Spider-Man Brand New Day Review

The MCU’s newest film does what only a spider can.

(I want to be upfront that the first paragraph of this is mostly me venting my various gripes with the recent MCU films. I loved this movie and only have good things to say about it, but I’m adding in the negative thoughts to contextualize my viewing experience especially since this film felt like it addressed several of those gripes directly. If you find that kind of negativity tiring, as I often do, go ahead and skip the first paragraph. I won’t be mad and I promise it’s only positivity, long and rambling though it may be, from paragraph two onwards.)

Anyone who’s heard me talking about Marvel movies recently knows how much angry old man energy I’ve had regarding these films, particularly the initial trilogy of MCU Spider-Man films. Despite having a phenomenal cast and a stupendous production team (lets see how far I can get before using any Spider-Man adjectives), I’ve found them to be too bogged down by the MCU setting, especially in regards to Peter’s relationship with Iron Man. Spider-Man has always been to me the quintessential down-on-his-luck hero, the everyman who often goes without thanks or favor despite how much he sacrifices while still having to maintain his social life and pay for rent. Unfortunately, it is hard to fill the role when the character had been positioned from jump as the protege of Marvel’s premiere billionaire playboy genius philanthropist. Homecoming did a fair job of balancing it, with Peter trying to step into an arena he wasn’t ready for while still trying to be a relatively normal high school student. Far From Home may have been the most egregious offender as the entire movie hinged on Peter’s relationship with Tony Stark and his feeling that he needs to become the next Iron Man. A legacy exemplified through the army of murder-drones his late mentor had bequeathed him. Even the villain only came into conflict with Peter because he wanted to subvert Stark’s legacy, something that Peter would inevitably have done himself anyway since he was a teenager who’d just been given an army of murder-drones. No Way Home is an interesting case because, despite still being heavy on the MCU continuity, it was able to draw on two decades worth of Spider-Man films, an insanely stacked cast, and a story that fully captured the spirit of Spider-Man if not the narrative structure, all of which resulted in a movie in which the pros far outweighed the cons. It also set up an exciting new status quo for Peter where he was removed from the context of being Iron Man’s heir and far more down-on-his-luck than ever. That said, I didn’t go into the cinema without reservations. The few trailers I’d seen were presenting what I believed would have been the worst version of the movie: overcrowded, too dependent on Easter eggs and name drops, and too eager to return to the status quo of the previous film. However, not only were my fears unwarranted, but I left the cinema feeling exhilarated and excited for not only whatever comes next for Spider-Man, but for the MCU as a whole.

Two years have passed since No Way Home and while Spider-Man has cemented himself as a beloved hero of New York, Peter Parker (played by Tom Holland) has been forgotten by everyone he loves and is drifting through life without even a high school diploma to show for his trouble. The closest he has to friends are Captain Jean DeWolff (Liza Colon-Zayas) of the NYPD, with whom he keeps things at arms-length, and Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) aka The Punisher, who is less a friend and more of a fellow vigilante perfectly willing to fire a rocket at Spidey if it means getting his target. Peter refuses to get close to anyone, unable to move on from the loved ones who’ve forgotten him but unwilling to reconnect with them if it means putting them in danger again. The loss of May still hangs heavily over Peter and, without anyone to tell him it wasn’t his fault, he’s been left to sit with his self-loathing. To make things even worse, Pete’s been plagued by headaches which have only been worsening over time. On top of all that, something nefarious is afoot in New York City. What appeared to be a random terror attack is revealed to be part of the machinations of a mysterious figure with strange powers unlike anything Peter’s faced before.

Where I’d found the previous films to be excessive in their use of the extended MCU, this one stood out in its restraint. Appearances and references to the larger MCU felt intentional and necessary rather than forced, even though the roster of heroes who show up in this film may surprise you. That restraint also applies to the dialogue and humor. There’s a certain formula to the MCU movies and their humor which can make them predictable at times, but rather than rely on easy laughter, this film hinges on the quieter moments when there’s no action and the characters are able to just talk. Rather than setting up a punchline, the humor arises from the character interactions and the immense chemistry these cast members share. Tom Holland has consistently proven with each appearance that he’s been perfectly cast to play Peter Parker and has only begun to show how much he can bring to this role with his depiction of a Peter Parker who has entered adulthood, but has been cast adrift from everyone he loves. Peter’s pain makes each conversation feel bittersweet and heartfelt even when he’s cracking jokes. The man does not appear to have aged in any significant way since the last film, but Peter still feels years older than the last time we saw him through the way he carries himself and interacts with others. He’s suffered, but he also came out of No Way Home having learned what kind of man he is and where his values lie. There’s a confidence and an independence to him that wasn’t present in the previous films. He’s been forced time and time again to rise to the occasion and now that he has no one to rely on, he’s had to grow up even faster.

