Finding HIs Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home was the most anticipated movie this year and I'm glad to say it was something worth waiting for. I have always had no feeling towards the MCU's Spider-Man movies, so I hope I do myself justice by explaining my respect for this one.

Marvel Studios revealed the newest Spider-Man almost 6 years ago and I, being the cynical trash heap of pointless pessimism, trashed him all the way to the theatre where I met Tom's Peter Parker and Spider-Man for the first time. It's not like I had my hopes up but I was disappointed cuz to me Spider-Man wasn't just some superhero that I fanboyed over, he was something that made me the way that I am today. But MCU's Spider-man was just a character, an actor playing a role. Like a kid in a costume playing dress up and pretending to be the most popular hero in the world.

It was disgusting. It wasn't made better when he got two more movies where he did the same thing.

I grew up with Spider-Man so I feel like I would know him. It's only natural. But finally, I applaud Jon, Erik and Chris who have done a tremendously great job bringing Spider-Man to the MCU finally 6 years after his reveal. I know I am undermining their previous work but that's just how it is. Homecoming and Far From Home absolutely suck in my opinion whilst being competent movies which cause many people to flock to screens and buy the toys. Then again all these MCU movies are made to sell toys.

No Way Home came out swinging with early promises of the Multiverse and Sinister Six speculations. These were paid off in a trailer that blew up the internet for a quick minute. With the reveal of Alfred Molina's and Willem Defoe's involvement came a spark of joy and excitement in the masses, including me. Venom didn't do anything good by putting Tom front and centre in its post-credits scene.

I was under the impression that once again this movie was made to sell toys and encourage the fanboys of the MCU as the next big thing which it was but really it was just a new thing for a movie to try out cuz they had no idea for the Spider-Man to do in his neighbourhood. They could have done so much without bringing the old villains but they didn't and looking back on it, they could've done something new and still achieved the same result.

To be honest, as prickly as I was about the movie, I have swept away through the grandiose idea of a Spider-verse which is so crucial part of Spider-Man lore. With candy in hand, I saw a movie that I thought would never give back to the cynic that I am. I'm sort of proud to say Spider-Man: No Way Home is, in fact, a Spider-Man movie.

It had all the essentials:

1. An actual compelling Peter Parker element.
2. Great connection to the themes that make Spider-Man into the icon he is.
3. Fun character moments.

But it had its failures but it had this sort of campiness (in my opinion), which harkens back to the classic Micheal Keaton's Batman movie which is one of the best comic-book movies of all time. 

Tom brought out his true Peter Parker with his supporting cast of MJ and Ned being the comic relief for the movie. It had its emotional scary bits like Aunt May's death which was surprising in the way that they did it yet not unexpected. J. Jonah Jameson was annoying as he was in the comics but not as charming as he was in the Sam Raimi films so they could have definitely done better.

It really made me question if I had judged the last 2 movies with just contempt which blinded me from seeing them as actual good movies. So I rewatched them and I was right, those movies were just boring movies with only the villains being something of a win (though Mysterio final act, although cleverly made, was just shit).

This movie is about what it means to be Spider-Man which is exactly the reason why I love Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2. Peter's life was under a magnifying glass which the old movies had no hope of doing but the MCU pulled off. The stories where the secret identity peeks through the superhero are some of the best-written pieces of superhero history. Spider-Man needs to be Peter Parker and vice versa, so this movie essentially did that.

The repercussions of being related to a vigilante and living a normal life outside the mask is what elevates it. This story coupled with teenage problems which are important to the characters hits home with most of the audience who are in their late teens right now. It's not a feel-good movie, people actually have real-life problems, consequences.

Peter is still naive but he tries to do good and that's what Spider-Man is. You beat him down yet he gets back up. It's only sad that they realised it late but I have hope for future movies if they are of this quality and polish. I will not be kind though in the future due to this win.

This is what a comic book movie should be.