On Dec. 17, the long-awaited Spider-Man: No Way Home hit the screens and left both the fans and critics astounded.  The movie drew its inspiration from a multitude of Marvel comics and finished Tom Holland’s trilogy, the last installment after  Spider-Man Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home.  While a third movie had been in the plans since  the beginning, there was some conflict in the negotiations between them and Sony.  This issue provoked an angry response from the large fanbase waiting for more from the franchise.  The feedback was understood and a third movie was promised.  Nonetheless, this new movie was worth the wait. Director Jon Watts has received rave reviews for his execution of the script and how he brought the characters and his vision to life. 

“Everyone I know has gone to see the new Spider-Man in theaters.  It’s what everyones been talking about and it has filled up my social media feed with edits of the characters and conspiracy theories.  This movie seems to be even bigger than huge ones with all the characters like Avengers: Endgame or Avengers: Infinity War,” said freshman Ryann Engel.  

Due to the recent surge in COVID-19; ticket saleswere stunted as many did not feel comfortable attending theaters.  Despite this obstacle, Spider-Man: No Way Home has earned the second-most of any movie in North American box offices.  In total, the film cost $200 million to make and is the first movie to surpass a profit of $1 billion since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.  Opening day alone was the second-largest domestic opening ever, and with the current market so unpredictable, it makes these achievements even more remarkable.   

Tom Holland stars in the film as Peter Parker, or Spider-man, along with Zendaya, who plays MJ, his girlfriend in the film.  Jacob Batalon is also featured as Peter’s best friend, Ned. Additionally, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, both of whom played Spider-man in past adaptations of the popular comics, made a cameo appearance in the film.

“I loved the movie and seeing all the old Spider-Men on the screen was amazing.  Part of why it was such a great movie is because it features so much of what people loved from the past like the old heroes and villains, and how it shows more plot lines and glimpses into what they will do with Spider-Man next,” said freshman Sydney Forman.

Fans were ecstatic about this; however, it had already been theorized by many and was leaked despite efforts to conceal the plotline.   

Many characters in the movie come from different eras and media.  Some were drawn from the comic books, while others were a combination of both old and new movies.  Because of this, a large range of people from different  generations find themselves able to connect with the film.  This contributed to the massive success of the movie.  

In the previous movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home, the villain Mysterio revealed Spider-man’s secret identity, Peter Parker.  This caused many threatening complications for Peter, which forced him to seek help from Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch).  They try to cast a spell to make his identity secret once more, but this ultimately fails, causing the multiverse to break.  This allows for people from alternate realities to enter the one that Peter i in.  Past villains from various parts of the franchise reappear, such as the Green Goblin (Willam Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), and Electro (Jamie Foxx).  

“I’ve really enjoyed seeing what Marvel has done since introducing the multiverse.  It shows that even if a story with your favorite characters ended, there could be more going on with them in a separate reality which is really exciting to think about all the possibilities and what would have happened if the story went another way.  Spider-Man: No Way Home has also introduced me to so many more of the previous Spider-Man films,” said freshman Eva Franchetti.  

Many fans and critics admire how the plot was composed and so many elements of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) were strung together.  It currently has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 93% and the majority of qualified critics would describe it as a well-illustrated adventure.  Audiences polled on CinemaScore gave the film an A+ grade.  For many, it exceeded expectations and has widened the possibilities in the franchise without losing its humor and relatability for teenage viewers.   

However, amidst these positive responses lay a few outliers, who described the film as overwhelming, bloated, and predictable.  Some think that style was more prominently featured than substance. 

“Trapping the most cinematic of all superheroes in nondescript swirls of CGI sludge feels like its own act of villainy,” said Bilge Ebri from  New York Magazine.  

Spider-Man: No Way Home succeeded in theaters despite the many challenges it had to face.  This movie marks Marvell’s next phase and gives a taste to viewers for what they have in store.  Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently viewable in theaters and on Starz.  In 18 months, it will be on Disney+.