheeky fashion, going through the familiar steps of their own respective spider bites in playful, knowing ways. The high-energy repetition of this well-worn origin story, in all its wild permutations, is a consistent source of laughs.

Whereas Miles is young, eager and full of promise, the version of Peter Parker he eventually encounters is middle-aged, jaded and paunchy. It’s an inspired new angle into this iconic superhero, and Johnson finds just the right combination of sarcasm and sadness in his reluctant mentor figure.

But wait, there’s more—so much more. Because Miles and Peter aren’t the only Spider-men out there. When megalomaniacal crime lord Wilson Fisk ( Liev Schreiber ) builds a super collider that tears a hole in the time-space continuum—or something—various Spider-beings from other dimensions come tumbling out. They include the elegant and acrobatic Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman ( Hailee Steinfeld ), who poses as a student at Miles’ school; Nicolas Cage ’s Spider-Noir, a black-and-white, hard-boiled detective; the anime-inspired Penni Parker ( Kimiko Glenn ), who fights crime with the help of her friendly robot; and the aforementioned Peter Porker, a.k.a. Spider-Ham (a perfectly cast John Mulaney ), who steals his every scene.

Previously, we’d already met another more traditional Spider-Man within Miles’ timeline, voiced by Chris Pine . And among the other characters we’re familiar with, we see Peter’s longtime love, Mary Jane ( Zoe Kravitz ); his reliable Aunt May ( Lily Tomlin ); and legendary nemeses including Doc Ock ( Kathryn Hahn , in a great bit of gender-bending casting). The always-excellent Brian Tyree Henry and Mahershala Ali respectively portray Miles’ father and uncle: two very different figures who have had an enormous influence on the intelligent, resourceful young man Miles has become. Luna Lauren Velez voices his warmly supportive mom, Rio.

Yes, it’s dizzying, and that’s part of the fun. But the characters are drawn so distinctly that they’re always compelling. And we come to care about them because they’re not cogs in a massive machinery where the fate of the entire universe hangs in the balance, as is so often the case in behemoth comic-book blockbusters. More intimately, their individual worlds are at stake, and the possibility that these characters will never be able to go back to the dimensions they call home. They fear being stuck in the purgatory of a madman’s making, an understandable cause for existential dread.

They all bounce beautifully off each other as they banter, draw from their strengths and learn to work together. It’s pretty linear from a narrative perspective, for a while. But then the climax unfolds, in which they fight for survival and a return to their own realms, rendered as a psychedelic explosion of color and style. What’s amazing is that this lengthy sequence is never hard to follow. We’re with it every breathless step of the way, which can’t always be said for live-action, CGI extravaganzas of this ilk.

So yes, we can see it again. And we will. And we’ll stay all the way through the credits again—and you should, too.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Film credits.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

117 minutes

Shameik Moore as Miles Morales / Spider-Man (voice)

Jake Johnson as Peter Parker / Spider-Man (voice)

Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy / Spider-Gwen (voice)

Nicolas Cage as Peter Parker / Spider-Man Noir (voice)

John Mulaney as Peter Porker / Spider-Ham (voice)

Mahershala Ali as Aaron Davis / Prowler (voice)

Liev Schreiber as Wilson Fisk / Kingpin (voice)

Oscar Isaac as Miguel O'Hara / Spider-Man 2099 (voice)

Chris Pine as Peter Parker / Spider-Man (voice)

Jorma Taccone as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin (voice)

Zoë Kravitz as Mary-Jane Watson (voice)

Kathryn Hahn as Olivia Octavius / Doc Ock (voice)

Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis (voice)

Lily Tomlin as Aunt May (voice)

Lake Bell as Vanessa Fisk (voice)

Stan Lee as Costume Shop Owner (voice)

• Bob Persichetti
• Peter Ramsey
• Rodney Rothman
• Christopher Miller
• Steve Ditko
• Alex Hirsch
• Daniel Pemberton

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