Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

[Eric is Quiet]

You know what to do.

[CoolioD1]

pretty fun. mostly fan servicey stuff that i'm not sure i'm going to tolerate as much on rewatches (as much as i love the memes i kinda cringed at shoehorning "I'm something of a scientist myself" in there) but it works in the moment in the cinema so good enough. i like all the ending stuff how he's been reset to standard spider-man mode with a cool normal suit. Dafoe MVP. and like i said in the other thread it's a shame Garfield got saddled with the worst movies because when you put the three of them together it's obvious he's the best actor of all the spider-men. Tobey for as much as I love him was rusty.

[Cap]

Let's preface by saying that I don't get a flying flip about Spider-Man.  I never really bought into Tobey as Peter; and when I think of those movies, it's always DAFOE or MOLINA I remember fondly.  I LOVED Andrew as Peter, and Emma Stone has Gwen, but didn't think either of those movies were any good.  I was pretty indifferent to Homecoming, and outright HATED Far Far Home.  The ONLY thing I want is Miles Morales in live action.

 

So all of that in mind, I am SHOOK at how much I jived with this.  The first fifteen minutes are electric and funny.  That whole scene in the apartment was DELIGHTFUL.  JK Simmons as J Jonah Jameson just makes me so so so happy.  The stuff about college was like "Ugh, I hate these kids" but then the villains show up, and yeah yeah yeaaaaah.  Molina and Dafoe are LEGENDS, and they don't mess a beat.  I also have such respect for them for not phoning this in.  At that point I didn't even care if they rest of the movie was shit, I just DAAAAAAFOOOOOOOOE.

 

Then May was AWESOME only for that to end in bullshit.  We have to STOP this trope.  It's 2021.  We have to STOP.  That was also the point of the movie where I got a bit bored cause I was just like WHERE IS HE?!>!>>!

 

Yeah, and then we entered like The Spider-Men Movie, maybe I'm just such a mark, but I ate it all up and said more please.  ALL of the Three Spider-Man stuff just works.  I don't know how much it will work on multiple rewatches, but in that MOMENT, in that theater, I was totally with them.  I second Coolio that Andrew is MVP and his Spider-Man is MVP.  WHEN HE CAUGHT MJ.

 

WHEN.

 

HE.

 

CAUGHT.

 

MJ.

 

 

And I didn't even hate the ending.  I'm one of those people who thought MCU Peter Parker has never really faced as consequences, and really hated the whole "Tony is Uncle Ben" angle.  I'm glad they reset everything.  Less Cosmic Big Stories, More Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

 

So, ultimately, it was a happy night at the theater.  I had a happy crowd.

 

AND I GOT TO SEE AMERCA IN THE DOCTOR STRANGE TRAILER!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

[The Panda]

They finally did spider-man right in the MCU. 
 

B+

[Joel M]

I really thought this was gonna be a bloated mess and it really wasn't. The most unexpected thing is how much self-contained and low stakes it is. I know Dr. Strange is there and the multiverse shenanigans will be a huge thing going on but here they are treated as just an elaborate plot device to get all the Spider-villains (and heroes) together and then Dr. Strange fucks off so they can have a celebration of Spider-man's 20 year cinematic history. There could easily be a version of this where it's a spring-board for MCU phase 4, the classic villains playing second fiddle to some huge cosmic power, the old Peters have a big crowdpleasing cameo and the whole thing pumps you up for the multiverse of madness and so on. But it really is just about the spidermen trying to send the rogues back to their dimension and whether Peter and his friends will go to MIT. That was refreshing.

Ofc nostalgia is the main reason it exists and maybe about 50% of it only works outside of the in-movie narrative. There's also some too far stuff with the fan-service, with the most egregious being the May death scene where she literaly has to say the Uncle Ben catch-phrase. It was supossed to play as a huge emotional moment but it felt silly and kinda hollow to me. But for the most part the fan-service actually felt way more substantial than most attempts at it over the last decade. Like I already said the more I think about it, the entire back half of this movie plays like an engrossing celebration of all things Spider-man. Especially after Tobey and Garfield show up for the entire 3d act the only thing I could compare it was the OG Avengers final battle. I think even if parts of this movie don't age well once the nostalgia high wears off, that final 30 minutes would still be close to perfect execution of the premise. Like Avengers first team up this felt like A MOMENT.

