Just barely two months have passed since the release of Avengers:
Endgame, the culmination of everything that had come before and set up for
things to come after. If Endgame was the final chapter, Spider-Man: Far From
Home is the epilogue, a look at a world after Thanos and the Avengers, and
a glimpse of what’s to come for everyone’s favorite web-head.
Following the events of decimation of half the population and the return five years later, Spider-Man (Tom Holland) must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed
forever. After a school trip to Europe is seemingly hijacked by Nick Fury and
Maria Hill (Samuel L. Jackson & Cobie Smulders), Peter must find the balance
in being a superhero, taking on life threatening creatures with the aid of
Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal) and the desire to live a normal life as a
teenager and spend time with the girl he likes, MJ (Zendaya).
When you get to the third iteration of a character in
fifteen years, it’s not easy for the actor or actress stepping into the role to
separate themselves from past versions. And yet, Tom Holland, in just two films
(and a few appearances in Avengers films), has become the definitive version of
Peter Parker on the big screen. From the awkward persona of a teenager in 2019
just pining after a girl, to the building confidence of a superhero making his
own name, Holland just knocks it out of the park once again. If he truly wants to
play the wall-crawler until he is 40, let him.
Holland isn’t the only one to deliver a noteworthy
performance at all, his supporting cast is just as great if not better in one
instance. Zendaya returns as a new, modern take on MJ, and her chemistry with
Holland and the character continue to develop into something real and earned.
It’s always fantastic to see Samuel L. Jackson back in the eyepatch, and it’s
even better when he brings Cobie Smulders along with him. Then there’s Jake
Gyllenhaal, an actor who is without a doubt one of the most talented working in
Hollywood today, as Mysterio. His introduction and impact on this story are
vastly important in their own right, but Gyllenhaal has so much fun playing the
mysterious new hero that you can’t help but want to see more.
Of course, when introducing Mysterio to a story, the visuals
get an automatic bump, something that the filmmakers absolutely take advantage
of. While director Jon Watts does return to bring the high school elements that
worked so well in Spider-Man: Homecoming back to the forefront, the
action absolutely takes the film slightly above the first film’s offerings. It
is by far the best Spidey action since Sam Raimi’s train scene back in 2004. It
may not top that scene, but the action has an undeniable flow and energy to it
that fits the style of the character so well as he zips and swings through each
big, bombastic set piece.
In terms of story, Spider-Man: Far From Home isn’t
going to bring a ton of new elements to the table. There are a handful of
twists for those not well-versed in comic books, and specifically Spider-Man
comic books, but even those can be predictable if you’re paying attention.
Spider-Man: Far From Home once again proves just how
amazing the character that so many people love can be when put in the right
hands. From a cast that absolutely nails it, to an upgrade in scope and action
with the introduction of Mysterio and some huge Elemental monsters, everything
about this sequel improves, even if only slightly, on the things that worked in
the first film. Other than a slightly slow beginning that sets the stage after
Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home is another huge win for Marvel
Studios and Sony, which only goes to show, the MCU isn’t slowing down anytime
soon.
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