THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN

 

MOVIE
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Director  Jon Watts
Review Ray Chan

This blog has reviewed the first two movies in the Tom Holland Spider-Man franchise, so of course we have to wrap it up with a look at the conclusion of the story arc.
    And what a triumphant denouement it is. This discussion comes with a warning that some spoilers may lurk within, but then readers of such critiques will know that’s somewhat of an occupational hazard. In any case, many of the “surprises” had already been leaked on-line.
    There have been nine solo live action productions featuring the wondrous webslinger: three starring Tobey Maguire, two with Andrew Garfield, and then this current set of three. And an even 10 in total, if you include the TV series fronted by Nicholas Hammond.
    The magic of No Way Home is that it uses all of those previous episodes and experiences  ─ adversaries, allies, triumphs and tragedies ─ to its advantage, enriching the recipe and increasing its emotional depth and range. It even enhances the earlier chapters retroactively, adding new facets to characters we thought we'd seen the last of, and giving them the momentous send-offs they might not have had the last time around.
    It all starts with the unmasking of Spider-Man as nerdy teen Peter Parker, the cliffhanger thread that the last instalment teased viewers with.
    Faced with serious legal ramifications of the revelation, Peter,  sardonic girlfriend MJ and buddy Ned Leeds seek out “very good” lawyer Matt Murdock, played by Charlie Cox in a reprise of his TV Daredevil role, and raising the first squeals of delight from the Spidey-fans.
    Sadly, it is a blink of a cameo, and one can’t help but wonder how more interesting the movie would have been if the blind barrister had donned his red costume and teamed up with the main protagonist. But it’s just the first of many presents dropped in the audience’s laps and a harbinger of the stream of notable cameos to come.
    The criminal repercussions are given short shrift however, and before long, Peter is begging Marvel's resident wizard, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), to cast a spell that will erase his dual identity from the memories of everyone in the universe. But when Peter changes his mind at a crucial moment, the spell goes awry, and the Doctor accidentally summons various inhabitants of other universes instead.
    Anyone who has glimpsed the trailers or publicity interviews will know that those visitors include the crazed Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), the haughty Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), plus Electro (Jamie Foxx), all from the previous instalments.
    Strange immediately chooses to send the interlopers back to the alternate realities where they belong, but Peter finds out that in those timelines, the villains will be killed in fights with their versions of Spider-Man. Rather than sending them to their deaths in another dimension, he insists on attempting to reform them.
    Indeed, the youthful lens we first meet Peter through does not dissolve into darkness. Even when drowning in grief and worry, he finds the light, and this time, he selflessly shares that experience with the sordid characters who have suffered too long in the stifling shadows.
    And therein lies the premise on which No Way Home is based, and on which the original comics were defined: Peter’s noble naivete and the sacrifices, painful consequences and great responsibilities that come with great power. Holland embodies the best of this character even in his dimmest hour, and success here stems from his phenomenal portrayal of growing pains.
    The action sequences are fast and frenetic yet always fabulous, and the digital effects are spectacular. But the film's real superpowers are its endearing performances, not just by the principal cast, but also from the two previous Spideys pulled in by Strange’s conjurations.
    There’s Andrew Garfield in his super-suit with the witty dialogue and over-the-top movements that characterised his Spider-Man. Maguire, on the other hand, was always an exceptional Peter Parker, so he is portrayed as the kind and courageous man behind the mask.
    The standout emotional undertone of the union between the arachnid ensemble comes when MJ loses her footing and falls from the Statue of Liberty, provoking a powerful countenance of peril between Holland’s Peter and his girlfriend.
    The picture’s most significant parallel quickly follows as Garfield’s Spidey comes to the rescue. The power this moment of redemption holds for him in the wake of his girlfriend Gwen’s death in the first movie is defined by the tears welling in Garfield’s eyes as he lets us feel every inch of grief.
   Superhero sceptics probably won't be fully converted, nor presumably those who did not watch any of the previous chronicles. But for fans who have love for the genre, the constant shift between humour and pathos in No Way Home will not just put a joyful smile on their faces for two hours, but surely more than a few sobs and chokes in the throats as well. It is a perfect conclusion to the trilogy.

#nowayhome #spider-man #sonypictures

SHROUDED IN MYSTERIO

MOVIE
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal
Director Jon Watts
Review Ray Chan

After the cataclysmic repercussions of Avengers: Endgame, where does the Marvel Universe go to next?
    Fortunately for the studio, with a character such as the immature and somewhat naive teenage Spider-Man, it has the perfect vehicle to create a follow-up that offers much-needed relief, being lighter in tone and much less cosmos-shaking.
    Tom Holland dons his costume for another solo outing, and continues his story from Homecoming, albeit set five years later after the time-altering chaos from Endgame.
    As Peter Parker, he goes on a European class trip with his peers from Midtown High, and it could not have come at a better time for the affable adolescent, as he really needs to take a vacation from the duties of the spider-suit after his Avenging adventures.
    Peter just wants to enjoy being a kid in high school and pursue his crush on MJ (Zendaya) and maybe get to hang out with his best buddy Ned (Jacob Batalon).
    But inevitably, where Peter goes, danger beckons, and inexplicably, colossal elemental monsters (earth, wind, fire, air) begin appearing in Europe just as the kids arrive for their vacation.
    Even more curious is the emergence of a new super hero who claims he's from another world (Jake Gyllenhaal), who along with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), plan to attack this planetary threat head on, subsequently enlisting the help of the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, who finds that the late Tony Stark has entrusted him with a fancy gizmo that comes with its own sophisticated Suri voice tech.
    The fish-bowl-headed alien, alias Quentin Beck but dubbed Mysterio, is a slightly different take on the classic Spidey character, although there is a link to his modus operandi which comic fans are familiar with.
    Beck and Peter become strong allies and forge an on-screen relationship that is a delight to watch, but, quite literally, nothing is as it seems with the character, whose specialty is the use of illusions.
    Interestingly, there’s no appearance of characters such as the Shocker or the Scorpion, minor adversaries who were shown momentarily in Homecoming in scenes that appeared to foreshadow their imminent appearance in a sequel. But that works in the movie’s favour, as the spotlight focuses on the main antagonist without any unnecessary sidetracks.
    Jon Favreau also turns up and reprises his role as Tony Stark’s right hand man Happy Hogan, who has always had a fun, annoyed avuncular vibe with Peter.
    In a nice twist to the tale, that expands even further in this film towards unexpected yet enjoyable territory.
    MJ’s character, meanwhile, has developed further in this instalment, and Zendaya carries the role well. However, it’s Holland who shines brightest as he threads the needle between heartbreak and hilarity for the entire film.
    All in all, Spider-Man: Far From Home succeeds by avoiding a retread of the original, while also forging ahead with a fresh approach.
    It emulates the style of movies like DC’s Shazam!, packing itself with genuine laughs yet taking it seriously when it needs to, but also remaining faithful to the coming-of-age humour that made its predecessor so enjoyable.
    As the film winds down, audiences will be sitting back in their seats smiling from this less exacting, wonderfully entertaining ride.
    But then, in keeping with the smoke and mirrors theme, the clouds concealing the apparent happy ending dispel. Make sure you stay to the absolute end for two of the best and most exciting post-credit cliffhangers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in quite some time.
    They provide the perfect cappers to a film that serves as a great bookend to the first era of the MCU, and a superb start of the next chapter.


#sonypicturesaus #spidermanfarfromhome