 

I'm not a big fan of the previous MCU spidey movies, they 're mid-tier Marvel at best to me, but this one I can get behind. Also not so sure about where things are going next. The reboot of Tom's Spider-man was sweet as a full circle moment, making this even more of a "finale" of sorts, but I kinda don't want that to be the new status quo. Ofc I would prefer a lower stakes less cosmic Spider-man, but they gotta make at least MJ and Ned remember him with some multiverse shit by the half-point of the next movie. It 'll be sad and kinda creepy if Peter just befriends them again without them having a clue about their history.

 

Jon Watts also helped.

[Spidey Freak]

I'm still in disbelief that this one lone film solved all of my problems with the MCU take on Spidey. I was expecting something cute, fun and MCU fan servicey like Far From Home but I ended up getting my favorite MCU film which was touching, clever and Spider-Man fan servicey (got my criteria straight yo).

 

I fucking loved Aunt May's last scene. Marisa Tomei obviously wanted out and with Peter moving out, she would have become even more tertiary as a character so it was fine that they killed her off. The "With great power" line was just narration from the original comics which was later retconned to be Uncle Ben's words, so it's refreshing that it was Aunt May who got to say it this time around and whose death will most define Peter and his epic hero journey. I wish we had gotten more of her in the previous films but whatever.

 

And finally my boy Andrew was done justice. 😪 Foxx got some solid material too. A much deserved closure for the TASM characters, with a completely unexpected Miles reference that hit different. 

Edited December 18, 2021 by Spidey Freak

[filmlover]

The cinematic equivalent of unwrapping a big present from under the tree on the morning of Christmas Day and finding something wonderful inside. Effectively concluding what has basically been a multiple movie origin story for Tom Holland's Peter Parker while expertly weaving nearly 20 years of Spider-Man movies together, this is an exhilarating, funny, and surprisingly emotional Spidey flick that becomes arguably the character's best big screen outing (not including Into the Spider-Verse) since 2004's Spider-Man 2. What's most impressive is that despite having to juggle so many characters (albeit ones that we're already well-acquainted with) and introducing the concept of multiverses, it doesn't feel at all convoluted. And all the exciting action set pieces don't come at the expense of character development. It all adds up to 148 minutes that literally flies (or should that be swings, in this case?) by.

 

This is easily Holland's best performance to date as the character, who has completed his transformation from being Tony Stark's protégé to being the friendly neighborhood you-know-who we all know and love. Zendaya is also charming as ever, while Jacob Batalon's Ned is much less annoying-sidekick-y here than he was in the previous two. The decision to make Marisa Tomei's Aunt May this Spidey's answer to Uncle Ben was brilliant IMO - her death scene is heartbreaking. And I got a major kick out of seeing all the bad guys again (Willem Dafoe is an absolute treasure and I loved the glimpse of a much more vulnerable Norman as a contrast to the literally-foaming-at-the-mouth one we saw all the way back in 2002).

 

However, it's truly the whole last hour of this that really did it for me. Even though I was expecting it since it's been pretty much an open secret for a while, I got all...

 

 

...when ANDREW GARFIELD and TOBEY MAGUIRE appeared within minutes of each other. The reaction from my sold out audience was deafening when Garfield took off the mask. I have never in my life seen a movie with a crowd that went completely nuts on that level.

 

Garfield actually might be the MVP overall here. He seems looser and more engaged here than he did in either of his solo outings and brings a strong amount of remorse to the proceedings as the most haunted Peter (my heart sank when he talked about his life after Gwen's death). Maguire, on the other hand...is simply fine. It's clear watching him in this why his career faded into obscurity. Still, it's euphoric and a tad wistful to see an older version of his Peter, and it's certainly a delight to see him return to the franchise that pioneered the modern day comic book movie genre when his last appearance as the character occurred the year before the genre would change forever. If their appearances here act as the proper conclusions to their respective arcs (which they didn't get when they hanged up their suits), it would be a solid send-off for both.

