Spider-Man Steps Up in ‘Far From Home’ [Review]
Peter Parker swings abroad to do some soul searching following the devastating events of Avengers: Endgame, which saw the end of some of the most beloved Avengers, in Marvel’s highly entertaining sequel Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Tom Holland is the most youthful of all the actors who have portrayed Peter Parker, who begins the film looking forward to a summer trip to Europe with his high school classmates, many of which also “blipped” out of existence for five years thanks to Thanos’ infamous snap that killed half of the galaxy. Peter’s back from the Infinity War blip, once again hanging with his geeky pal, Ned, and rebel girl crush, M.J., as well as his school nemesis, Flash Thompson.
Holland’s naturally believable exuberance is infectious, and he is easily the most likable Peter Parker ever on screen.
Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury has been trying to contact the Spider-Man to help stop new metahuman threats known as “Elementals”, which can control Earth, wind, fire, and water and are wreaking all kinds of havoc, but Peter is ignoring his calls. Destiny has other plans, however, as the danger follows him overseas and the young hero is forced to make some serious choices.
Zendaya brings a quirky darkness to her portrayal of Peter’s love interest, M.J., who in this incarnation is obsessed with death and murder. Ned, played by Jacob Batalon, remains Parker’s most loyal friend, but is also given a hilarious subplot romance with an unexpected character first introduced in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming.
When Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio shows up, claiming to be from an alternate universe’s version of Earth, Peter is all too eager to hand over the superhero duties, but a twist halfway through the movie raises the stakes considerably and escalates the threat to a new level, as he realizes the world needs Spider-Man, maybe now more than ever.
Through Mysterio, also known as Quentin Beck, the film even offers some poignant meta commentary on the superhero movie genre itself, and it has a bit to say about the current state of America too.
Spider-Man has always been one of the most grounded of all superheroes, firmly living through relatable, every day scenarios that all teens can understand, until some misguided, evil mastermind threatens the safety of his loved ones, inevitably forcing him into action, and Far From Home is yet another strong reminder that with great power comes great responsibility, a timeless lesson both in the movies and in real life.
Reviewed by: Matt Artz
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Spider-Man: Far From Home (rated PG13) is playing locally at RC Theatres in Kill Devil Hills.
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