The MCU is back on the big screen after a year's break, and the expectations are high. Destin Daniel Cretton delivers with one of the strongest Spider-Man films of all time. Tom Holland's Spider-Man has finally grown up, maturing into a confident cool guy that is so much fun to watch on screen. Full of twists and turns, Spider-Man: Brand New Day makes audiences wait for secrets to be revealed, whilst distracting with fast paced action and cameos. All of this combines to create a highly entertaining film. Read on for my full review - there will be some big spoilers, if you do not want to know who Sadie Sink is playing then stop reading now!
Welcome back to the streets of New York City, where residents are no strangers to superheroes and villains. After years of Avengers level threats, we finally see Peter Parker in his rightful role as New Yorks friendly Spider-Man. In the four years since everyone forgot that Peter was the masked spider, New York has embraced him as their resident hero. Whilst MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) have spent four studying at MIT, Peter has worked hard to rid New York of villains, forming a tenuous alliance with Punisher (Jon Bernthal). Peter sticks to his routine of training, fighting villains and delivering flowers to May's grave until a new threat played by Sadie Sink pushes him back towards MJ and Ned. With regular cameos from Yelena (Florence Pugh) and Mark Ruffalo's (Bruce Banner) and the all new suspicious Department for Damage Control, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is jam packed. Cretton does a fantastic job to juggle every plot strand without the film feeling rushed or over stuffed, instead it's a fast paced adventure.
Holland delivers his best performance as Peter Parker, adding a new layer of complexity to the role. Peter has matured, he is no longer an awkward school kid, now he's funny and cool. The charm of his character remains the same, Peter is still emotionally grounded, polite and wholesome. Holland excels in showing glimpses of vulnerability, we see him regress to that school kid during a scene with MJ on the roof which is fascinating to watch. Simply put Holland is a joy to watch. Zendaya gives a great performance, with real emotion, the bland MJ of the previous three films is gone! Florence Pugh, Jon Bernthal and Mark Ruffalo step into their respective familiar roles with ease, once again giving entertaining performances. The biggest surprise was Sadie Sink making her MCU debut as Jean Grey! After almost a year of speculation, the MCU has an original Jean Grey and Sink embodies the role flawlessly. Jean is a complex antagonist that tests Spider-Man as her actions tread the line between impressive and terrifying. Holland and Sink are a brilliant duo, creating an interesting dynamic as they grow together.
As usual there is some less than impressive CGI in the mix, whilst it's annoying that MCU CGI always feels a little rushed it does make the practical effects stand out more. Brand New Day is packed with impressive stunts, adding an insane level of realism to the film. The one area where the CGI excels is in the depiction of Jean Greys powers, this is by far the best representation of her powers in a live action project. Michael Giacchino once again delivers an emotive score but fails to leave a lasting impression. Completing the film is emotional complexity that translates well to audiences, allowing them to connect to the characters, particularly Peter as he undergoes a period of change. The beauty of Brand New Day lies in its small emotional moments.
Overall, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a triumph, easily one of the best films in the MCU. Holland shines as Peter matures into an adult. For the first time in a long time, it feels like the MCU is ready to leap forward. Brand New Day does what so many projects have failed to do since Avengers: Endgame, it opens us up to a world of brand new possibilities, it's gotten me excited for what's next. I cannot wait to see more Spider-Man!
5 Stars
Thank you for reading xx
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