 

Despite the presence of so much fan service on display, little of it feels gratuitous and delivers so many moments of *chef's kiss* perfection. The villains realizing the Peter they are fighting isn't their Peter. May delivering the iconic "with great power comes great responsibility" to Peter before passing. Tom explaining to the other two the entire concept of the Avengers. Tobey talking about how his best friend died after trying to kill him. Andrew quipping he's never fought an alien like the other two have. Andrew helping Tobey with his back problems. ANDREW SAVING MJ! The list is endless. I can't recall ever seeing a movie that caused such a strong feeling of "pinch me, I must be dreaming" in the best possible way the way this does.

 

But as thrilling as it is watching the three versions of Spider-Man take on his greatest enemies (which, for most, will probably be enough), what really makes this sing is that it never forgets about the characters at the heart of it all. The ending basically acts as a reset for Peter, who up until now has mostly carried the Avengers baggage and will now have to move forward without any of the Stark gadgets as a more familiar version of everyone's favorite webslinger. This is as much the conclusion to a coming-of-age story as it is a love letter to the cinematic legacy the character has accumulated over the past 19 years, and proves comic book movies can be more than just spectacle. With apologies to Scorsese, it represents everything we go to the movies for.

 

A-

[Daxtreme]

Great movie. Not incredible but great

 

I never really liked Spider-Man, I've seen them all and my favorite out of them all is Homecoming and I would give it like a 7.5 or so. Maybe 8 on a good day, while FFH kinda sucks.

 

So this is, by virtue of this, the best Spider-Man movie for me. It's heartfelt, has great pacing and some good performances, Doctor Strange is amazing, and it all but confirms that Andrew Garfield was way above the material he had to work with in his movies... and that Tobey Maguire is the master of memes even to this day. "My back" I lolled so fucking hard, amazing 

 

B+

 

Also, I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for Doctor Strange 2 holy shit

Edited December 19, 2021 by Daxtreme

[Webslinger]

As both the capper to its own trilogy and the latest ambitious crossover piece in the MCU, Spider-Man: No Way Home is an exceptionally entertaining piece of big popcorn entertainment. With much of the MCU currently in a state of limbo after Avengers: Endgame basically tossed everything but the kitchen sink at audiences, No Way Home opts to look inward at the themes and tropes of past iterations of Sony’s non-MCU Spider-Man films and ends up producing a massively enjoyable experience that fans of the cinematic takes on Spider-Man are practically guaranteed to enjoy on at least some level. Though the film puts many balls in the air between furthering the narrative trajectory of the previous films in this continuity, making good on the game-changing twist introduced in the previous film, continuing to advance the grander plan of the MCU’s latest phase, and pulling in characters from the other Sony Spider-Man continuities, this film zips along breezily and balances its many creative and financial demands so gracefully that it somehow never feels overstuffed nor like it is reaching or pandering to an unreasonable degree. Like the preceding two films in this continuity, this film does a terrific job of allowing its actors to leave their own unique touch on their characters, and director Jon Watts retains a strong sense of when to keep the focus on the characters and the low-key comedic interactions that have formed the soul of this cinematic iteration of the famed webslinger. Once again, Tom Holland is a perfect fit in the title role. He still possesses just the right amount of charm and naïveté to make a teenaged Peter Parker work, and he still has a great sense of just how to play the more dramatic beats for maximum impact. I still think he’s the best fit for the role out of the three actors to play the part in the last twenty years, and his performance here solidifies that notion even further. The performances from the supporting cast – whomst I shan’t mention by name out of respect for any viewers who might wish to not know who, beyond those featured in trailers, may or may not be appearing in this film – are also well-considered and remarkably effective for what the narrative asks them to do. Admittedly, your mileage on this film might vary based upon how much you have enjoyed the numerous iterations of the title character, how much you appreciate crossovers with a metatextual bent, and how deeply you’ve invested into the MCU as a whole, but for those for whom all those boxes are checked in the affirmative, No Way Home is a blast.

 

A-

[cannastop]

I fucking hate this movie.

 

That is all

 

Edit

 

I just thought it was pandering pablum. Felt like fanfiction. and awful fanfiction too.

Edited December 19, 2021 by cannastop

[cannastop]

On 12/17/2021 at 3:04 AM, The Panda said:

They finally did spider-man right in the MCU. 
 

B+

I would watch the first mcu spidey 10 times over before watching this again. 

