Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) (Movie Review)

NOTE: (This 2017 post has been replaced with a review of a 2019 movie just to maintain consistent Spider-Man movies review's through the month)

 

    With “Avengers: Endgame” bringing a long running cinematic story-arc to an effective close, you’d think things would start winding down for the MCU … well, not for Spider-Man … he still has new adventures for use fans to experience. After experiencing the high that was Marvel’s “Endgame” arc, as well as 2018’s “Into the Spider-Verse”, I almost had to force myself to get excited for a new stand-alone Spider-Man film. Yet, I still have great fondness for the previous “Spider-Man: Homecoming”, and I was obviously open to see where Tom Holland took the hero next. Much to my delight, the 2019 sequel titled “Spider-Man: Far From Home” reminded me why I love this new live-action Spider-Man series, and gave me hope that more terrific superhero movies can still come in a post “Endgame” world. Really quickly, I loved the opening shot of the Columbia Logo dissolving into a statue, as details like that always get me hooked … although I’d still like an opening credit sequence.  

   Anyway, following after the events of “Avengers: Endgame”, all who were blipped out of existence have now returned, and have to adjust to being away for six years, while also lamenting The Avengers for their sacrifice. Most notable of all is the death of Iron Man, who’s demise are putting pressure on our favorite web-swinger. 

In a clever bit of writing, Iron Man has become the figurative Uncle Ben for this version of Spider-Man. Now, our hero feels he isn’t ready to fill the void left behind by his great mentor. As such, Peter feels it’s finally time to take a break from being a hero, and go on a vacation across Europe with his class ... and possibly confess his feelings to his high-school crush MJ. Right off the bat, I love the concept of taking Spider-Man away from his home turf, and giving him a different adventure outside of New York. These are the simple change-up’s the web-head needs to feel fresh with new sequels. The trip starts a little rocky for Peter, as Nick Furry appears out of the blue, lending Spider-Man special glasses left behind by Tony Stark, which give our young hero control over weaponized drones orbiting the planet. As if there weren’t enough surprises, Spider-Man finds himself facing various elemental monsters, who continue to put his classmates in danger wherever they go. New on the scene is an apparent superhero calling himself Mysterio, who forms a partnership with the wall-crawler to stop these new monsters. However, is this new hero really a friend, or is this just one big scheme to win Spider-Man’s trust … or more specifically, a ruse to get those new weapon controlling glasses.      

   Just like with the pervious “Spider-Man: Homecoming”, the appeal of the film comes from the overall feel and tone of Peter’s school world. I love these side characters, most of the comedy works, and it’s just the overall feel of a teen series with superhero elements that gives this new series it’s charm. It’s just cool to be engaged by these films without relying on action, as I’m content just being in this world with these people. Then when the exciting spectacle goes down it’s like … “Oh yeah, I forgot this was a superhero movie”. A comic-book movie is absolutely doing something special when I’m not waiting around for the battle scenes, and they take me by surprise. I will admit that some of the filler in the first half could have been trimmed down, and there were some cringe jokes that didn’t always land. However, those are small potatoes when compared to the experience overall. Also, despite once again being set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it still feels like a self-contained Spider-Man series, with cameo’s and references utilized sparingly. Of course, Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury is always a welcome presence, but he never steels the show from the hero. 

    Another thing I love about this new Spider-Man series is the consistency with the villains. Instead of victims of random Science Projects, these foes are regular blue-collar workers who all drew the short stick in their careers, and are now adapting to the larger-than-life comic-book world around them to accomplish their goals. For this venture it comes in the form of Mysterio, who’s using some of Tony Starks technology to parade himself as a new hero. It makes for a fitting parallel to Spider-Man, who’s trying to honor the legacy of Iron Man without replacing him, whereas Mysterio really is trying to be the next Iron Man saving the world from high-level threats. Jake Gyllenhaal is effectively charismatic in the role, and his relation with Peter Parker works. Despite being a facade, you get the sense he has a reserved sense of respect for the web-head, and the two have an engaging dynamic. While I’ve personally never been the biggest fan of the Mysterio character from the comics, it was still exciting to see his classic design on screen, and his story arc was fitting for the character, just presented on a larger scale.    

