Title: Spider-Man: Far From Home
Release Date: July 2nd, 2019
Studio: Marvel Studios, Columbia Pictures
Director: Jon Watts
Release Format: Theatrical
Spider-Man: Far From Home is a very funny and entertaining blockbuster that this summer has severely lacked. It has a little bit of everything, which also happens to be its weakness.
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) goes on a school trip abroad as an opportunity to get away from being Spidey and get closer to MJ. Nick Fury pulls him into to help stop a global threat with the aide of a new ally Mysterio. Peter is about to learn some hard truths in a new world that not all heroes wear capes.
The film tries to be many things: big action movie, romantic comedy, road trip film and a coming of age story. It succeeds in the latter by neglecting the effort in the action, which can seem uninspired at times.
The best thing about this film is the interaction between characters, which is what really keeps this film going. Now, the real question is if this is worth a swing by the cinemas? Let’s find out.
Built off color & personality
This is mainly a comedy that had me laughing like a madman throughout, typically at Peter’s expense. The other prominent narrative thread are the love stories featuring different cast members throughout you will root for.
The romance between Peter and MJ (Zendaya) is wonderful as you can tell they have fantastic chemistry. It’s two high-schoolers crushing so hard for each other that you even begin to blush.
Holland continues his great endearing performance of the being nerdy and charming. You see his growth throughout the film and by the end, he is fully Spider-Man that many wanted from the comics.
There is a lot of material to dig into here, Far From Home just doesn’t do the best job of exploring it sometimes. Peter dealing with the aftermath of Tony’s death, or figuring out who he is as a hero only scratches the surface.
The most grating thing about the film is a new character Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal) a.k.a Mysterio. The writers have a lot of filler until they get Beck where they want him to be. It’s not about what they did with him but how clumsily they got there.
If anyone has seen any kind of Spider-Man media like the 90’s tv cartoon or played virtually any Spider-Man game, they won’t be fooled. Look at his costume, he looks like the type of person that kidnaps kids for fun.
Anyway, this new good guy angle they try with Beck doesn’t work as he comes off as bland charisma vacuum. He does have really fun and interesting abilities that the film explores in wildly creative ways later to where you’ll forgive the slow burn.
Web of Set Pieces
This sequel is going with the “bigger is better” mentality with city-leveling set pieces that can rival Endgame. The trouble comes from the best parts of Far From Home shines is in the smaller moments. Action isn’t its strength, but rather characters and comedy.
A lot of the action here is Spider-Man just swinging around, while he is known for is agility he can also afford to throw a punch here and there. It’s cool to see him maneuver around giant monsters, but it seems meaningless as he has little effect on ending these fights.
However, the climax fight is fantastic though utilizing Spidey in an awesome way that hasn’t been seen since Spider-Man 2. Spidey is using every part of his body and last bit of tech in his arsenal to overcome nearly impossible odds.
The antagonists of this film like the previous Vulture can’t take many hits, so Far From Home finds clever ways later to present the action.
The movie dances around who the main villain is the same way a parent hide their child’s nose, obnoxiously transparent. The issue is if you’re not a kid, you’ll sit there for over an hour wondering why they can’t skip the charades as they aren’t fooling anybody.
The music score here is so good that you’ll be sweating during the so-so action scenes early on. Someone must have held a gun to the orchestra because I felt the tension, the urgency in those blaring horns.
A Sticky Good Time
Verdict: Spider-Man: Far From Home is a pretty good experience that falls a smidge short of greatness.FFM has some big shoes to fill like Peter after following the Oscar winning Into The Spider-Verse. This is a charming romantic comedy first and Spider-Man film second. The road trip scenes are worth the price of admission alone.But, the superhero fights are bargain bin until they get a major shot in the arm halfway.
This is far from being the best MCU film to date but it does stand above most of the 2019 summer releases. This is a pleasing film that’ll have walking out with a smile on your face, packing post-credits stingers that leave you a screaming mess.
What is your favorite Spider-Man film? Who’s the best to have ever put on the red & blue tights? What villain do you want to see on the big screen? Leave your comments!
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