Superheroes Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

[Tom]

Title: Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction

Director: Jon Watts

Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jon Favreau, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Tony Revolori, Angourie Rice, Martin Starr, Hannibal Buress, J.B. Smoove, J.K. Simmons, Benedict Wong, Paula Newsome, Arian Moayed, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Jay Karales

Release: 2021-12-15

Plot: Peter Parker is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Super Hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.

 

[Kevin]

I can't believe it took me this long to finally watch this one!

In hindsight I realize I should've made a point of watching it before Doctor Strange 2 but watching it out of sequence really didn't affect much. It was a good movie and I see now why so many folks have said it is the best Spider-Man movie so far. I was not expecting it though to be a movie that ends up having some big impacts on the MCU and the Sony "Spider-Man Cinematic Universe" franchise not to mention the death of one of the characters! The interaction between the different Spider-Man versions was great though it would've been nice to see Miles Morales represented in some form.

The next Spider-Man movie should be interesting now that Peter is out living on his own with no allies and no support structure. If I recall correctly, the next movie in the Sony franchise will be Kraven the Hunter.

 

[Tom]

Most recently, its been hit or miss with Marvel movies for me.
Over-all, I'm basically disappointed with how they 'present' their legendary iconic figures.
During the movies, I find myself noting its a movie based on a comic book so stop expecting so much.

While I liked Spider-Man: No Way Home better than that Dr Strange garbage, neither were very high on my must watch or must rewatch list.
For me, The Eternals was better and Shang-Chi was the best of the most recent.
I haven't watched Black Adam yet but from the reviews I've read, its also not really that great.

I think the major change in how I see comic book based films started when I saw Zack Snyder's Justice League. As far as I am concerned that film raised the bar on all comic book films. It still had some problems but it was so far above everything else it jaded me to everything else.

While I do like Tom Holland's Spider-man best, it was enjoyable to see Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield back in the suits. It would have been 'cooler' to see them work a cameo of Nicholas Hammond into the film. if not as Spidey than a Stan Lee type cameo or something? He was the Spider-Man I grew up with in the 70s.

On a scale of 10 I give Spider-Man: No Way Home a 4.1 and Marvel Films a 4.0 for allowing it under their name.

Personally, I feel the Spider-man lore/legend has potential for interesting literary expansion which could result in fairly decent films. For instance:
Instead of a Peter Parker who is a rambunctious teen trying to fit in and pursue his love interest have Peter Parker as an adult, working at the Bugle with a disdain for social etiquette who has anger and loneliness fueling his contempt for society. When he dons the suit, he becomes the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man as a way to balance his life. The darker and grittier the Peter Parker the greater the contrast when he is Spider-man. There are just so many ways that could go which would not only be good story but great action as well.