In just under 20 years, we’ve had eight Spider-Man movies (nine if you count Spiderverse, but that is its own thing), and each iteration and actor have made their mark on the iconic character and given us almost three completely different versions of him. One can sit and argue forever about who was/is the best, but that is what the dregs of Reddit is for, and this distinctly involves Tom Holland’s take of our web-headed hero, so that is what we are going to focus on. No Way Home not only manages to satisfyingly wrap up this trilogy and leave us wondering where Spidey will take his misadventures going forward, it also does this while fully realizing and enjoying what it is and filling it with Easter Eggs that every level of fan will enjoy.
Ready for the fastest plot summary ever? Taking place right after the events of Far From Home, No Way Home follows Peter, his friends, and family as they deal with the fallout of the reveal to the world that he is Spider-Man.
That’s it. That’s all you get. Told you it would be spoiler-free.
Now on to what I can talk about. Wow, just wow. This movie reminded me why I fell in love with them in the first place and made me feel like a kid again. Everything we have ever hoped or wanted to see in a Spider-Man movie is here, and all of it is executed nearly flawlessly. Moments of tension and emotion are perfectly balanced with action set pieces and levity. Everyone, superhero or not, gets their moment in the spotlight to have an impact on what is taking place, and the whole thing wraps up neatly in a bow that caps off the Home series while simultaneously leaving enough dangling threads to wonder where we will go from here. I don’t think I could have asked for a more perfect or poignant ending than what we were treated to.
All of this would be for naught though if we weren’t truly invested in our hero, and Tom Holland not only gives his best performance as Spider-Man but his best, period. As much as he has nailed the role and showed his acting range in MCU titles such as Infinity War and Endgame as well as his other films outside the genre, this proves that he has the chops to take his talent to any level. Considering how young he is and how long his career will (hopefully) be, it is truly exciting to wonder what will come next from him and where he will be 20 years from now.
In case you couldn’t tell, I didn’t just like this movie, I loved it. Every expectation I had was completely upended and surpassed, and it not only jumped over the bar, it set it so high that everything that comes after will struggle to jump half as high. It’s sweet, charming, fun, emotional, and above all, a love letter to the character, comics, and all of us who have happily sat through the best and worst the last 20 years of Spider-Man has thrown at us. It’s the best superhero movie since Endgame, and as excited as I am for the new Doctor Strange, I’m not sure it’s going to be able to top this movie. It’s just that good.