Directly following up from Avengers: End Game, Spider-Man: Far From Home offers much needed relief for those left feeling heavy-hearted after their favourite characters were vanished from existence with the snap of a finger – or even for those who have just recently reappeared after turning to dust! Welcome back, by the way. Spider-Man: Far From Home responds to the apocalyptic, heart-stomping, emotional rollercoaster that has been building up for 22-films with all the wit, humour, and adrenaline you need to get over that post-End Game emptiness.
Much like our heroes and heroines of the MCU, we now live in a post-End Game universe, which means spoilers are a plenty for those who (for some reason) haven’t headed the call and seen what is currently the second-biggest box office hit of all time.
Nick Fury: It’s so good to finally meet you. I saw you at the funeral, but I didn’t think that was a good time to exchange numbers
Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) finally catches up Peter Parker (Tom Holland) in Venice
Peter Parker: No, that would have been really inappropriate
Nick Fury: That’s what I just said
Both Infinity War and End Game left the MCU tattered and altered, with a dead purple tyrant and a dead ironclad superhero, remembered for his snazzy suit collection and goaty. Without Tony Stark, the world needs a new Iron Man more than ever, with eyes set on the popular young Arachnid-Lad – otherwise known as Peter Parker. Similar to how Iron Man 3 saw a broken Tony Stark deal with the fallout and trauma of being sent through a wormhole in Avengers Assemble way back in 2013, Spider-Man: Far From Home showcases the grief felt by Peter Parker after the loss of his MCU father figure, haunted by ghostly paintings and memorials across the world, revering their lost hero as the saviour of not only Earth, but the universe, from the giant purple Bruce Willis, Thanos.
Seems pretty clear the kid needs a break from web-slinging and intergalactic tyrants. Thankfully Far From Home is aptly named, as Parker finds that much needed break in the form of a school science trip across Europe. Relinquishing himself from his web-bound duties as Spider-Man, at least for a short while, he’s given ample time to grieve and declare his feelings towards comic book fan-favourite MJ. Or at least, that was the plan before Nick Fury butt his head in with news of a new apocalyptic threat, with the help of new hero Quentin Beck, or Mysterio. If you can stave off your disbelief…
“Everywhere I go I see his face. And the whole world is asking who is going to be the next Iron Man? I don’t know if that’s me, Happy. I’m not Iron Man”
Peter Parker to Happy Hogan
The new relationship between Spider-Man and Mysterio is somewhat non-traditional, if you’re familiar with the characters’ comic book past (or even his ‘90s animated appearance), in which he offers solace and friendship to the grief stricken Parker. Mysterio claims to hail from an alternate Earth – with multiverse references that may put your nerd-factor into overdrive, as it did mine – and that his Earth was lost to creatures called the ‘Elementals’. Teaming up with Mysterio, Spider-Man and Nick Fury must take down the menacing, if generic, monsters to once again save the world from obliteration.
Subverting our understanding of the character by playing up to be the friendly boy scout, just as we start to feel comfortable with the established budding relationship between Parker and Beck, the narrative takes an expertly executed sharp twist, upping the stakes to higher levels than you might expect, even for comic book fans. If you consider yourself well versed in the world of Marvel comics, chances are you had your suspicions from the outset. However even despite this, the thrill of the twist and what comes after no doubt adds to the energy of the film. It’s handled significantly better than Homecoming’s tired reveal regarding the Vulture and his relationship to Spider-Man, and when you couple it with the dynamic emotional reactions and action sequences that follow, Far From Home sets itself apart with a much more expertly crafted narrative and dynamic cast of characters, aided no less by its ability to keep you second guessing each new reveal and twist, right up until the post-credit scenes.
Whereas Homecoming explored Spider-Man’s favourite stomping ground Queens, in his latest outing Parker leaves the comfort of NYC and its rampaging Rhino, Goblins, and Black Cats to become the ‘friendly-tourist Spider-Man’, exploring Venice, Prague, and London. Jon Watts manages to highlight Spider-Man’s extraordinary athletic abilities, even despite the differentiating architectural obstacles, with dynamic and exciting sequences that successfully accentuate the explosive power and athleticism of the character. It’s a showcase of the creative choreography behind Far From Home and the expert directorial abilities of Jon Watts. Some of the better action sequences – and there are many – really vamp the adrenaline levels into overdrive, with spectacular stunts and camera angles, accompanied with web-shooting marksmanship and an adequate amount of explosives.
It’s not too much of a stretch to say this is one of the most dynamic, well paced, action packed features in the MCU so far, and a large part of this is that at no point does it take itself too seriously, nor does it come across as overly-humorous and goofy, with the right balance between heartfelt and emotional, and genuinely funny humour interspersed with exciting action sequences. This is also joined by some unexpected creative illusionary, almost hallucinogenic sequences, managing to surpass the transcendental moments of Doctor Strange. These moments are brilliantly crafted and feel as if they have been taken straight out of a comic book, or even from the ‘90s animated series. For the sake of comparison, they’re akin to the drug-fuelled Scarecrow delusions in the Batman Arkham games, with a hall-of-mirrors thrown in for good, disproportionate measure.
