Marvel should just stop here because this may as well be the perfect iteration of any Spider-Man comic that audiences will ever see. Spider-Man: Far from Home is an absolute joyride from start to finish, perfectly topping off this first decade of superhero films from the unstoppable force that Disney/Marvel have become and getting audiences ready for the next generation. Introducing some new characters and building upon previously established ones, this movie is a true encapsulation of this character in his most naive and purest form possible. However, with great power comes a mediocre story and while every aspect of the plot may be simple and predictable, I believe that is what actually makes a Spider-Man movie so enjoyable. Despite some glaring issues with the writing, there is no doubt that people will love seeing yet another adventure with their favorite web-slinger.
Taking place right after the events of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far from Home follows a post-Thanos Peter Parker (Tom Holland) as he is finishing his last year of high school and going on a class trip to Europe; all while ignoring his responsibilities and commitment to become the "next Iron Man." Peter tries to simply enjoy himself and spend time with his crush MJ (Zendaya) but finds himself involved in an international fight to prove himself to the ranks of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and newcomer Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). This movie, more than anything else, is fan service for dedicated watchers of this franchise and lovers of its comic book lore. That is not necessarily a criticism, it is just how the majority of Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers' script came together. The introduction of fan-favorite character Mysterio and the romance between Peter and MJ are two things that seem quintessential in any Spider-Man film but are things that audiences will finally be able to see with Holland's iteration of Peter Parker. The writing throughout this film can seem very generic at times and a lot of the humor is low-hanging fruit, but I believe that is what makes Spider-Man films so fantastic.
The plot may be a bit dull or simplified, but it is nearly impossible to not have fun with these characters and seeing the childish take on this universe is very refreshing compared to the dark tone that the previous few entries have had. Even though the twist about halfway through this film is wildly predictable, I think that more than anything, audiences deserve a simple film that they can enjoy to take their minds off of where these movies might be heading next. That's not to say, however, that fans will be disappointed about not getting a tease for the future of Marvel, because the two post-credits scenes definitely set that up, if only slightly ambiguously. Along with an amusing plot and Easter eggs to follow along with, this film has some of the best action sequences in a Spider-Man film. Even though they might not quite reach the brutal grittiness of Sam Raimi's original trilogy, the smooth action and incredibly exciting visual effects make this one hell of a blockbuster. The scene, in particular, as Peter is navigating Mysterio's illusion-filled building may be one of the most well-choreographed and gorgeous action scenes ever. This is one of the most colorful and culture-packed entries into the MCU and the way that Peter adjusts to these different situations while still maintaining his goofy persona is incredible.
One of the biggest themes of this film is struggling to live up to others' expectations as we follow Peter fighting with how to live up to the legacy of Tony Stark. As this was one of the film's most prominent aspects, so many scenes were geared towards showing how Peter's actions were reminiscent of a young Stark. Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) could plainly see this too, in a few very emotional scenes that paid some fantastic tribute to the late hero. These callbacks in the writing were amazing and definitely help to establish this new leader for the Avengers. Some elements of this film that I did not enjoy, however, were the relationships between Peter, MJ, and Mysterio. Since the early days of Spider-Man comic books, Mysterio has always had a close relationship with Peter before becoming a villain. While Gyllenhaal's performance in this film is great, his character suffered from the same problem that many Marvel villains have: severe underdevelopment. There was not nearly enough time in this film to develop a friendship between the two and because of that, some choices that Peter made did not exactly feel deserved. Same as in the case with MJ, as her relationship with Peter, while expected to happen eventually, was not given enough time for a satisfying resolution. I feel that Spider-Man: Homecoming is mainly to blame for this, as they did not even attempt a spark of romantic interest between the two. This made MJ and Peter's relationship good for fans of the comics, but not exactly sensical in regards to how she was previously treated.
Spider-Man: Far from Home is not the most groundbreaking or genre-shattering superhero movie ever made, but it does not need to be. The idea of Spider-Man is the balance struck between childhood and heroism and that is what makes this character so unmatchably lovable. Audiences will definitely need this welcome hug after the events of the previous Avengers film and I would strongly recommend that Jon Watts and Tom Holland be the ones to give it to you.
My Rating: ★★★½
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