   Tom Holland once again shines as my favorite live-action Spider-Man to date, even though I still have fondness for the previous two portrayals. Each series brings something special to the character, but Tom Holland just has this infectious charm that wins me over every time. It’s also different to see multiple Spider-Man costumes utilized in one film. It once again keeps things feeling fresh when each set-piece features our hero in a different outfit. All the returning performers from “Spider-Man: Homecoming” are once again delightful, with the most pleasant surprise being Zendaya as MJ. I must admit, following after the last movie, I didn’t know if she’d work for me as a love-interest, but she has her own distinct charm that separates her from other girl-friend characters, and the two share some genuinely sweet scenes. I love that this MJ is clever enough to call Peter out on his secret of being Spider-Man, and even her reaction to getting that right is priceless.  

   The action scenes are all fine, and keep the film entertaining for us comic-book fans, but like I said, this isn’t a film that requires too much action for me to be satisfied. Good thing too, as Mysterio doesn’t lend himself to thrilling physical action like his other enemies do. 

Regardless, Mysterio has his own exciting means to battle Spider-Man, which leads me to one of my favorite sequences of any Spider-Man movie … Mysterio’s illusion battle with Spider-Man. Once our hero discovers that Mysterio is a fraud, he goes on the offensive, unaware that his enemy has an ace up his sleeve, and traps our hero in an illusion nightmare sequence. This whole scene is extortionary, and one of those rare special moments in which I felt I was watching something new in a Spider-Man movie. Not only is the scene pivotal to the plot, and bursting with stunning imagery, but all the visuals have subtext that ties into the hero’s journey, and it elevates this confrontation as more then just a flashy spectacle. We have the corps of Iron Man rising from the grave, Spider-Man battling an army of himself, and even the image of him trapped in a snow-globe of New York can be interpreted as our hero being confined to his responsibilities to his city. I love the way this battle is staged, he tries to punch an enemy only to hit a wall, and leaps what he believes is a short drop only to fall down a building. It’s just a great sequence, and easily my favorite scene of the movie.  

   Of course, it takes a simple heart to heart with Happy Hogan to get Spider-Man back on his feet, and I love this little moment when Peter is building his suit, and Happy shoots this emotional look that he's just like a young Tony. Afterword, we get a climax that's smaller scale, yet still worthy of the web-swinger. Mysterio set’s-up one last grand illusion in London, saving the world from an Avengers level disaster, while he dispatches his drones to kill Peter’s classmates, as they too know his secrets. Our hero soon arrives on seen to bring down the illusion, and battles waves of lethal drones in the process. Again, the stakes are refreshingly simple, but the battle still feels grand and exciting. Plus, it’s great to finally have a climax in which Spider-Man is battling robots for once, as opposed to yet another physical fight to the death with the main villain. Also, I love seeing Peter’s classmates get involved in the action, as they all work together to fight off the attacking drones. As a side note, it’s great to have MJ in danger, without making her a damsel again. As the battle winds down, Mysterio realizes there’s no chance of winning, so he stages both his death and the attack to look like it was orchestrated by Spider-Man himself. Now that’s what I call a smart villain … who even in death manages to ruin our hero.

   Peter’s identity is revealed to the world, we get an amazing cameo from J. K. Simmons in his signature role as J. Jonah Jameson, and the movie effectively closes on the absolute greatest cliffhanger of the whole franchise thus far. As for that final post credit scene with Nick Fury being an alien the whole time … I think that was added as a safety-net incase fans would complain about Fury getting duped so easily. One last thing I need to mention was an extended cut of the movie that was released theatrically for a limited time. I regrettably didn’t see it, and it has yet to be released on any kind of home media. Is it too much to ask for some kind of video release for the extended cut of “Spider-Man: Far From Home”? I mean, I know what scenes were added in, and they don’t affect the movie too much … but I’d still like to see it.     

  In the end, I’d honestly place “Spider-Man: Far From Home” among my top three favorite Spider-Man movies, and just a hair above the previous “Spider-Man: Homecoming”. Tom Holland simply knocks it out of the park again with another winning Spider-Man film, and he’s still easily my favorite live-action portrayal of the character to date. Again, it was just refreshing to see our hero out of his element, swinging in different locations, and facing some deceptive new threats. Also, this series once again proves to have my favorite ensemble of supporting characters, and my favorite tone/feel of any live-action Spider-Man incarnation. Throw in a terrific villain, a nail-biting cliffhanger, and I haven’t been this excited for another live-action Spider-Man sequel sense back in 2004.

Thanks for reading my review of the 2019 sequel “Spider-Man: Far From Home” … and let’s remember to support our hero’s outside of the comics.

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