Spider-Man: No Way Home–Spider-Man’s True Homecoming?
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), one of the most ambitious and highly-anticipated superhero films to date, is nothing if not a love letter to fans of the franchise. However, while chock-full of heartfelt moments and the unmistakably quick-witted humor so characteristic of its protagonist, the implications of the story are arguably more powerful than the film itself.
As the final movie in Tom Holland’s (allegedly first) trilogy and one of Marvel’s first feature length films to deal with the multiverse, Spider-Man: No Way Home’s plot has been greatly speculated, with countless theories and potential leaks making their rounds on the internet. From an objective-film-student type of perspective, I was underwhelmed to say the least. My biggest complaint with this movie, however, doesn’t have to do with the work itself — but rather, the aforementioned speculation around this film’s plot and cast of characters. Because social media users and journalists have been attempting to unravel its story for months now, No Way Home was quite predictable. All of the larger plot points–including the death of Peter Parker’s Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) and the team up of the three spider-men (Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire)–had become widely-accepted theories. Even the ending, which completely altered the course of the character in Marvel’s films, wasn’t unprecedented.
My qualms with the internet aren’t the only reason I wasn’t impressed with this film from a critical perspective. The storyline seemed to glaze over a large chunk of unexplored time in which the world was against Peter between the opening scene which occurs right after his identity is revealed and his decision to seek Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch)’s help. We’re never told exactly how long this period was, nor are we shown more than a scene or two of the character’s daily life. Though this was likely done to keep the film’s focus on the multiverse, it feels like we’re missing a piece of Peter’s motivation. I appreciate how the creative team used the introduction of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as an opportunity for humor and characterization of the older actors rather than bringing them into the plot in some sort of epic revelation. Regardless, there was something to be desired in incorporating Garfield and Maguire. The two didn’t overshadow Holland, which was necessary as No Way Home’s main purpose was to wrap up the “Homecoming Trilogy”, which has followed Holland’s Peter Parker since 2017. As characters, though, they only had a few moments in the spotlight, suggesting that Marvel and/or Sony could have produced an entire film solely focusing on a live-action Spider-Verse.
All things considered, I was satisfied with this film as an avid fan of Spider-Man. One of No Way Home’s strengths was its portrayal of Peter Parker as a character. In fact, the primary conflict was a result of his compassion towards his enemies. Yes, we’ve seen Tom Holland’s Spider-Man refuse to kill an antagonist, but his main goal for this story was to save them. Thus, he is incredibly archetypal, especially because he was prompted by a parental figure to ‘do what’s right.’ Moreover, this film allowed a side of Spider-Man which the MCU has not touched on whatsoever: his rage. It was gut-wrenching to watch well-intentioned Peter Parker relentlessly beat a villain to the edge of his life, yet it makes his character all the more human and his story much more emotional. Despite No Way Home’s darker turn, it was decidedly a Spider-Man movie. It was evident in dialogue that writers knew exactly what to do with the situational comedy of the three spider-men. Tobey’s and Andrew’s versions of the titular character were reminiscent of the two Peter Parkers in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), written both hilariously and with the trademark Peter Parker heart. Admittedly, a large portion of this film was pure fan service. But isn’t that exactly what its target audience wants to see? Its self-awareness in internet meme references, easter eggs, and incorporation of numerous beloved characters from past films bolsters its success.
Spider-Man: No Way Home met the expectations of fans of the character in every iteration, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly imaginative nor surprising. Though objectively only a decent addition to the superhero genre, the film’s implications within its larger cinematic universe and the context of Peter Parker’s background make it particularly emotionally charged. Most casual Marvel movie enjoyers have seen Tom Holland cry before: yes, his performance was admirable, but not striking. What makes this movie so painful, regardless, is its backstory. In the MCU, Peter Parker had, until the finale of No Way Home, been able to rely on multiple mentor figures, including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), his closest friends, and Aunt May. He quite literally has no support system after the events of this film, with half his loved ones dead and half having forgotten his existence. His role within the universe and relationships have been drastically changed. No Way Home essentially strips away all of his involvement with the avengers as Peter, removing them from his personal life. Ergo, Marvel and Sony took the Marvel Cinematic Universe out of Spider-Man. This emotional choice opens up a world of potential. No Way Home creates a blank slate for this version of the character. He has become a much more comic-accurate version of the character in a type of quasi-timeline reset, without erasing his individuality or development thus far, as if truly and finally coming home. It’s a clever choice which generates more creative freedom for future projects.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is not without flaws. Franchise installments never truly are. Yet, it ultimately outperformed all other live action Spider-Man films in terms of ambition and sentiment, not to mention its nostalgia factor. It is the most in character Peter Parker has been on screen and has wholly altered his path within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In spite of its shortcomings, No Way Home is undoubtedly for three generations of spider-fans.