Spider-Man: Far From Home finds Peter Parker, once again played by Tom Holland, and his friends going on a school-planned trip to Europe, where Peter still struggles with feeling distraught over Tony Stark’s death while trying to find a way to express his feelings for classmate MJ, once more played by Zendaya. Once he’s there, he’s intercepted by Nick Fury and Maria Hill, once again played by Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders, respectively, who team him up with a man named Quentin Beck, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, a man from another world that also goes by Mysterio, who’s trying to is trying to stop a group of beings known as the Elementals from wreaking havoc on Earth.
After the events of Avengers: Endgame, Marvel needed a palette cleanser to lighten the mood, just as they did with the release of Ant-Man and Wasp after Infinity War. And in many ways, Spider-Man: Far From Home works as exactly that. This film is first and foremost a teen romantic comedy, with much of the film dedicated to Peter’s newfound feelings for MJ and his attempts to win her over. The first half of the film arguably has plenty more scenes of Peter simply just hanging out with his teachers - played by a hilarious Martin Starr and J.B. Smoove - and classmates, which makes sense considering one of the major themes being that he doesn’t want the same level of responsibility Tony Stark had while leading the Avengers.
The first half of this film is incredibly laid-back and serves as a reminder for the audience that not every Marvel movie needs to focus on some global-spanning, world-ending event. While sometimes it feels a bit “too cute,” with its sitcom-like awkward set-ups and jokey exchanges, it’s still quite fun. There are plenty of solid visual gags as well as showcasing the great chemistry much of the film’s younger cast has with one another.
And it brings back a major theme that was done exceptionally well in Spider-Man: Homecoming, which is the fact that Peter Parker is still essentially just a kid. While he’s matured over the course of these larger event films, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s confident enough to lead the Avengers through the next catastrophic world event. While he grows, he’s still very much a teenager and most of his concerns are problems nearly every teenager goes through. The film does a great job portraying the more humane side of Peter and make the person under the Spidey suit feel like a real person.
Tom Holland once again does a fantastic job as Peter Parker, once again proving that he may arguably be the best iteration of the character. He’s not as overly chatty as he was in previous movies, but still gets in plenty of funny lines, showcasing his talents for comedic timing. He brings out more of Peter’s more awkward teen sensibilities, which brings in a healthy mix of both funny awkward exchanges, especially with MJ, as well as heartfelt drama as he struggles with trying to be a normal kid while still dealing with superhero issues.
One of Holland’s biggest strengths, though, is his chemistry with Zendaya, something which wasn’t seen nearly as often in Homecoming due to the character’s minor role in that film. The two play off each other exceptionally well. And the way in which they sometimes struggle to get through certain conversations despite sharing a mutual attraction is easily one of the most realistic portrayals of teen romance. It shows two characters actually struggling with these feelings for the first time, rather than portraying it as a perfect “love at first sight” cliche - something which is hilariously parodied in a romantic subplot between classmates Ned and Betty, played by Jacob Battalion and Angourie Rice, respectively.
The film doesn’t compromise any of MJ’s characteristics from the first film. She still talks about morbid, darker bits of trivia that she reads up about, and she still contains her sarcastic sense of humor seen in the first film. She’s clearly seen struggling with trying to tone those elements down, but can’t help but bring them up in front of Peter as it’s what she’s used to talking about, and it makes for a wonderfully entertaining performance. While Zendaya was more so just some fun comedic relief in Homecoming, here she gives one of the film’s best performances, feeling like a much more relatable character while still retaining her quirky sensibilities.
In terms of the Mysterio story arc, it’s difficult to talk about that too in detail without getting into spoiler territory. But it’s definitely one that gets better as the film goes on. The way in which this part of the film is set up, it feels too clean-cut and polished. The character is given a very quick introduction that seems rushed and one that is barely questioned by any of the other characters. And the way in which much of the conflict is handled during the first half of the film, there’s this lingering sense of anticipation that there may be more to this story than meets the eye. The way in which this film handles much of the conflict in the first half makes it feel obvious that there’s much more to come.
And once the film gets into its second half, it manages to overcome these narrative struggles from the first half and that’s when it’s allowed to truly shine. There are certain story elements that are brought out to the forefront, and once that happens, it gives the film a much better sense of focus, now that the stakes are made crystal clear to the audience. And what’s refreshing is the fact that it still feels like a personal story for Peter Parker, something that was also done exceptionally well in Homecoming.
What’s made nearly all iterations of Spider-Man, especially the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of the character, so incredibly enjoyable to watch is how much human drama goes into each of his storylines. While many superhero films in recent years have made it a point to make their protagonists feel like relatable characters, nearly all the conflict in Spider-Man’s stories contain something that really affects him as a person in some way, and has something to do with his life outside of being a superhero. He’s an everyman at heart, and the way in which his personal life and superhero life cross paths at times makes the struggle feel all the more relatable. And that element is still very much present in these films, which has made these some of the stronger films in the MCU.
As far as Mysterio himself, Jake Gyllenhaal does a fantastic job as the character. While Gyllenhaal is known for his more grounded performances, something that can often be forgotten is the fact that when he’s in a role that allows him to let loose, he really knows how to go all out. And here, he relishes in every bit of screen time he has. He never crosses the line into hammy over-acting, but he knows how to have fun, and it’s clear at plenty of points that he’s having an absolute blast.
And one of the best parts about the Mysterio storyline is the visual aspect of it. Like with nearly all of the MCU’s films, the visuals are one of the strongest elements, as it wouldn’t be a great superhero film without it. Some of the fight scenes in this film are absolutely incredible to watch. And a lot of them are fast-paced, but what’s great is the fact that anyone who watches them will still have a clear sense of what’s going on. An early complaint about many early superhero films is that the action scenes move so fast that it’s unclear what’s happening.
But in Far From Home, not only do the action scenes move at what feel like a rapid-fire pace, the camera work doesn’t bounce all over the place. Shots aren’t necessarily static, but they do allow the audience a moment to just take everything in and understand what’s going on before moving on to the next thing. And this is especially impressive in two sequences towards the very end of the movie that are easily some of the most visually impressive fight scenes that’s ever been seen in any Marvel movie, MCU or not.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is another entertaining entry into the Marvel canon, and is a refreshing change of pace after the Earth-shattering events of Endgame. It feels a bit more laid-back than many of Marvel’s other movies, feeling first and foremost like a teen comedy with the superhero elements playing more of a supporting role at times. It does take some time to find its footing but once it kicks things into high-gear, it’s wildly entertaining, with some impressive visuals. And all the while, it never loses the human element that’s made Spider-Man such a great hero, with stand-out performances from Holland, Zendaya, and Gyllenhaal that makes this another worthwhile entry into the MCU.
Recommendation: Watch It
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