Spider-Man 2 (Number 3)

SPOILERS AHEAD.

Only 2 months after the spectacle that was Avengers Endgame (read our review here), we return to the more grounded side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with everyone’s favourite webslinger. Being pitched as the conclusion to Phase 3 of the MCU, Far From Home was expected to end the story on a high note after the impactful losses dealt in Endgame, something that was also a central plot point of this movie. In essence, it was supposed to be the neat little bow to tie off the last few movies, while standing on it’s own two feet at the same time. So, the usual routine – an in depth, start to finish analysis of the movie, and of it’s highs and lows along the way.

Mysterio – Image from Marvel Studios

Far From Home‘s opening scene, in my opinion, seems completely pointless. Nick Fury and Maria Hill investigate the destroyed village, out pops the Not-Sandman Earth Elemental, here comes Mysterio with a cool one liner, and… it cuts off just like that. No fight against the Elemental, not even a short one. The way it’s cut, as well as a few shots from trailers suggests that this was only part of the full scene, which is already disappointing. It’s only purpose seems to be showing that Mysterio and Fury/Hill have met, and showing us the existence of the Earth Elemental.

The only advantage of the brief opening is that we quickly forget about it as we see the Midtown High Student News broadcast, accompanied by a hilarious tribute to Endgame‘s fallen heroes, and a quick reminder of the key events of both that and Infinity War, taking into consideration the 0.000001% of people that somehow saw this and not Endgame. Far From Home then stealthily dumps most of the premise of the film on us – Peter is going on a trip with his class, and wants to romance Zendaya’s Michelle, now MJ, along the way – yet does this in a way that doesn’t feel rushed, and gets the necessities out of the way.

Spider-Man and Aunt May – Image from Marvel Studios

We then turn to the Spider-Man side of things, as he gives a speech at a fundraiser. I have to say, it was one of the most relatable things, and fit perfectly with the theme of the movie, that despite being a superhero, Peter still struggles to speak in front of a crowd. After kicking off the running joke about Happy and May’s relationship, and a bit more plot development as Fury tries to contact Peter, we hit a deep moment where Peter struggles in front of a crowd of reporters as they haggle him with questions about Tony Stark and the Avengers, reminding us that Endgame has had lasting consequences for both Peter and the rest of the world.

The center of Far From Home‘s story seems to be Peter’s feeling that he isn’t good enough – whether in trying to win over MJ, or fill the shoes left behind by Tony Stark. It’s definitely a relatable theme too, as we’ve all felt at one time or another that we aren’t up to scratch, and especially during our teenage years. Throughout the film he makes mistakes, and finds himself taking the back seat in both of his encounters with the Elementals, leading him to believe that he isn’t able to live up to Tony’s legacy, and it’s certainly a powerful notion to carry the film on. However, we see growth in his character as well, as he comes to terms with his faults, and comes to a resolve as more wary and independent, and I think his creation of his new suit was a good metaphor for this. And it was a really cool fucking suit.

It was an interesting dynamic to see Spider-Man playing a support role in the fight against the Water and Fire Elementals while Mysterio took the lead, and he goes pretty much unrecognised (except as the legendary Night Monkey). It seems to be part of his arc that he recognises that there are some situations he isn’t equipped to deal with, and it helps us remember that even after fighting giant space armies and all powerful Titans, he’s not suited for world ending catastrophes on his own.

Peter and MJ – Image from Marvel Studios

On the other side of that coin, we see Peter struggles to balance his teenage life with his Spider-Man identity, as the two clash even more when his holiday is hijacked by Fury and his agents, ruining his plan to get together with MJ. This isn’t his only obstacle, as he faces competition from his rival Brad, as well as general misfortune, which all makes for fantastic and authentic comedy.

I can’t help but applaud the humour throughout Far From Home, which despite being used frequently, never feels forced or unfunny. In many places it has the awkward teenage authenticity that we can all relate to, and is actually reminiscent of experiences many of us had as teenagers. Ned and Betty’s short lived romance is sure to remind you of that cringey couple you knew in your school days, and Peter and Brad’s rivalry is something almost every boy would have experienced at one point or another. Above all else, the pitiful Mr Harrington is absolutely fucking hilarious, and the way he and JB Smoove’s Mr Dell play off each other is brilliant.

