SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME REVIEW

Hey Guys! It’s been a minute since my last blockbuster review, the past few months have been well, crazy. I hardly found the time to see movies let alone, write about them. Alas, that ship has sailed (hopefully), and I can get back to writing reviews for you. So, now that we’re done with the pleasantries how about we talk about the reason you’re here - Spider-Man: Far from Home!

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

Spider-Man: Far from Home (SFFH) is the 23rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the unofficial sequel to Avengers: Endgame (AE), effectively marking the end of the infinity stones saga and the third phase of the MCU. SFFH picks up after the events of AE, as the world struggles to come to terms with the surreal consequences of the 5-year absence of half its population. Peter Parker attempts to settle back to his normal life, (well, as normal as life can be for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man) while facing the unenviable responsibility of filling Tony Stark’s shoes, or should I say suit.

Mysteriously Good

Seventeen years ago, Jake Gyllenhaal lost out on the opportunity to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man to Toby Maguire, and that’s probably because the universe deemed it fit that he would play Mysterio. Gyllenhaal’s MCU debut as Spidey’s bowl headed villain is nothing short of glorious and dare I say, astonishing! Much like the source material, Mysterio’s live action debut sees him assume the façade of a hero before he is revealed to be anything but. And while this Mysterio needs some help from his fellow disgruntled employees and his motives are quite different, I believe the essence of the character was precisely captured. Buoyed by a fantastic job by the CGI/VFX teams, Gyllenhaal’s performance as the man of illusions and a faux mentor for Peter are right on the money.

Peter and MJ Romance

Since the revelation of Zendaya’s identity as Mary Jane at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming, it’s been safe to say that one of comic’s most iconic relationships had been largely tweaked to suit the modern-day narrative. The MCU’s take on one of the more grounded relationships in Marvel comics hasn’t quite stuck to the laid down template, but given that we’d already been given a closer iteration to the comic version in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films, it’s understandable that Marvel Studios wanted to change things up a bit. While I necessarily don’t agree with every step taken in the new direction so far. It’s been quite interesting, I did find the revelation of Peter’s identity as Spider-man quite disappointing and a huge anti-climax.

What Would Tony Stark Do? (WWTSD)

With the absence of Uncle Ben in the MCU as Peter Parker’s moral compass, Tony Stark had pretty much been Peter’s tent pole of morality and more. With Tony having made the ultimate sacrifice to save the world, Peter feels a huge emotional responsibility to step into Tony’s very large shoes - a colossal feat for any surviving Avenger, let alone a teenager. Inevitably this takes a toll on the young avenger as he begins to second doubt himself and believes Tony's trust in him to be misplaced. It's a bit of an emotional roller-coaster for young Peter as he's consistently plagued by Tony’s huge shadow, but at the end of it, he comes out pretty much his own man, proving to be more than just another man in an iron suit.

Aunt Tom-May

The first time I laid eyes on Marisa Tomei was in “My Cousin Vinny (1992)” and I got to say she’s still as gorgeous as she was all those years ago! Now playing the role of Peter Parker’s famous (but usually older aunt) Marisa has brought a little bit more ‘colour’ into the role (just ask Happy Hogan). Albeit, it’s also not news that after Uncle Ben and Mary Jane, May is the most important person in Peter’s life, something that the MCU blatantly ignores. The MCU May isn’t the confidant we’ve come to know or that shoulder for Peter to lean on and honestly hasn’t  played that big a role in shaping Peter as we know. But if the rumors of six more Spider-Man films are true, hopefully she’ll become more of that as she gets grayer, if Marisa ever decides to age just a little.

Is there really a Multiverse?

With the revelation that Quentin Beck aka Mysterio is really from the mainstream universe (i.e. Earth 616) and not another universe as he claimed, the existence of a Multiverse is practically in Limbo. Upon his revelation as a fraud, Beck’s claim to be from an alternative Earth is immediately dispelled, but could it be something that actually exists in the MCU (which might explain a certain character’s surprise reappearance) or was it just another hoax by Marvel Studios to get us all excited? It’s honestly an answer that only Marvel Studios can provide as they prepare to begin the fourth phase of their universe(s).

Hope you waited (After Credits Scenes)

SFFH’s two after-credits scenes certainly gave viewers something to talk about, and for me were probably the best the MCU has given us in a while. The first revealed that Mysterio had one more trick up his sleeve; as he sent out a last gasp video revealing Spider-Man’s identity as Peter Parker. A cliffhanger to say the least, which should whet our appetites until the next Spider-Man related film. Second to that was the fact that this news was revealed by none other than number one Spider-Man antagonist and Publisher of the Daily Bugle - J.Jonah Jameson, Played by J.K Simmons, who reprises the role 12 years after he played the character in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. It had been rumored that The Amazing Spiderman Director, Marc Webb avoided casting anybody to play Jameson simply because he believed J.K. Simmons played the part too well and wanted to avoid an inferior performance. It would seem that he wasn’t the only one who felt that way as Simmons was surprisingly called back for the role (albeit a cameo) for SFFH. With the news being that Marvel Studios are planning three trilogies (high school, college and adult years) for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, it’s quite safe to say we’ll be seeing J.Jonah Jameson play a more concrete role in the future films. Who knows perhaps we’ll get Alfred Molina back as Doctor Octopus for his fantastic portrayal of the villain in Spider-Man 2 or even a full blown multi-verse film involving Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. It was also revealed that Nick Fury and Agent Maria Hill were really Talos and his wife all along, standing in for the erstwhile Shield Boss while he took a much-deserved vacation on the Skrulls’ flagship, perhaps hinting that the Skrulls will have a bigger role in the next phase of the MCU.

Final thoughts

With a relatable protagonist, teenage romance, an intriguing villain and a road trip across Europe, Spider-Man Far From Home serves as a fine close to the Infinity Stones Saga, while helping to establish Spider-Man as more than Iron Man’s protégé going forward. In Mysterio we are given a differently compelling villain brought to life by the hugely talented Jake Gyllenhaal. Mysterio’s antics are ripped from the pages of the comics and the reels of cartoons to give one of the most ridiculous looking Spidey villains some much needed veneration (no more fish bowl jokes in the near future). The ilusion attack scene is without a doubt one of the greatest moments in the entire MCU till date. Peter Parker finally got the girl, and everything seemed great until it wasn’t. Spider-Man and MCU fans will looking forward to the next time he graces the big screen. 
Spider-Man: Far From Home leapfrogs its predecessor as a better Spider-Man film. And while it doesn’t quite reach the pinnacle (Spider-Man 2) it’s definitely outclimbed some of the latter films. A film for everyone and a great time at the movies.

Reject Rating: 8/10
Images courtesy of Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures