Peter Parker and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest - Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natura...
Swinging in with considerable wit, boundless energy, and tonal levity, “Spider-Man: Far From Home”, directed by Jon Watts, is the twenty third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it serves as a lighthearted coda to the decidedly serious and momentous “Avengers: Endgame”, giving us a thrilling adventure that has a central focus of “Peter Parker” realizing the ethical challenges he has to face in a post-“Endgame” world.
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The good news is that “Thanos” is dead and dusted. The bad news is that “Tony Stark” is dead too. With his memory literally looming largely over “Peter Parker”, everyone is clamoring for “Spider-Man” to take up “Iron Man’s” mantle as lead “Avenger”. Struggling with this idea, an opportunity to escape presents itself to “Parker” in a form of a school trip to Europe. Trying to put his heroism on hold and declare his feelings to his crush while on his trip abroad, “Parker” is then thrusted back into the superhero world with a mission of global proportions.
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The film is big, bold, and littered with large-scale, globetrotting action. With probably some the greatest action set pieces out of the entire MCU filmography, the film’s effects throws you right in the middle of the epic battles. Watts gets maximum mileage out of “Spider-Man’s” status as the most acrobatic “Avenger”, punctuating the action set pieces with dizzying flips and thwips, most effectively in the slick showdown on London’s Tower Bridge.
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Despite all the grand superhero elements, the film charmingly never loses sight of the coming of age aspects of it’s narrative. The character of “Peter Parker” is still hilariously awkward and believably teenage, as Tom Holland nails the role with a performance that further people’s claim that he’s the one true cinematic “Spider-Man”. His emotional journey over the course of the film is not only real, but neatly fits the classic tenets of the character. As much as it may pain him, and as much angst as it may cause him, this is a hero who will always carry the weight of the world on his shoulders when he is needed, and that’s entirely reflected in his arc in the film.
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Surprisingly, the film also has a substantial amount of romantic comedy as well, as you see “Parker” on his never ending quest to ask out MJ. The couple’s would-be-romance is sweet and endearing, but not sickly in the slightest. Zendaya shines with her delightfully deadpan demeanor and razor wire zingers that challenges “Parker” in precisely all the right ways.
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While saying too much would be heading into spoiler territory, Jake Gyllenhaal’s “Quentin Beck” is absolutely magnificent. And no, I’m not saying this just because of Gyllenhaal’s looks! If the buddy relationship between him and “Parker” initially feels bland, when the film kicks into high gear, Gyllenhaal owns the performance. The film does a superb adaptation of the character, while also incorporating his backstory into the MCU like a puzzle piece. His inclusion adds a sly commentary on our reality questioning and truth challenging times. “Beck” understands the power of image and perception on both the personal and grand scale, a persuasive skill that doesn’t require superpowers so much as a keen understanding of human fallibility and needs. There’s certain sequences near the third act with his character that are the absolute highlights of the film, taking the film’s visual effects to a whole other level in terms of mind bending imagery.
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"Spider-Man: Far From Home” thrusts the infamous wall crawler into a treacherous but hugely exciting new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thanks to it’s comedic charm, endearing main protagonist, and deft action sequences, the film continues the journey of “Peter Parker” in a grandly entertaining fashion. The film also delves deep into the fears and insecurities of “Peter Parker” with an intimidating antagonist that raises the stakes for the young web slinger. While it might not faultier well as a stand-alone feature, the film still excels with heaps of humor, energetic action, and Easter Eggs that’ll have every comic book fan cheering once the credits roll.