The relationship between Peter and MJ is well established throughout the film, and the constant interference driving their moment to the end of the movie was lovably frustrating. MJ finally comes into her own after being somewhat sidelined in Homecoming, and we see she’s a quick thinker, and intelligent enough to deduce Spider-Man’s identity, even if she was unsure. Despite this, I still feel we haven’t seen enough of her character for me to form a strong opinion on her, something that can hopefully be resolved in the next film now the relationship has finally been set up.

Mysterio and Peter – Image from Marvel Studios

Looking back on Far From Home, I’m left torn by Mysterio’s character. While Jake Gyllenhaal’s portrayal was brilliant as both the sympathetic and heroic Mysterio, and the somewhat deranged and obsessive side of his character were both exceptional, the backstory was dull, and the twist expected. As well as this, the modernisation of his character felt as if it detracted from his threat and intelligence as a villain.

Despite knowing that Mysterio was ultimately a villain from the start, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him act as a heroic mentor to Peter, but I feel their relationship wasn’t developed far enough for me to care about it. Still, it was chilling to watch him take advantage of Peter’s trust and willingness to offload the heroic burden in order to obtain the EDITH glasses. The following part of the scene where Peter leaves and Mysterio’s scheme is revealed felt far too exposition-y, especially with the cheesy toasts and flashbacks, and the fact that his backstory is tied up in Tony Stark feels redundant after the Vulture in Homecoming. After a second film in the same nature, it seems Spider-Man as a series is far too reliant on Iron Man, and while it undoubtedly should have been a major part of Far From Home‘s plot, it really did feel like “everywhere I go, I see his face.”

I was disappointed to find out that Mysterio was really a team of nobodies using Stark technology, and Beck didn’t really come across as a master of illusion, just a dude in a CGI bodysuit who had inside knowledge on Stark technology. The fact the multiverse was just part of some narrative was also pretty disappointing, and would have made for a much more interesting backstory, as well as opening up the MCU further going into Phase 4. I also have a hard time believing that being fired from your job and trying to make yourself out as a hero quickly turns to murdering children. Despite this, he was still shown as calculating and intelligent, in his manipulation of Peter through the use of the drone illusions, and his contingency plan to expose him.

Speaking of illusions, the trippy Mysterio mind sequence was incredible, and god damn if the zombie Iron Man didn’t give me chills. It could have been ripped straight out of the comics, and was undoubtedly Mysterio at his best, not mentioning the quality of the CGI throughout the whole scene. Despite his flaws, Mysterio was by no means a bad character, and I have no doubt his death was a trick of some sort, and I think most of the issues with his character can be easily resolved in his inevitable next appearance.

J Jonah Jameson – Image from Sony

Now, that was one pretty good ending. I wasn’t expecting Peter’s identity to be revealed so soon, and I definitely wasn’t expecting J Jonah Jameson, especially the JK Simmons J Jonah Jameson. The Alex Jones-esque take on the character is a good way to update him for the modern age too. I’m definitely excited to see where the story goes next, and it opens up a lot of possibilities for the third Tom Holland Spider-Man movie.

On some other notes, as always the soundtrack and music used for the film was exceptional – something I think usually goes underappreciated. Both new Spider-Man suits were really cool, and Mysterio’s suit looked straight out of the comics, so cheers to that. The different destinations were a nice touch, and made the film stand out from the other Spider-Man movies. Special effects were top notch as usual, and last but not least, the cast were phenomenal, and everyone played their roles to their best.

After all that, I can safely say Spider-Man Far From Home continues to deliver an amazing portrayal of both Peter Parker and his teenage life, as well as Spider-Man and his superhero escapades, with a strong theme of self doubt and character building to tie them together. The film suffers from a persistent attachment to Iron Man, which somewhat hurt the Mysterio character, but still manages to be Spider-Man at it’s core, and does it exceptionally so. My rating :

7/10