After the absolutely phenomenal Avengers: Endgame was released to massive critical acclaim and commercial success, the question on everybody’s mind was: how do you top that? Well, Spider-Man: Far From Home chooses not to compete, instead sticking with the John Hughes-esque dynamic its’ predecessor used to make Spider-Man unique within the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). Whether it’s introducing new characters or building on pre-existing characters, Far From Home does a fantastic job of remembering that character comes first when telling a story on a massive stage. Director Jon Watts (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Cop Car) and writers Erik Sommers & Chris McKenna (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Ant-Man and the Wasp) both returned to give us both the next chapter of the MCU’s Spider-Man and the final film for the MCU’s Phase 3. A word of caution, if you read any further there will be massive spoilers for Avengers: Endgame. Please, I hate spoilers as much as the next human, so do not continue reading if you have not seen Avengers: Endgame.
Final chance… okay, so Far From Home deals with the aftermath of Endgame, specifically a major death, which I will refer to in a few sentences in case somebody who hasn’t seen it is still scanning the page. As Peter Parker/Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Impossible), deals with the loss of his mentor and friend, Tony Stark/Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr. (Avengers: Endgame, Sherlock Holmes series), and the enormous power vacuum left in his place. Peter struggles throughout the film with the enormous pressure of whether or not he should take Tony’s place as the world’s protector or not, and in his defense, he is the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. In addition to this pressure, Happy Hogan, played by Iron Man director Jon Favreau (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Swingers), informs Peter that Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson (Captain Marvel, Pulp Fiction), is trying to get in touch with him. At the same time Peter is off to Europe for a summer vacation with his friends/classmates. With subplots galore, including a burgeoning potential relationship with MJ, played by Zendaya (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Greatest Showman), his best friend Ned’s, played by Jacob Batalon (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The True Don Quixote), girl problems, and a global threat involving the Elementals, Far From Home has plenty going on. All this going on while Happy may or may not be dating Peter’s Aunt May, played by Marissa Tomei (Spider-Man: Homecoming, My Cousin Vinny), which causes Peter unimaginable amounts of grief.
When an Elemental attacks Venice, where Peter and his friends are staying, a mysterious man, played by Jake Gyllenhaal (Prisoners, Donnie Darko), appears out of nowhere to save the day. As he is dubbed Mysterio, Peter learns that he is from an alternate Earth, introducing the concept of a multi-verse, as well as working with Nick Fury and Maria Hill, played by Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother, Avengers films). Mysterio AKA Quentin Beck acts as Peter’s unofficial mentor, with the absence of Tony, and Peter is able to commiserate his predicament of becoming a hero for good or enjoying life with his friends. In a film that challenges Peter in many ways that are familiar, yet so unique and interesting, Far From Home is an exciting, thrilling, and hilarious addition to the MCU.
First off, I think the way this film addressed The Snap was incredibly thought out and dealt with people’s criticisms about Peter’s friends all being the same age in a thought provoking way. Honestly, it only gets me even more excited for whatever comes next in the MCU, because Kevin Feige (President of Marvel Studios) and his team have proven they can literally do anything. I think one of the many reasons that the MCU is so successful is the consistent genre/tonal shifts they keep introducing to their films. Far From Home feels like a combination of a John Hughes film and a National Lampoons’ Vacation film, all while still maintaining its’ blockbuster superhero status. Hopefully Marvel and Sony can work together in the following years, because they have an absolute hit on their hands with both of these Spider-Man films.
The actors in this film all absolutely nailed their roles. Whether it is Peter’s “guy-in-the-chair” sidekick, Ned, or Zendaya’s sarcastic, dry humored turn as MJ, the films’ supporting cast does a tremendous job. Angourie Rice (Black Mirror: Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too, Spider-Man: Homecoming) got way more screen time this go-around, portraying Betty Brant, Peter’s co-worker at the Daily Bugle in the comics. Tony Revolori’s (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Grand Budapest Hotel) portrayal of Peter’s nemesis, Flash Thompson, is just as hilarious as it was in Homecoming. Remy Hii (Marco Polo, Better Man) puts in a fantastic turn as Pete’s rival/MJs’ other love interest in the film as Brad Davis. Martin Starr (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Freaks and Geeks) and J.B. Smoove (Mr. Deeds, Hall Pass) are absolutely hilarious together as the teachers/chaperones for Peter and his friends’ trip to Europe. Jon Favreau and Marisa Tomei both crush their roles as Peter’s parental figures. Last but not least, Tom Holland proves himself, yet again, to be my absolute favorite iteration of the live-action web crawler. As Peter or Spider-Man he absolutely nails the quintessential teenager superhero role. Since Civil War he has injected a lot of fun and emotional story arcs into the MCU and I can’t wait to see whatever he does next.
Michael Giacchino (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Doctor Strange) is the brilliant composer behind the music in Far From Home. Giacchino, who got his start composing music for video games, proves to be the next John Williams, leaving an indelible mark on cinema as a whole. The Far From Home score is filled with trumpet fanfare, woodwinds, and flutes. To me, it sounds very much like his scores from The Incredibles I & II, as there is a theme of espionage within Far From Home, while also embracing some major MCU themes that have been created over the years by various composers. Giacchinos’ score effortlessly transitions between thrilling and bombastic to sweet and heartfelt throughout the entire film, embracing instruments throughout the films’ many different locales.
Jon Watt, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers have crafted another brilliant addition to the MCU. Hopefully they get a chance to work with Marvel again, I suppose we all have to collectively cross our fingers that Sony doesn’t botch the deal in an effort to build their own Spider-Verse with Venom, Morbius, and future Into the Spider-Verse sequels. Unfortunately, there is no Stan Lee cameo in Far From Home, as Endgame appears to be his final cameo before his sad passing. Although there is no Stan Lee cameo be sure to stay behind after the credits as there are two mid/post-credits scenes that hint at what is to come in Phase 4 of the MCU. I am sure Stan Lee and Steve Ditko are proud of what Kevin Feige and the cast and crew have created. In my opinion, it is just as good as Homecoming, if not better.
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments
Running Time: 129 Minutes
Released by Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios, Pascal Pictures, and Sony