No Way Home Delivers the Spider-Man Every Audience Deserves

Note: This review does not contain spoilers.

Spider-Man: No Way Home could easily fall into the trap that so many other nostalgia-leaning retreads have fallen into. It’s certainly the way the film has been marketed, generating hype for how much previous Spider-Man movie lore will be tapped. Thankfully, there’s far more to it than just being a fan-pleasing pile-on of cameos, references, and breakneck action.

Matt Kennedy/Courtesy of Sony Pictures

Tom Holland plays a more conflicted and complex Peter Parker. He’s no longer just that lovable dork whose biggest issues are stopping a villain or concealing his identity. In fact, his identity was compromised at the end of his last film—and, of course, he was framed for murder at the same time.

Secret identities may seem like a trope of yesteryear considering how much the MCU has done away with them. Since the first Iron Man film, where Tony Stark declared himself the cybernetic hero, it’s been pretty common for the Marvel heroes to be a bit more open about their identities. Even Hawkeye, a hero with a family he keeps out of his work, seems to be okay with his face being visible in public.

But for Peter Parker, a lot of problems come with that truth being revealed. He now has to worry about the safety of his caretaker, Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). The other people closest to him, his geeky pal Ned (Jacob Batalon) and girlfriend MJ (Zendaya), also find themselves unable to get into MIT due to being associated with an accused murderer of a vigilante. Peter’s life has been ruined by this reveal.

Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon as Ned, MJ, and Peter. Matt Kennedy/Courtesy of Sony Pictures

This film is compelling in how Peter finds himself needing to work alongside others and not rely entirely on the legacy of more dominating heroes of the MCU. There’s no more Tony Stark to rely on with all his handy tech. Nick Fury is offworld and can’t be contacted for extra authority in conflicting situations. This desperation leads to him knocking on the door of not-as-friendly neighborhood hero Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Strange does seem to have a quick fix for Peter’s problems, but it’s a fix Peter doesn’t feel comfortable with pursuing. Peter wants to make things right but still believes there’s a better way.

While he grapples with how to handle this development, Spider-Man is called upon for a new threat. The multiverse is cracking, and villains such as Otto “Doctor Octopus” Octavius (Alfred Molina) have started terrorizing New York City. Octavius does not exist in this world, and thus his presence is confusing. It’s even more confusing for Otto when (as we see in the trailer) the Spider-Man he unmasks is not the Peter Parker he knows.

Alfred Molina as Doc Ock. Courtesy of Sony Pictures

More villains are thrown into the mix, but they also become a part of Peter’s arc in trying to find better answers to tough issues. The simple solution to handling the villain and multiverse problem would simply be to kill them all, but this is an answer Peter does not accept. Spider-Man is already seen as a murderer, and it would not be a good look for the neighborhood webslinger to slaughter another antagonist.

No Way Home sticks close to the current trend of the MCU in being critical of the past. The most recent pictures—Black Widow, Shang-Chi, and Eternals—have all featured characters confronting the issues they’ve been running from for years. Peter’s arc is unique because he’s not so much running from the past as from the perceptions that have been built the current Spider-Man. Is he only defined by his nanotech suit and gadgets? Is he destined to kill his villains? Is he bound by tragedy? All of these topics are brought up and tackled while still remaining true to what makes Spider-Man such a great hero.

This is also a film that isn’t afraid to take Spider-Man to some darker places. Into the Spider-Verse addressed how pathos is a part of this character that can’t be avoided, and in No Way Home Peter certainly experiences loss and learns the value of self-sacrifice that comes with being a hero. Sometimes you will end up doing heroic things, but nobody will notice them or realize that you’ve saved the world. It’s a bitter feeling, but one that is treated with sincerity for an enduring hero.

Matt Kennedy/Courtesy of Sony Pictures

There’s one particular moment I found fascinating about Spider-Man’s journey of learning about sacrifice. (No spoilers here.) Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) covers for Peter during a crucial scene in a way that perfectly communicates what Spider-Man needs to be. He does so without uttering a single line of dialogue, and it encapsulates both why Hogan is essential and the crucial lesson of how messy it can be to become a hero.

Peter’s initial impulse is to push people away, but it becomes clear he can’t do everything on his own. Backup comes in the form of unlikely characters who work together with the hero to save the day. This feels less out of obligation—like the Avengers rushing into any crucial mission—and more out of personal growth. Several characters will switch sides as their allegiances and existential questioning take them down some interesting paths. It’s not as complicated an ensemble picture as, say, Captain America: Civil War, but still boasts the rather strong character arcs.

Courtesy of Sony Pictures

If the film has any major fault, how much it relies on previous Spider-Man movies for both plot twists and jokes. There’s a truckload of referential humor that is doled out in the script, and while most of it is useful for keeping the characters up to speed on who occupies which universe, a few attempts at in-jokes and meta humor fall a bit flat. Even the most novice of Spidey fans will either snicker or groan when the film notes some of the most meme-worthy lines and actions from other Spider-Man flicks.

But when all is said and done, No Way Home manages to be the epic trilogy-closer Spider-Man fans were hoping for. It’s a cavalcade of familiar characters that is sure to excite the devout but still a compelling narrative about Peter Parker’s difficult decisions for the future. It’s an MCU film with all the trimmings, hinting at past Marvel entries and even being a bit promotional for the next one to hit theaters, but it still has room to find heart and sadness for a superhero with a lot of dimension. It’s a fantastic Christmas present of a movie that just so happens to take place around Christmas so, yes, I’m calling this a Christmas movie!