Spiderman – No Way Home, a love letter to twenty years of Peter Parker in cinemas

Spiderman is a unique character in the history of comic-book adaptations onscreen. Three Hollywood incarnations, one in Asia, a recent but already groundbreaking animated universe, several animated TV shows, spin-offs on some of his most iconic villains… Peter Parker has become a stable in our cinema industry. One cannot deny the impact of the friendly neighborhood superhero on the cinematic genre that has won over hundreds of millions of spectators since the early 2000’s.

It is not overstating it to say that Spiderman has paved the way for the MCU and every other extended universe’s success, for a lot of reasons. Spiderman No Way Home, the last addition to the shining roster of Spiderman films already released, comes as a fable that sings to the glorious past of the franchise.

Spiderman started it all

When Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios kickstarted the MCU back in 2008, they started producing some of the most entertaining and large-scaled box-office successes of all time, surpassing the likes of James Bond, Star Wars or Harry Potter. Overtime, the MCU perfected the franchising model that utterly dominates the industry today. Like it or not, admire it or not, the MCU became the norm in blockbuster cinema. However, this success could not have been possible without a certain superhero that started it all, back in 2002.

The first Spiderman trilogy, directed by Sam Raimi, was and still is one of the most beloved franchises in cinema history. Comic-book fan or not, in 2002, Spiderman was revolutionary. It proved that comic-book adaptations had a future onscreen, and that they could bring something fresh and new compared to the already existing action and science-fiction cinema franchises. Thanks to a stellar cast and great storytelling, along with deep respect shown to the original material, Sam Raimi’s Spiderman (2002) and Spiderman 2 (2004) - with help from the early days of the XMen franchise - created codes and consolidated the newly born superhero genre. Not action, not science-fiction, but a completely independent style that went beyond the established genres of cinema. Superman and Batman also had big successes but lacked a franchising vision and technological progress of the early 2000s.

In 2008, Iron Man surfed on the wave Spiderman created six years prior, only for the MCU to continue to ride it until today. Whether we are fans of Marvel or DC, the first Spiderman trilogy holds a truly dear place in our hearts. Action-packed, visually stunning, the films proved that a superhero film could also contain compelling characters and a touching story, making us want to see the characters evolve and learn from their past ordeals. The music, the costume, Tobey McGuire, the glorious villains (Doc Ock and the Green Goblin mainly) participated in elevating the trilogy to new levels of “Iconic”.

Thus, we all have a special relationship with Spiderman onscreen. He is our hero! Close to the people, fighting the same battles, struggling to find his place, but kind, candid and reliable. Spiderman is everyone’s best friend. Much like Superman, he is a beacon of hope and kindness when we need him the most.

Spiderman’s success comes to a halt

However, Spiderman’s history onscreen is not flawless. After a third installment that relatively disappointed the public, Sam Raimi’s trilogy ended, and the character got caught in a war for adaptation rights between Sony and Marvel (later Disney). Sony decided to reboot the franchise with The Amazing Spiderman, in 2012, and its sequel in 2014. While the first film was a good reinterpretation of the character, the sequel dramatically failed to convince, and Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker never got to see the last part of the trilogy.

There are a few reasons why this duo of films failed at the box-office and disappointed the public. While they were happening, the MCU had already skyrocketed to the top of the box-office records. In 2012, the very same year that The Amazing Spiderman got released, Avengers smashed records after a four-years buildup that saw never-before seen adaptations of Iron Man, Thor and Captain America. In 2014, The Amazing Spiderman 2 hit cinemas in May, between The Winder Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy. Spiderman just suffered from competition! There were problems with the movies, but the overall context of release was also very problematic for Sony and Paramount.
Thus “ended” the franchising war between both studios, with the arrival of Tom Holland’s Spiderman in Marvel’s Captain America Civil War, in 2016. Short but impactful, Peter Parker’s thunderous debut marked the big return of Spiderman. From Civil War to No Way Home, let us analyze Holland’s path as Spiderman, and transform this opinion piece in a true film critic.

The MCU’s Spiderman: its best possible version?

Let’s start by writing a very short summary of Tom Holland’s history playing Spiderman:

• Spiderman Homecoming had a very simple and straightforward mission: introduce the existence of a teenage Peter Parker in the MCU’s New York, already filled with The Avengers Tower, Iron Man and his joyful company. Moreover, this film had to coexist with all the cosmic consequences of the MCU’s other films, right at the time when Thanos was definitely on his way to Earth, while still installing Spiderman as a hero we could all count on. This film was about anchoring Peter as a “ground to earth” hero. This is why Tony played the role of his mentor in both Civil War and Homecoming.
• Spiderman Far from Home had to be a transition for Peter. He had just lost this same mentor in Endgame and had to deal with the consequences of the Blip, while affirming himself as the next hero of New York. It was a trial of maturity. The introduction of Mysterio, a false idol and fake new mentor, was meant to cement this decision: Peter had to become his own man.
• Spiderman No Way Home had multiple challenges: now that Peter got closure after Iron Man’s death, he had to start acting like a true hero, closing the chapter of his teenage years and starting over. This film also aimed at setting up the next trilogy (likely to be mostly independent from the MCU) and create fertile and empty ground for something new. A true end, and a true beginning at the same time.

