Before I start this review, if you are about to watch this movie, I highly recommend a box of tissues and maybe some cute cat videos. Also, fair warning, there are major spoilers below so continue at your own risk.
I may not be the biggest Marvel fan, but even I could not help but be excited about this film. From the hype, both from the cast and Marvel itself, to the constant reminders from my friends, I was racing to book my tickets as soon as they were released.
The movie resumes immediately after the end of the last film “Spider-Man Far From Home,” with the reveal of Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) identity to the world. He also finds himself framed for the death of Quentin Beck, known as Mysterio.
Peter, now at the forefront of an unwanted spotlight, suffers through lawsuit after lawsuit and rejection from all of his college applications as a result of the accusations.
At his breaking point, he decides to confront the ultimate sorcerer himself, Dr. Strange, who agrees to cast a spell to make everyone forget who Spider-Man is; the spell goes haywire and the entire world is thrust into chaos. What follows is the emergence of a “multiverse,” or a series of parallel universes that coexists with our universe. Soon enough, characters from various universes, including the other Spider-Man franchises (featuring Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield), begin to appear in our own Peter Parker’s world.
And now the legends themselves. Referred to in this film as “Peter 2” (Maguire) and “Peter 3” (Garfield), I admit I shed a few tears when they first appeared on screen. Maguire’s “all or nothing” mindset and Garfield’s quick wit combined with Holland’s endearing personality help make this movie truly sentimental.
Marvel knew exactly what they were doing when they made this film, catering perfectly to fans–which, funnily enough, was exactly the source of my worries. Six different villains fighting three variations of Spider-Man, plus a cameo from Dr. Strange, makes for an interesting equation that I was worried would overshadow the true plot: Peter 1 (Tom Holland, I know, it can get confusing) struggling with his identity. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my fears were all in vain. The writers did an amazing job ensuring that Peter was still the focus of the film, while still allowing enough screen time for some of the newer characters.
From the start, this film was intended to be a major hit and they definitely succeeded. In less than two weeks, the movie has already amassed about 1.3 billion dollars worldwide, easily making it the highest grossing film of 2021. Those numbers are only expected to increase and “No Way Home” could be looking at a spot in the top ten highest grossing films of all time.
All in all, this movie is somehow equally heartbreaking and hilarious, with you leaving the theater with a bittersweet aftertaste. While it may not result in the happily ever after fans were rooting for, it is truly a fitting end to one of the most thrilling movies of all time.
And for those of you who watched the movie–stay safe and just apply to Harvard.
