The webhead has returned to theatres with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and it has been the absolute triumph Marvel has desperately needed, both critically and financially. Nearing the two billion dollar mark less than two weeks after release, Marvel might be back.
After watching the film, it’s easy to see why the reception has been so positive; in my opinion, it’s the wall-crawler’s best live-action outing to date, only being outdone by the animated Spider-Verse films.
The biggest thing that stands out, compared to the previous Tom Holland films, is the commitment to practical effects. Obviously, not everything is practical, however, there was a much greater emphasis placed on both practical swinging scenes and fight scenes. It’s even the first of Holland’s films to have the suit be an actual suit and not fully CGI.
The decision to lean more into practical effects and stunt work as opposed to CGI sequences goes far in terms of making the film feel more grounded and real, which were major goals during production. It also helps that the swinging looks amazing, and the fight scenes, taking inspiration from Insomniac’s Spider-Man games, give us the best Spidey action to date.
Holland’s Peter Parker is far closer to the comics than his previous outings, a request fans have been vocal about wanting for years. He feels lost in this lonely life he’s carved out for himself, after the events of No Way Home left him to try and pick up the pieces and do the best he can for New York and his loved ones.
Not only is he fighting through an increasingly dangerous physical transformation, but also a mental state and isolation that is tearing him apart inside.
For a film that grounds Peter so well, it still manages to balance throwing in some other big Marvel names without it feeling like too much. The inclusions of Hulk, [SPOILER], and [EVEN BIGGER SPOILER] feel perfectly natural in the story, with all of them tying into Peter’s story of isolation and transformation incredibly well.
Yet it’s the inclusion of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher that somehow manages to bring everything together. Frank Castle fits into this story incredibly well, and absolutely steals nearly every scene he’s in. For a character known for his brutality and violence in both the comics and TV shows, they managed to bring him down to a more PG level, while still not ruining his character.
Everything from the action and character decisions, down to the music choices, such as songs from Steve Lacy and Tame Impala, come together to make this a truly special superhero story, and is not not only the best film the MCU has made in years, but also one of the best stories this universe has ever told. I’d give it a 9.5/10.
Go see it in theatres while it’s still there, it’s an absolute must-watch.
It’s the jolt in the arm the MCU has needed for a while now, and it just might save them; emphasis on the “might” there.
It’s no secret audiences are sick of the multiverse. Movies like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania simply did not leave a positive impact on audiences. It also doesn’t help that they were just bad, but that’s besides the point.
Similarly, the MCU has simply been releasing too much content since the Infinity Saga ended, and the endless stream of TV shows are a major culprit here. Before, audiences only had to keep up with about two or three films a year, which wasn’t too big of an ask. Add another three to four shows on top of that, then it becomes too big of an ask for most.
This has reflected in box office numbers. Fantastic Four: First Steps did alright at the box office, but was largely overshadowed by Superman both critically and financially. Thunderbolts* was a financial bomb, which was unfortunate, as it was actually quite good.
Even anticipation for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, while substantial, has been underwhelming by Avengers standards, with it running a serious risk of being overshadowed by Dune: Part Three.
Marvel needs to bring themselves back from the brink, and the formula is there: smaller stakes with a more personal focus. Both Brand New Day and Daredevil: Born Again have been Marvel’s biggest success stories in years, as current fans love them, while also still creating new fans.
Movies like this are the recipe for Marvel’s success, especially in a time where a movie like Superman was so successful for DC.
Whether or not Marvel takes it is up in the air, as they just quietly pulled the plug on Wonder Man, a successful smaller stakes show, which may not bode well for the future.
