Spider-Man: Far From Home — Review
This review was originally published on Cinemusings on June 29, 2019
Last year gave us one of the best Spider-Man films in the form of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which left the next Spider-Man movie with some pretty big shoes to fill. This year gave us the monumental Avengers: Endgame, which is an extremely tough act to follow. Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: Far From Home was inevitably going to pale in comparison to those two films. But if audiences walk into the theater with realistic expectations, they’re bound to have a good time with Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Source: Sony Pictures
The film begins with an in-memoriam montage that’s intentionally poorly-made, complete with a watermarked photo, Comic Sans font, and Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” It’s a nice, light transition from the heavier scenes that wrapped up Endgame. It ties back to Endgame by commemorating the characters who died but it does so in a comical manner, which signals that this is going to be a much breezier film.
After everything that happened with Thanos and losing his mentor, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is desperately in need of a vacation. Fortunately, his high school class is headed on a trip to Europe. All Peter really wants to do is enjoy being a normal teenager for once and finally tell MJ (Zendaya) how he feels about her. He doesn’t even pack his suit for the trip, that’s how determined he is to take a break from fighting crime. Of course, things never go as planned. Crime breaks out and Spider-Man’s help is needed in Europe after all. Thankfully Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) snuck Peter’s suit into his briefcase before he left.
Spider-Man: Far From Home has a couple of tricks up its sleeve, so it’s best to avoid spoilers if possible. The plot points themselves are extremely predictable, but the actual execution of those points is where the film packs a few fun surprises. Part of what makes Far From Home so enjoyable is the fact that there’s still a level of suspense despite the oversaturation of superhero movies. But the suspense doesn’t come from the action sequences. Instead, there’s more suspense in wondering whether or not MJ reciprocates Peter’s feelings for her.
To further complicate things, Peter isn’t the only one pining for MJ. Early on we learn that all the girls are after Brad (Remy Davis). As luck would have it, Brad also has a crush on MJ and plans on getting in Peter’s way. It turns out Peter’s biggest threat this time isn’t a villain hellbent on destroying the world, it’s another guy competing for the same girl. But the even bigger threat is the fact that his responsibilities as Spider-Man keep interfering with his plans.
Source: Sony Pictures
One could easily argue that Tom Holland and Zendaya lack on-screen chemistry. But the fact that Peter and MJ are such awkward characters is part of the appeal. They possess all the painfully awkward chemistry of a genuine teenage romance. There are moments that’ll induce butterflies and excitement and there are other moments that are cringe-worthy. All in all, it’s such a realistic depiction of a budding high school romance that it’ll probably make some viewers reminisce about their old crushes.
The fact that Peter’s normal life is the most interesting part of Far From Home is sure to disappoint some viewers. One would expect more action and crime-fighting from a superhero movie. But for those invested in these characters, the movie is endearing and enjoyable. It’s definitely a lesser entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but it’s also adorable and harmless fun.
A lot of the special effects in Far From Home are subpar. However, the script makes an attempt at justifying the shoddy visuals. Although most of the effects are lackluster, there are a few moments with Jake Gyllenhaal’s character that are some of the coolest and most visually-stunning scenes Marvel has ever done.
Most of the jokes in the script aren’t that funny, but the cast has great comedic timing, especially Tom Holland. The performances help keep the film afloat since it’s the more character-driven moments that are the most compelling part of the narrative. Ultimately, Spider-Man: Far From Home skates by on the charm of its cast.
A year ago, Ant-Man and the Wasp was the follow-up to Avengers: Infinity War. It was a complete change of pace to shift from such a serious and colossal film to a smaller and more lighthearted one. MCU repeated this strategy again this year. After the epic and more dramatic Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home is a small, carefree movie. It’s nowhere near as good as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but it’s still one of the better Spider-Man movies. Spider-Man: Far From Home is cute, entertaining, and just plain fun.
Spider-Man: Far From Home hits theaters on July 2, 2019.
