Conner’s Critiques: “No Way Home” is an unexpected take on the beloved “Spider-Man” series (SPOILERS)

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Edit made by artist Nicolas Tetreault-Abel, or lodgiko on Instagram

Conner McBride, Staff Writer

New York Citys’ favourite web-slinging–still technically vigilante–superhuman returns in a wonderful third movie in the “Spider-Man: Homecoming” series. 

In the newest instalment of the third remake of the Marvel classic, “Spider-Man,” Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, deals with the consequences of his actions when he messes up a spell created by Doctor Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. 

We jump right into the action as soon as the movie starts, but it feels all over the place and it’s hard to keep track of what’s happening for the first few scenes. However, after the first few minutes pass, the pacing of the movie seems to smooth itself out, and it’s easier to keep track of what’s happening.

The movie has a good integration of previously seen characters and introductions of new characters from different Marvel franchises like Matt Murdock, who plays Daredevil, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey McGuires Spider-Men, and villains from both Tobey McGuire’s and Andrew Garfield’s Spiderverse. 

The villains from Tobey McGuire’s Spiderverse include Doctor Octavius, a villain who controls four metallic, mechanical arms which are all connected to his body and controlled by his mind. The Green Goblin, also known as Norman Osborn, becomes the Green Goblin after exposure to the Goblin Serum, Norman’s personality splits in half which creates the Green Goblin. And Flint Marko, or Sandman, gains his superpowers when his body falls into a super-collider and molecularly bonds with sand. 

Electro is the only villain introduced that is from “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” where Andrew Garfield plays Spider-man. Electro gains his powers when while trying to fix an electric line at Oscorp, he slips and falls into a tank of genetically-modified electric eels, which remakes him out of pure electricity.

Aunt May dies right before the finale of the movie, crushed by rubble in the collapse of an apartment building. It feels similar to the way Tony Stark died, in a dark smoky battleground surrounded by destruction. With her death, all of Peter’s immediate family is dead, leaving him, effectively, an orphan. 

After May’s death, Ned and MJ attempt to use magic to locate Peter. Instead, they accidentally summon the biggest wild-card possible: two other Spider-Men. Andrew Garfield and Tobey McGuire’s Spider-Men are brought into the current Marvel Universe and work together with this universe’s Spider-Man (Tom Holland) to defeat the villains.

Despite this movie being newer, the CGI for some of the villains, especially Dr. Connor’s character, looks worse than it does in the original movies. It feels like the CGI used took a step backwards in regards to technique and, therefore, the characters look less realistic.

Along with new CGI and antagonists, Marvel also decided to introduce multiple new Spider-Man suits. There’s the red and black suit seen at the very beginning of the movie, his iron spider suit which is seen during a villain fight, his ‘black and gold’ suit which is really just his suit inside out, but still really cool, and his integrated suit which is a combination of all of his previous suits. And there’s also new suits for Andrew Garfield and Tobey McGuire.

In addition, having Spider-Man, played by Andrew Garfield, save MJ in the final fight scene is very heartbreakingly reminiscent of a similar scene in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” where Gwen, “The Amazing Spider-Man’s” version of MJ, is shot down an empty elevator shaft and falls too fast for Garfield to catch her. 

Even though this is an action movie, Marvel decided to include a kissing scene between Peter and MJ which is totally unnecessary. Some people don’t come to watch an action movie for the romance, they come for the action itself, the fight scenes, the violence of it, and the jam-packed moments of adrenaline filled thrill.

Some unique differences that are featured during the movie is that the Avengers only exist in the Peter Parker role played by Tom Holland’s Spiderverse. In the movie when all three Peter’s first meet and talk about how they got their powers. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker mentions the Avengers. This garners confusion from the other two Peter’s who mention that they don’t have anything like that in their own world. 

Another unique difference between the three Spider-Men is that the Peter played by Tobey McGuire is the only one that biologically creates his own webs. Andrew Garfield’s version creates his at home in his bedroom and Tom Holland’s makes his using the chemicals in his school lab and later in the labs of Stark Industry.

Overall, Marvel makes another spectacular Spider-Man movie with just as much edge-of-the-seat action as its predecessors and introduces new superheroes and villains alike in a fantastic way, unlike how other Marvel antagonists have been introduced. The film takes the viewer on a rollercoaster of emotions.