[Avatree]

This definitely cements Tom Holland AS spider-man imo. Having all three together solidified that for me. Andrew is ofc the better actor but Holland just suits the role so much better than either of the other two.

 

I watched half of it on opening night and then again in full on Friday; evening showing which was sold out in the largest auditorium... no one cheering or gasping... no one even laughed at the Scientist Myself gag. wtf.

 

Second time around the film definitely drags a bit. It doesn't need to be 2.5 hours long, even with the large cast.

 

I liked doctor strange a lot more than normal. (prior to this I'd say he is the worst main character in the MCU)

 

The grave scene at the end makes no sense. I get that in any time travel type film there needs to be suspension of disbelief, but I still think it needs internal logic. How can Happy "know May Parker through Spider-Man" if he doesn't know who Spider-Man is?

This really bothered me.

 

Every scene feels like it's a green screen, regardless of context. Attack of the Clones level. Every location feels artificial.

 

All the action scenes are poor, there's no sense of physicality, no heft to the swinging or movements. The ending battle is impossible to know which spiderman is which. (And a lot of scenes throughout the film were really dark. I wondered if there was something up with the projector but i think it was the film. hard to see what was happening in some parts.)

 

Tobey aside, the acting all around is good but I feel like doc ock and green goblin still didn't get enough screen time.

 

Much like the other 2 MCU spideys, I think it's just mediocre. It's fine, it passes the time.

 

C

Edited December 19, 2021 by Avatree

[IndustriousAngel]

I liked it, of course there was a lot of fan service but hey, I'm a fan, so what? Two fun hours, you can't really expect much more from a superhero movie. And I liked the fact that it didn't depend on the MCU, the whole thing works perfectly well on its own.

[titanic2187]

My biggest issue with the film was actually with its plot. If we are talking about multiverse, how can we take villainy characters from different timelines too since most of the villain don't exist concurrently in their own universe? The plot is not only involving multiverse, this is actually quite a time travel movie. Not to mention they fixed the evilness of the villain, thereby altering their reality in their own universe and timeline. is this something supposed to happen under DS' eyes? 

 

Since the movie doesn't care about the explanation or probably leave the reasoning to later film or tv series, the movie itself feel too fan-services at the moment. But at least the fan services trope earn their ground.  

 

Tom Holland acting is superb, and he improves as the trilogy goes. 

[filmlover]

Saw this again in large screen format today.

 

"You know, Max was like the sweetest guy ever. Before he fell into a pool of electric eels."

"That'll do it!"

[Torontofan]

Perfect mix of nostalgia and this film did something rather different and cool and it was sort of disbelief seeing it happen on screen,

 

It got a tad messy at times but it was enjoyable and a bright light in these dark times. 

A

[Torontofan]

Seen it twice, the film really has a great emotional ending with Spiderman losing his love and his aunt and all his friends in the film.

 

This is a film I will watch again and again for years to come. 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by Torontofan

[filmlover]

Did anyone else see the extended version? I saw it yesterday for National Cinema Day.

 

There's not really a whole lot of earth-shattering stuff to be found in the deleted scenes: perhaps the most notable thing we find here is the delightful Angourie Rice's Betty Brant receiving a lot more screen time when she was barely in the original version. Other highlights include more of the three Peters interacting (which there could never be too much of), a cameo from Holland's brother, one more Matt Murdock appearance, and a new post-credits scene (replacing the now-dated Doctor Strange teaser) that shows that the spell worked and everyone really has forgotten Peter's entire existence. Also there's an amusing introduction before the movie from Tom/Andrew/Tobey as they continue to make up for the fact we were robbed of an iconic press tour when this first came out last Christmas due to spoilers.

 

Although I still give the movie an A- like I did in December, it's easy to see why most of the additions here ended up on the cutting room floor, especially the early padding which stalls the movie's development a bit. I'm glad to have seen this version (I likely wouldn't have bothered if not for the heavily discounted tickets yesterday), and diehard fans will enjoy seeing what didn't appear initially (it's tempting to recommend paying full price admission just to hear our lord and savior Andrew Garfield say "I want to see the holes" all by itself), but for future repeat viewings, I'm gonna stick with the December '21 edition of the movie over the September '22 one.