Review: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)

In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland stars as Peter Parker for his sixth time, with this being the third stand-alone film in the MCU’s Spider-Man series. Keep reading to find our review of one of 2021’s biggest movies. The film first hit theaters back in December – and is expected to stream online soon.

Here’s what ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021) is all about

No Way Home begins precisely where the previous film ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ (2019) left off. Namely, after the revelation of Spider-Man’s real identity by Mysterio, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. This revelation has major implications for Peter, especially when he suspects that his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) – and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) will not be admitted to their chosen university as a result.

Distraught and seeking help, Peter approaches Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Strange proposes a dangerous spell to solve Peter’s problem. Namely, a spell to make the whole world forget the real identity of Spider-Man. But when Peter – at the very last minute – begins to interfere with the spell, he sets off a chain of events with even greater consequences than ever before.

Short review: Marvel’s ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)

As soon as the movie kicks off, we’re slung into an array of stunning visuals. When Spider-Man tries to escape from the growing crowds, with his girlfriend MJ – we’re treated to fabulous footage of the couple swinging between the famously tall buildings of New York City. The chemistry between the two actors Tom Holland and Zendaya feels authentic, and immediately familiar. This comes to no surprise, as the two have also become a couple in real life. Carrying on the trend of Spider-Man stars from previous installments, dating outside of their respective roles.

Though the action scenes are ramped up considerably later on in the film, the writers have managed to ensure that this does not get in the way of the story. The impressive and layered performances of Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina-as the villains Green Goblin and Doc Ock-have certainly contributed to this. A sense of emotion and urgency is certainly not lacking in No Way Home, as lead actor Tom Holland demonstrates that he’s still finding growth as an actor, even in his sixth time reprising the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man.

Although the story can sometimes appear complex, it never distracts the viewer from following it with relative ease – something that not all movies with such a large cast, manage to pull off. What’s in store for the future of the Spider-Man franchise is as of yet still unknown – but after watching No Way Home, we’re already very much looking forward to finding out.

The multiverse and lots of familiar faces

In the recently released trailer of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), it’s become clear that the multiverse has been officially introduced into the MCU. Although, of course, observant fans will have spotted that it was already featured in No Way Home. For example, in the trailer it became clear that Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) from Spider-Man (2002) and Dr. Ock (Alfred Molina) from Spider-Man 2 (2004) would make a return appearance.

In the film however, we see that the spillover of characters from different Spider-Man universes is much, much greater. Without giving too much away, we can say that fans are hugely appreciative of the reintroduction of these characters. This was demonstrated when loud cheering and thunderous applause erupted from the movie theater, as key characters made their way back onto the silver screens

This is what viewers and critics thought of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

Both fans and critics are hugely enthusiastic about this blockbuster of a film. The movie scores an average rating of 8.7 on IMDb and has received an Oscar nomination. No Way Home has also recently become the third-biggest movie ever at the domestic box office. The first reactions from fans on Twitter have also been extremely positive. Below are some of those reactions – but for those who have not yet seen the film: beware of spoilers!

Information and cast