Movie Info
Movie Name: Spider-Man: Far from Home
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Genre(s): Comic Book/Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Release Date(s): June 26, 2019 (Premiere)/July 2, 2019 (US)
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Who’s spinning a web, and who is caught in one?
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is dead, and the world is mourning his loss. With questions on who will lead the Avengers, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) just wants a summer off. Peter heads to Europe with is class and big plans to woo MJ (Zendaya). When he learns that a man named Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal) aka Mysterio has come with a warning that the Earth is threatened from the Multiverse. Peter must decide if he can give up his plans and if he’s strong enough to carry on Tony’s legacy…or everyone in his life could be in danger.
Directed by Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Far from Home is Marvel Comics action-adventure film. Following Avengers: Endgame in 2019, the film is considered the final entry in “Phase 3” of the series and is the twenty-third movie overall. The film was released to positive reviews and a strong box office.
Make way for Night-Monkey!
Spider-Man: Homecoming was fun and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was great. I had issues with Avengers: Endgame and questioned (like many) what Marvel planned for the series and how the events of Avengers: Endgame would play into future movies…we get answers (at least some of them).
I like the story of Spider-Man: Far from Home a lot. It has the nostalgia of the MCU but feels original at the same time. A lot of Marvel movies feel the same, but this movie blends a teen drama-comedy with a classic travel picture. It has an original villain, and not only did it make Mysterio’s ability make sense, but it also shows how he “pulled it off”. It manages to do this while not losing the teen movie storyline which helps tie it together. It ends in a shock that can propel the MCU in lots of different directions (and is reminiscent of the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming which Aunt May’s discovery).
Iron Man is dead…Rest In Peace?
The cast is good. Tom Holland makes a good, goofy Peter Parker who still can show potential to eventually turn into someone “cool” (I do sometimes wish they’d boost his general worldly intelligence because I don’t see him being a genius and turning over the glasses to Mysterio). Zendaya is a decent Mary Jane, but her snarky mopey teen aspect threatens to be tiring if it continues (it was good to see her loosen up near the end). Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders return as Fury and Maria Hill. The rest of the students played by Jacob Batalon (Ned), Tony Revolori (Flash), and Angourie Rice (Betty) continue to develop and get their own personality, and the movie could always use some more Marisa Tomei (and now I guess Jon Favreau). Jack Gyllenhaal is a different type of villain who does have a bit of maniacal Green Goblin in him, but still keeps it in control and “always has a back-up plan”. A ******spoiler alert****** for the last part of the cast in which J.K. Simmons returns from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man series to reprise his role as J. Jonah Jameson (because no one else could hit the mark like he did). Ben Mendelsohn and Sharon Blynn reprise their roles from Captain Marvel in a second post credit scene.
I’ll get my revenge
The fact that Mysterio deals in illusions allows a lot of fun visuals especially when Peter is caught up in Mysterio’s “world”. It is kind of reminiscent of Doctor Strange and his exploration of the other worldly dimensions. The elementals have aspects of classic Spider-Man villains Sandman, Hydro-Man, Molten Man, and Cyclone (though they don’t technically appear in the picture).
Spider-Man: Far from Home is a fun movie that successfully blends a lot of genres into a solid summer movie. The MCU has a lot decisions to make about its future and where it goes from here. Regardless what happens in other movies surrounding the Avengers, I think Spider-Man could potentially have a long future ahead of him. I do wish the movie had done more with the ramifications of the “Blip” years for those who didn’t disappear and that more variety had been done regarding it (just picture if Ned was twenty-one and could by Peter alcohol?). Spider-Man: Far From Home was followed by Black Widow in 2021 and Spider-Man: No Way Home also in 2021.
Related Links:
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
