Normally, in a review, I give you the pros and cons, and together we figure out if this is a movie you want to see. I can't here. Everything is a spoiler. In fact, everything is so drenched in spoilers that I'm not even sure I'm allowed to mention the title.
Though it’s hard to discuss details, I can certainly say Sony’s collaboration with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is incredibly compelling viewing. It's rare to be in a cinema where the audience is loudly reacting, but this really isn't a movie that lets you keep your dignity. People laughed, cried, cursed, and screeched like an army of pterodactyls attacked mid movie. Basically, assume that from about ten minutes in you'll be making weird noises, and hydrate accordingly (though as a fellow reviewer noted, you're going to want to pace yourself because there's no good time for a bathroom break).
Oftentimes in high-action movies, the plot takes a backseat to the explosions, and thankfully, the MCU’s focus on storytelling and characterisation keeps this from becoming a bundle of chaos and fan service. There's a LOT of fan service here, and there might be some confusion if you aren't aware of the earlier iterations of Peter Parker. Though given Spidey’s absolute saturation in memes, you can easily grasp the basics even if you'll likely miss some details.
For me, this was a major success within the movie. There are a lot of new fans of Peter Parker, many of whom haven’t looked at the Tobey McGuire and Andrew Garfield movies (for those confused, certain villains are played by their actors from these franchises). Creating fan service that catered to five movies worth of backstory without excluding those viewers new to the character couldn’t have been easy. And yet, even in those moments I couldn’t quite remember the exact details, I was ridiculously hyped, and more than a little emotionally compromised.
The CGI is, as always, spectacular, though if you have issues with light sensitivity or flashing, you might have some discomfort or issues, especially during the parts involving Doctor Strange. This isn’t a perfect movie – there are a few tropes that irritated the hell out of me and jarred me from the movie, and two elements I’m still majorly grumpy about. But one of the core elements of Peter Parker’s MCU characterisation is learning that he can’t be the perfect hero. This isn’t a perfect movie, but it’s an incredible one nonetheless.
If you want your superhero movies all fight, and light on moral choices and narrative, you might find yourself disappointed. But if you love Spidey for his ongoing grappling with complex moral ideas, you’re probably going to love 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'.
Remember: Spidey gifts us with mid and end credit scenes, so obey the golden rule of Marvel movies and wait!
'Spider-Man: No Way Home' is in cinemas now.