You can clearly read through these last lines that none of these Spiderman movies were ever independent from the MCU. At first, I thought it was a shame, because this constant supervision from Tony, Happy, the SHIELD, Mysterio or Stephen Strange prevented us from seeing Spiderman fighting his own battles and developing as a character on his own. Nevertheless, the MCU link was also necessary to set up the future of the franchise and see Peter interacting with other heroes.
Yes, this Spiderman does not work for the Daily Bugle yet, he does not have a rent to pay, he is not facing the daily struggles of a typical middle-class New-Yorker. Even if that’s partly what we love in the character, his “High School Kid” rendition in the MCU is also part of the history of the character, going back to Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s runs in the sixties and seventies. We all have waited for a long time to see Peter get out of high school and become his own man in New York City, and this is why I personally wanted No Way Home to be the last High School chapter of Peter’s life in the MCU.

I disliked a lot of things about Spiderman Homecoming. An underwhelming villain, a simplistic plot, too much supervision from Tony… Despite some nice twists and a cool atmosphere, I did not truly enjoy the film. The writing was highly dependent on non-Spiderman related characters, and the plot itself revolved around an Avengers-related problem. However, it did some nice things introducing Peter Parker after Civil War. After Infinity War and Endgame, when Spiderman stole the show in every scene he was a part of, I really LOVED Spiderman Far from Home. For the first time since Spiderman 2 and Doc Ock, we finally got a GREAT villain in Mysterio. Once again, the twists, supported by incredible visual effects, created a truly compelling story for Peter, and made him evolve as a character like no other MCU film had done. It dealt with expectations, recovery, Peter’s arrival in adulthood, it had romance, buddy-comedy action, and meaningful drama and stakes. The film was not perfect, especially with how it dealt with the Blip, but it delivered exactly what we all needed to be hyped about Spiderman again.

So, when it was announced that the Multiverse was coming to No Way Home, everything instantly got a lot more interesting. The war for adaptation rights still was in the background of the film’s development and production. Sony wanted to have more independence, and it was pretty unclear what the future held for Tom Holland, with Venom having so much (underserved) success and Morbius on the way in 2022, creating a true “Sonyverse” without a Spiderman. The stakes were high: bring closure to Tom Holland’s journey, prepare the future of Peter Parker onscreen, with Disney or Sony, while still creating a compelling story and a good film. So, how did it do?

Spiderman No Way Home, the critic

I understand the critics. I understand why a lot of spectators did not like the film, especially its writing. There are a few problems with how it makes sense. I understand why someone would not understand Peter’s need to save every villain he meets. I understand that everything Doctor Strange does is questionable, especially now that he is supposed to be the leader of the Avengers, or at least one of its leaders. I understand the critic on fan service.

Firstly, I disagree with most of these critics. The writing has its flaws, like in every MCU movie, but apart from how the spell really works, there is no inconsistency whatsoever. The story is solid, the characters have actual personalities and act on their personal values and beliefs. We see a clear evolution and maturity from Peter, MJ and Ned throughout the film, especially from the start, when Peter has to deal with the consequences of his identity being publicly revealed. The fact that the murder accusations are rapidly dismissed is great, but the fact that all the rumors and skepticism of the public opinion stick is even greater, as it tells a very interesting story that parallels our own never-ending debate about social media, conspiracies, and fake news.

The only plot device that is indeed problematic is the “Spell”, and how it works. But once again, desperate measures are acceptable considering Peter’s situation. The whole movie is about dealing with the consequences of our actions, and about responsibility, a constant in the Spiderman lore. This is why the movie is more mature and adult than it seems.

Secondly, in my mind, the movie was created as some sort of love letter to the history of Spiderman onscreen. The plot, the writing, the atmosphere, and the storytelling are all connected towards one single goal: closure, and a new beginning devoid of any influence from the MCU. A completely independent Spiderman, very close to Sam Raimi’s one.

Every dialogue, all the interactions between the three Spidermen, the death of Aunt May, the reminders of the previous films, lines from other movies… everything collides beautifully until the final climax. I am not saying that we should forgive every single issue, I am simply saying that there are not a lot of those issues, and that the goal of the film is so much greater: this movie is about honoring twenty years of filmmaking, ending an era, and introducing a new one. It’s not about adding another meaningless episode to the MCU series. I think that all the producers and professionals who created this film sincerely love Spiderman.

• There is another argument to be made about the context of this film’s release. I saw this movie with a packed crowd of 400 people. The first evening screening, on the day of its release. The public went nuts, it was the most memorable and crazy cinema screening I have ever been a part of. And this emotion, this hype, at a time when cinemas try to come back from the biggest crisis it’s been through, was pure gold.

Thus, the movie is not perfect, but the project behind it, the love of Spiderman that transpired from it, is more than admirable. The acting is incredible, the closure that it brings to every single character arc is incredible, especially Andrew Garfield’s. Some scenes are mind-blowing, very emotional… If you love Spiderman, you will love every second of this film. Now, all we have to do is wait, because the Spiderman Universe still has a lot to offer us. A new Venom? Kraven? Scorpion?

Long live Peter Parker.