Marvel Studios has proven yet again that when given the chance to treat their heroes well, they do not let us down. In Captain America: Civil War (2016), the MCU reintroduced audiences to the beloved Spider-Man with style. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) set the bar incredibly high. Now, this year’s followup—Far from Home—may just be the greatest Spider-Man movie ever made. I do not say this lightly. This movie does practically everything right. It is a high-octane comic adventure with a compelling and downright vicious villain, an endearing love story (propelled by the chemistry of Zendaya and Holland), and just makes for one hell of a good time.
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) wants nothing more than to go on his summer vacation, confess his feelings to MJ (Zendaya), and take a break from his work as your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. But when powerful inter-dimensional creatures called Elementals arrive to destroy our Earth, it falls to him, Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), and SHIELD to defeat these monsters and save the planet. So much for the sight-seeing in Europe. Spider-Man, you have a job to do.
To begin my praises, writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers excel most especially in establishing Peter Parker as the teenager he is. They do a great job of bringing us into his world and shining a light on the ongoings of his life. He listens to his aunt and makes public appearances to raise money for charity. He runs to the store, packs his bag, and gets ready for his trip. Many of the movies in the MCU lack a concrete sense of the ordinary. And that’s not a knock on those films. But with Spider-Man, that would not quite fit. Far from Home—just as with Homecoming—reminds us why we call him a friendly neighborhood hero. Accordingly, we spend time with his classmates and friends, witness his concern firsthand and the emotional connections he shares with MJ and Ned (Jacob Batalon). We really believe that he cares deeply for them and wants to make sure they are safe.
I admit. This next bit is a self-indulgent take, but Far from Home manages to fix some of the minor issues of the earlier projects. I mean specifically that it treats Peter as the boy-genius that he is. In Homecoming, much of what we get is Peter Parker in an Iron Man suit. Now that Iron Man is no longer with us, Parker shines as a witty kid who is quick on his feet, and remarkably agile both in body and in mind. He geeks out over the possibility of a multi-verse, and promptly apologizes “for being the smartest person in the room.” He builds his own high-tech suit (granted, using Stark’s equipment), and this allows us to see his mind at work. In a word, Far from Home does well to unfold Spider-Man’s independence as a hero and a protagonist.
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The performances of the film are excellent, as far as blockbusters go. Gyllenhaal—an already renowned actor—shines opposite Tom Holland and gives Michael Keaton a run for his money. As I mentioned above briefly, Holland and Zendaya do well both on-screen together as well as apart. Batalon once again provides entertaining comic relief and Ned’s brief relationship with Betty Brant (Angourie Rice) makes for some delightful and charming moments throughout. There is one particularly charged exchange between Peter and Happy (Jon Favreau). In this scene, Holland shows the audience that he has real potential, delivering his lines with a heavy heart.
There are precisely two things about this film that bother me. But they are minor. First, the flaw in Peter’s spider-sense comes up abruptly and then disappears until the third act. It is always intriguing to have Peter struggle with his powers, but it feels like Jon Watts and/or the screenwriters forgot about this challenge for more than half of the film. Second, how does Marvel expect me to believe that it has only been a year since the events of Civil War (that is, for those who were “blipped” away after Avengers: Infinity War)? Peter and his friends are only 16?! I grant the strangeness of the timeline, but I do hope we follow a more mature Parker in the sequel. I think we have spent enough time at Midtown High.
The action sequences are some of the most fun I have ever had watching any superhero flick. I will give credit to the cinematographers who manage to capture some incredibly cool shots following Peter around the bridge and fighting with drones (cameras attached). The battles with the Elementals are rather CGI heavy, to be expected. The stunt work and fight choreography on the Tower Bridge in London are unbelievably stunning. These films continue to impress me with how they highlight Spider-Man’s abilities and how he seems to grow with each successive take.
Also, the Ramones track at the end is a real nice touch. Rating: 9/10
SPOILERS to FOLLOW
For fans of the comic books, Beck’s betrayal comes as no surprise. Still, the movie delivers it so exceptionally well, I for one was at a loss for words. After a piece of illusion tech goes missing and MJ finds it, Peter realizes he has made a mistake and rushes to find Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). But Mysterio has manipulated Peter’s boyish naivete even more than he first imagines. The fight scene which follows is simply breathtaking. Beck’s beat-down of Parker is astonishingly comic-book accurate, visually stunning, and emotionally shocking. The stakes of Far from Home are incredibly high and I applaud the filmmakers on this count.
Both of the end credits scenes are awesome. The mid-credits scene is one of the best from Marvel to date. So many times have fans of the books followed Parker with the whole city against him, blackmailed or set up and his back to the ropes. But we have never really seen it on the big screen. I eagerly await the chance to see this happen.
DK's Musings 