Sarah Wandor
Movie Critic Columnist
For those who haven’t seen “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” go see it and support theaters and continue reading at your own risk; there may be spoilers ahead.
I wasn’t expecting much when I went to see “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” but I was quite surprised and entertained with the film. It brought all the spidermen together without making it too complicated and in a way that not only brought nostalgia to the movie but also forwarded the plot.
Bringing together five Spider-Man movies and giving attention to each of them without it being over-loading in a single film is no easy feat. It’s not just the characters being brought in but their stories as well.
Yet, the writers managed to bring all of it together smoothly in a way that was not overly complicated and resonated with the audience.
The interactions between the three spidermen were also very well done. They were quirky and showed the nerd-side of Spider-Man, yet, at the same time, they showed the differences in each of them.
They are not the same people, even though they have the same name and powers. They each have their own personalities, with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man being the most child-like in terms of energy and innocence.
Their scenes together were also well written, as they were entertaining and humorous. Unlike most “humor” Marvel has been putting in their films recently, the comical conversations the spidermen have draw the audience into the movie instead of pushing them out. The conversations propelled the scenes and the film forward instead of stopping it.
However, more attention needed to be given to the villains. The audience may be expected to know them from previous Spider-Man films, but that doesn’t excuse not taking the time to explain why they all decide to go off on their own after a few words from Green Goblin.
They were willing to work together before, and then they decide not to for little to no apparent reason. Their motives aren’t known, and not one of them thinks for a second before taking someone else’s words to heart or even eliminating each other like they had wanted to previously.
There needed to be more of a build up to that moment instead of everyone at once refusing Peter’s help.
Also, the film felt strangely empty. This is partially due to the lack of focus or attention on the emotional conversations that needed to happen but were sacrificed for action sequences.
Something was missing from the film, and I have thought about trying to figure out what was lacking, but I have not been able to put my finger on it. The film was still enjoyable, but I can’t help but feel it needed more.
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” is by far one of the best new films I have seen in recent years. It delivered where most films haven’t. I appreciated the message it sent of giving people a chance, but it also had a serious undertone of every action having consequences whether they be good or bad.
Whether you have or haven’t seen the other Spider-Man movies, I highly recommend seeing this one.