Peter Parker: I think Nick Fury just hijacked our vacation
Ned: Awesome!
However, none of this would mean much if the cast were incapable of delivering the lines that make the twists so potent, hype the tension between characters, or deliver the exciting action sequences that leave us in the audience feeling tired. Thankfully Far From Home has a tight character driven plot, showcasing its rich support cast in a better light than Homecoming before it. In particular, Parker’s classmates Ned (Jacob Batalon) and Betty Brant’s (Angourie Rice) on-again off-again relationship, as well as his school teachers, offer some of the highlight comical moments, feeling more fleshed out this time round. Similarly Zendaya’s MJ feels significantly more interesting than in Homecoming, where it was unclear whether she was actually supposed to be the iconic MJ or not. Thankfully this time round it’s very clear who she is, taking up a more central role as Parker’s love interest, and with more adequate screen time to show-off her snarky, sassy humour. There is a an unshakeable feeling that Far From Home is stylistically akin to the Ultimate Spider-Man comics in its tone and pacing.
One of the greater aspects of this incarnation of Spider-Man is that, like the Ultimate Spider-Man, he’s an average awkward teenager with typical high-school life problems, which are transposed into some of the more comically awkward moments between certain characters and their relationships. Everyone wants to be Spider-Man, but no one wants to be Peter Parker, especially Parker himself, meaning that when he dons the suit, he really comes to life, and in Far From Home, you’ll really appreciate this endearing, somewhat relatable, aspect of his character. ‘Somewhat’, since most of us lack the abilities of the eight-legged creatures Parker’s own powers hail from.
Rounding off the cast are of course Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio, the master of illusions himself, claiming to hail from an alternate Earth. The casting of Gyllenhaal couldn’t have been more perfect for this role, acting at times almost too perfect and boy-scout, playing up the ‘hero’ role like a knight in green shining armour. His relationship with Parker is certainly interesting, and the impact of certain twists later in the narrative feel heavy thanks to the dynamic relationship they build early on. Naturally Tom Holland reprises his role as the teenager who can do what a spider can, though this time – if you can believe it – his athletic prowess is even more impressive, giving a better impression of the Ultimate comic book-style Peter Parker, leading me to wonder what that means for him in later MCU instalments. He goes through mixed emotions throughout the course of the film: aside from his awkward if endearing feelings towards MJ, he’s plagued by grief for his mentor and frustration that he can’t take a break from superheroing, before finally reconciling the he has, as all good Parker’s must, a greater responsibility. One character point that comes across far better here than his past appearances in the MCU is that he is clearly intellectually gifted, which was something that felt lacking in the character in Homecoming and Civil War.
With references to the Avengers theme, linking Spider-Man back to his role as an official Avenger and his relationship to Tony Stark, as well as references to past Spider-Man soundtracks, Michal Giacchino’s score helps drive the pace of the narrative and magnifies any sense of exhilaration from the visuals to greater heights. At times there are elements that are reminiscent of the Sam Raimi trilogy, with thematic orchestration, while the climactic battle sequence is accompanied by a score that echoes Amazing Spider-Man with electric guitars backing the powerful orchestration work, building up the anticipation and excitement to deliver some of Spider-Man’s most dynamic cinematic sequences and web-slinging moments yet. Breaking up the superhero theme mould, however, you’ll also find some unnerving chaotic strings, fit for a suspenseful thriller joining scenes where Spider-Man is plunged into dark hallucinogenic states. Of all the MCU soundtracks, this is easily one of the most stimulating and compelling, effectively complimenting the choreography and photography.
Peter Parker: I’m sorry. Did you say Prague? Listen, Fury, this all seems like big-time, you know, huge, superhero kind of stuff. And, I mean I’m just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, sir
Nick Fury: Bitch, please. You’ve been to space
Peter Parker: I know, but that was an accident
Spider-Man: Far From Home has a lot to live up to, with End Game currently recognised as the second biggest box office hit of all time. However, as a superhero flick, it manages to hold its own – thanks in small part to his sticky wall-crawling abilities – and showcases creative visuals comparable to Into the Spider-Verse, or even from the pages of the comic books themselves. Likeable and memorable characters, pacing, and sheer energy help to keep this film feel exciting, as we leap and swing from one location to the next, and while comic book fans may see the twists coming, it’s still thrilling nonetheless and keeps you second guessing yourself all the way through. Arguably the most comic book like live-action superhero movie to date, thanks to it’s pacing, visuals and creativity, aided no less by its score.
If you found yourself feeling heavy-hearted and empty thanks to Infinity War and End Game, Far From Home will no doubt cure you with it’s heart-warming, action driven story, great characters, and humour. If you’re left wanting more, the Ultimate Spider-Man comics by Brian Michael Bendis will probably be your best bet, similarly featuring a teenage Peter Parker at high-school, dealing with the usual high-school problems – albeit with the imposing threat of angsty goblin villains and alien Symbiotes. And be sure to follow in Spidey’s footsteps by sticking around for the post-credits scenes. Without spoiling them, one will delight fans of Spider-Man’s past cinematic features, while the other will tear down the expectations of viewers with a whole new threat to his status quo.
