Was Spider-Man No Way Home worth the hype?

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Marvel Studios

All three Spider-Men: (from left to right) Toby Maguire, Tom Holland, and Andrew Garfield

Maddi Jakowich, Staff Writer

Spoiler warning: the following article contains spoilers for the movie Spider-Man No Way Home 

 

There is so much to unpack with this amazing, much awaited, Marvel movie. Since it’s release, Spider-Man: No Way Home has earned around $1.53 billion making it the eighth highest grossing movie released in history. I had heard talk so consistently all over social media once it was announced to the public, and much much more once the trailer had been released. The amount of tiny details people were trying to pick apart just from the trailer was INSANE! But I’m happy to say that the hype that was given from February with the title release and then August with the trailer release is very much worthy. 

The movie begins with Mysterio, also known as Quentin Beck, revealing that Spider-Man’s real name is Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland. You can see the start to the collapse of Peter Parker’s life as the public and media starts to find out who he really is, giving him backlash for his decisions and mistakes. As the movie progresses, the viewer sees how the people in Peter’s life are affected by being public friends and family with him, or Spider-Man since it seems to be the bigger issue to the public. Although he still has a few supporters through his school and family, there are still those who hate him and sides with Mysterio with events in the previous movie: Spider-Man: Far from Home. 

Peter decides that the people in his life shouldn’t live this life since he feels very responsible for the events that happened and that they shouldn’t be reflected on his friends for his mistakes, so he chooses to go and see one of my personal favorite marvel heroes, Dr. Strange. Peter goes to Dr. Strange in hopes that he can help him with the problem he feels he has. Dr. Strange says he has a spell he could use to make people forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, and as Peter agrees, he realizes that most people close to him in his life know that he is Spider-Man. Peter starts requesting all these changes to the spell so certain people can remember him causing the spell to almost malfunction and tear the multiverse apart. We then start to see the other Spider-Man villains from past films and different universes showing up randomly. The first being Dr. Octavius, also known as Doc Ock, then Lizard, Electro, Sandman (who almost seems to be an ally in the beginning), and Green Goblin. Now if you have seen the other past Spider-Man movies you will recognize all these villains, but if you’re like me who missed a few in the years growing up, it’ll be a little tough to connect the dots in the beginning of the introductions. However, Marvel does a great job at “explaining” the background for each. With portals opening up and new villains coming, New York is in danger, and Peter being the great hero he is, decides that it’s in the best interest of everyone to try and “cure” these multiverse villains. It begins to work with the curing of Doc Ock, but the other villains start to reject the idea, and the Green Goblin goes rogue being taken over by his evil alter along with Electro. 

Now with the much awaited question that many many had after the trailer release: are the other Spider-Man’s included? And with much excitement I’m happy to say yes! It has to be one of the coolest crossovers I’ve ever seen. Peter’s best friends, Ned and MJ are the first ones to meet the two “other” Spider-Men, played by Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire. Both appear to help repair the damage done to the universe. 

There aren’t very many times that I’ve cried during movies, especially in the theaters, but the heart wrenching scene of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man attempting to save his Aunt May, is a real tear jerker. Holland’s Spider-Man goes into hiding due to the traumatic events swimming in guilt and anger, to then be found by Ned and MJ who are accompanied by the other two Spider-Men. This was a shocker for Peter to see two other Peter Parker’s, and with the events that have occurred he is overwhelmed saying no one can understand how he’s feeling. Both other Peters go to tell him that they both can understand and relate to his pain and tell him he is not alone. The Spider-Men end up forming a plan to still cure the villains but they’re needing to lure them to the Statue of Liberty. We then get the amazing epic fight scene of three Spider-Men and all the villains from each universe, which was a nail biter for all people just wondering how it was going to end. Dr. Strange shows up to cast a spell for everyone to disappear who doesn’t belong in the universe they’re in, but Peter needs to stop him because he is determined to cure the villains. After all are cured, Dr. Strange needs to cast a spell for all to forget who Spider-Man is in order for the other two Spider-Men and their villains to be sent back to their universes, meaning Peter’s best friend Ned and girlfriend MJ will have to forget who Peter Parker is.

 It was a bittersweet ending of the film. Overall I was very impressed by all the graphics and work put into Spider-Man No Way Home. The casting was perfect, especially with the original villain actors returning to take on these amazing, important roles, and was one of the most impactful details of the making of this film. Marvel worked very hard to bring us a very much anticipated movie that is definitely worth the hype that it has been given. I would recommend everyone watch it at least once whether you are a Marvel super fan or not.