Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) Movie Review
Synopsis:
With his secret identity now revealed, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) seeks the help of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). In his attempt, though, Strange’s spell has unforeseen consequences. With the spell gone wrong, this forces Peter to learn the true meaning of responsibility.
Review:
Jon Watts’ third and final addition to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy delves into the multiverse.
From the trailers alone, Spider-Man: No Way Home was by far Sony’s most ambitious yet.
As a whole, No Way Home is a good conclusion to Jon Watts’ Spider-Man trilogy.
This film still has problems, such as motivations left unexplored or a sense of familiarity.
In No Way Home's attempt to bring back several notable Spider-Man villains, it stumbles.
Take returning characters, Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) and The Lizard (Rhys Ifans). Each of them appears lost in this movie.
The Lizard is so redundant as a character that if he didn’t exist, its story wouldn’t have changed. No Way Home’s other returning villains are highlights.
These include Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina). Jamie Foxx's Electro also returns.
Dafoe’s acting abilities are on full display in No Way Home.
He can portray a timid Norman Osborn and switch to his unnerving Goblin persona in an instant. As a whole, it's seamless acting.
Alfred Molina, while not as expressive as Dafoe’s Goblin, also delivers a good performance.
Alfred Molina isn't as good of a character compared to his initial role in Spider-Man 2 (2004).
Despite this, Molina proves to be the ideal choice for the character.
Jamie Foxx’s Electro also brings further elements to the character. He also has a clearer motivation.
His updated look as Electro is an improvement over his previous appearance. Furthermore, it makes good use of visual effects.
As with its visuals, No Way Home can be inconsistent in quality. A sequence involving Doctor Strange is an example of this.
It involves many background details, or the lack thereof. This makes it obvious it’s in front of a studio greenscreen.
Aside from this, No Way Home has good visuals, with some standouts in its second half.
This film’s action sequences offer minor yet welcome improvements to proceedings.
Take, for example, Spider-Man’s first fight with Green Goblin in an apartment complex.
Each punch is impactful, whilst delivering some solid choreography and tension.
Whilst this movie’s final sequence can also be creative, it lacks the impact of the apartment fight scene.
Certain moments involving humor can also drag down the movie’s first half.
This type of humor isn't surprising, given that No Way Home exists in the MCU. Either way, they’re presented through the same, familiar lens.
One character tells a joke, Ned, for example, and another will respond, going back and forth.
This can prove tiring, and, although not a major flaw, it can detract from story investment as a whole.
Tom Holland gives his most committed performance yet in No Way Home. This is most evident in the film’s final half.
His connection with Zendaya’s MJ is also more believable this time around. There happen to be some genuine moments between them in this film.
Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May is also more well-utilized here. Her character has somewhat of a purpose, even if it’s a case of “too little, too late”.
Conclusion:
To conclude, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a solid conclusion to this series of Spider-Man films.
This film's standout performance is Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin. It also includes several others, bringing the film closer to the audience.
No Way Home's main problems are its inconsistent CGI and tired humor.
It also has underutilized villains. Despite these flaws, there’s enough good to help negate them.
As a whole, this film should please both casual and long-term Spider-Man fans.
Sam’s Action Reaction score:
Characters - 7.5/10
Story - 7/10
Action - 7/10
CGI and visuals - 7/10
Soundtrack - 7/10
Overall score: 7.1 out of 10
