Film Review- Spiderman: Far From Home Sets Up Marvel Phase 4
Spiderman: Far From Home is way better than Homecoming for all the right reasons. Homecoming gave the world a Peter Parker that truly felt like a teenage kid with unbelievable responsibility and heart. In Far From Home, that character is grieving loss and finding first love, all at once. Of course, audiences will love it more.
Tom Holland continues to make Peter Parker a raw mix of naivety and nobility. You cannot deny that Peter has a great, big heart, which is why the movie will make you cringe and laugh. If there is one thing that is true about growing up is that it takes a few hard lessons to realize who is worthy of your trust. Hence, death and falling in love feel so powerful; they create in you a sense of trust and safety. Unfortunately for Peter, Far From Home leaves him wondering if he can ever have a normal life while being a superhero.
SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME – Official Trailer
Spiderman 2 picks up right after Avengers: Endgame. Naturally, Peter is distraught and seeking a simpler life as the “Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman.” Moreover, he is ready to declare his love to MJ. Luckily, this film explores Zendaya’s talent as an actor. (Seriously, watch Euphoria!) The young actress makes MJ the April Ludgate of the Spidey Universe. She is, simultaneously, caring and darkly humored. Hence, she feel like a perfect match for the sweet Peter. They really do click, and the movie thrives off the adorable “will they/ won’t they.”
The success of Homecoming was moreso its focus on teenaged life with a superhero back-drop. Hence, the teen cast thrives with familiar characters such as the funny Ned (Jacob Batalon) and Spiderman-obsessed Flash (Tony Revolori). New additions like, Brad (Remy Hii) and Betty (Angourie Rice) also make the film feel young and fresh. While the Marvel Universe DOMINATES the cinemas, its bigness could also be its occasional deterrent, of which Spiderman: Far From Home allows you to digest and absorb the recent happenings within the MCU. Still, the “go big or go home” mentality remains with the game-changing mid and post-credits scenes. As for the villain, Jake Gyllennhaal’s Mysterio kills it.
SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME All Movie Clips + Trailer (2019)
Gyllenhaal makes Quentin Beck/Mysterio funny, charming, and completely deluded. Like Homecoming, Spidey is facing a villain that is a disgruntled worker/ mad-man. You will laugh at his “origin” flashback. Yet, it is his casual charm and sincerely deranged obsession with being a hero that makes him a grounded villain. In the era of “belief,” Mysterio reveals that people need someone or something to believe in; without measure of morality as much as personal interests. Yet, familiar, adult faces such as Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), May Parker (Marisa Tomei), and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) are still there to guide the 16 year old superhero to greener pastures.
Visually, Spiderman: Far From Home is unsurprisingly stunning. We KNOW the effects are going to be good. In addition, even though the film is “internationally” based, it still feels intimate and small in scope, which, again, I appreciate. Directed by Jon Watts and written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, Spiderman: Far From Home perfectly clears away our minds to ready for Marvel Phase 4. See Spiderman: Far From Home on July 2.
