THE EMPIRE
It’s been 10 years since Tom Holland stepped into the role of Spider-Man. And it’s been almost 5 years since his third feature film, No Way Home. It’s fitting then, they’re the first Marvel character to get 4 films within the MCU (I’m not including Cap as the role changed). They are one of the most popular after all. And suitably, they’re tasked with taking on the biggest challenge the franchise has ever faced:
Redirection.
The current saga has been lethargic at best. Unraveled by odd choices and lack of cohesion has lead to fatigue across the fanbase. While it doesn’t affect their bottom dollar. It definitely steers away from the days of everyone needing to be in the cinema on day 1. But Brand New Day may just be a return to form for the cinematic universe. Director Destin Daniel Cretton takes Spidey back to the streets. There they deliver a film which stands solely on it’s own. Yet, it also stretches outward to reflect the actual scope of the world.
4 years have passed since Peter’s choice in No Way Home.
The world has forgotten who Peter Parker is, so he becomes the hero of New York City. The Spider-Man. Following the deaths of Aunt May and his mentor, Tony Stark, he forgoes any life he might have had. He uses his great power to carry the greatest of responsibilities. As an unknown threat looms over the city, Peter may have to evolve to beat it.
Weaving their own web, the film does well in bringing together these new elements for the direction of what will no doubt be Peter’s adult life. Bringing the audience along into the journey of grief Peter is on, it’s offset by wonderful character moments shared between Holland and returning co-stars Zendaya and Jacob Batalon as MJ Watson and Ned Leeds respectively. Joining them is the awesome Jon Bernthal, reprising their role as Frank Castle. And his The Bear co-star Lisa Colón-Zayas as Detective DeWolff. A new confidant for Peter so he can fool himself into thinking he’s not alone.
Joining Bernthal and Zayas, are Tramell Tillman as Director Bill Metzger. The Director of the Department Of Damage Control. A government agency that has slowly grown alongside Spider-Man since Homecoming. And Mark Ruffalo returns as the strongest there is, reprising their role as Bruce Banner, who has refined the inhibitor technology we saw in Shang-Chi. It may at first feel like it’s going to be crowded, but the film plays everyone’s roles so well that it really brings life to the story. Add to a New York we haven’t seen in previous films, we really get to see why the city is just as important to Spider-Man’s character as anything else.
Adapting its title from the comic that reset the status quo for Spidey, the film does the same. Yes, the…Kang Dynasty or whatever this saga will be called, did happen. Story beats did occur, adjusting the outcomes of things. But Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a new point in the MCU. It almost dramatically states that it’ll do it by itself. A sentiment shared by Thanos in the Age of Ultron post-credits. From here, it leads to Doomsday. But it’s also leading to more.
And for the first time in this post-End Game story. I might just be a little bit excited again.
100 - 10
10
I saw someone on Letterboxd that they want to see more of Peter's spider-hormone and I haven't been the same since. A feeling I share about this movie.
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