Ok, now it’s time to get deep into big spoiler territory. First off, I want to talk about one of my favorite scenes in the film, when Peter goes to speak to Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) who is teaching at Empire State University. When I saw part of this scene in the trailer, I nearly groaned. As much as I like Bruce, I was sure this was going to be another unnecessary cameo distracting from the story. However, not only was their conversation one of my favorite scenes, I also strongly suspect that it was laying the thematic groundwork for the next arc of the MCU. (Quick tangent: this scene made me realize that the issue wasn’t being overly dependent on continuity, but in being deliberate in the way it was drawn upon. This conversation could only have happened with Bruce Banner and the perspective that he brings based on his experiences.) Ok, back to my speculation corner. Peter’s powers have been evolving, making him stronger and giving him access to biological webs, while also making him more violent and aggressive. To that end, he seeks the advice of Bruce Banner who has created a device allowing him to repress the Hulk. Based on their discussion, Peter suggests a device which allows him to pick and choose which aspects of himself are suppressed, allowing him to retain his powers but also keeping them at a manageable level. Banner counters with the question “[w]hat if you’re trying to control the expression of something that needs to be expressed?” That, friends, is what I believe to be the driving question of the next era for the MCU. It’s no secret that there are plans to integrate the X-Men into the MCU with several major figures already appearing in the Avengers: Doomsday trailer, but (MAJOR SPOILERS) Jean Grey (played by Sadie Sink) appears as ostensibly the main antagonist of this film, introducing mutants to the MCU and kicking off the integration a film earlier than expected. Jean Grey was another inclusion that on paper would have had me rolling my eyes and assuming it was a forced way to lay the groundwork for Doomsday at the expense of this film, but in practice, she proved to be the perfect foil for Peter at this point in his life, delivered stakes appropriate for Spider-Man, and was woven into the story with remarkable precision. I was waiting the entire time for some reference to the X-Men or a cameo from another mutant, but the story withheld that in favor of focusing on the characters, all to the benefit of the film. “Evolution” is an interesting idea to explore in a cinematic universe which has begun to feel stagnant, and the characters engaging in what it means to evolve both in terms of power and as people opens up exciting opportunities for conflict and growth in upcoming films. As I mentioned, the film shows remarkable restraint in it’s use of The broader X-Men lore. Rather than a “mutant” with all the weight that label has in the Marvel universe, she is a person with powers brought about by evolutionary mutation with no indication that she is part of a particular group. I’m curious if they will immediately dive into mutants as an oppressed minority, given how accustomed the public is to people with super powers at this point. In this film, she was being targeted in the hopes of replicating and weaponizing her mutation in service to the state, something which has plenty of relevance and potential to be explored in future stories as well.

When I saw Punisher show up in the trailer, I assumed he’d be in the movie as a brief cameo tying Spidey to the Marvel street-level heroes. I certainly did not expect him to be around for the whole time or for his relationship with Spider-Man to be one of the most heartwarming parts of the movie. The dial was clearly turned a few notches down for Frank Castle compared to his appearance in Daredevil. He’s a bit less intense and his aggression and paranoia are played for comedy early on until they suddenly aren’t. He and Spidey clearly know each other and worked together on an oft-mentioned but unelaborated-on case on Staten Island which led to Peter saving Frank’s life, something the web-head is happy to bring up much to Frank’s frustration. But as much as the two butt heads, it becomes increasingly obvious that Frank is the only person left that Peter can rely on and, as much as he doesn’t want to admit it, Frank has a soft-spot for Spidey. I knew how perfect Jon Bernthal was for the role the moment he showed up in Daredevil, and it’s fun to see him flex his comedic chops with a different version of the character than we’ve seen before. That isn’t to say he’s reduced to comic relief though. There’s a scene between him and Peter, drinking coffee together in Frank’s ramshackle home, where he calls Peter out on his refusal to connect with his loved-ones and suddenly we’re back in the cemetery from season 2 of Daredevil when Frank is telling DD about his family. That pain is on full display and he makes an especially valid point that living like he does isn’t a choice. It’s a response to the trauma of having everything he loves torn away and abandoning any prospect of moving on. It’s said to Peter as a rebuke, but there’s a sincere warning behind it and it’s clear that he truly doesn’t want Peter to go down the same path when he has so many other opportunities to do things differently. Castle’s relationship with Peter is also a key part of establishing Spider-man as a hero of New York.

Spider-Man: Homecoming did an excellent job establishing the “Friendly Neighborhood” aspect of Spider-Man, but the subsequent two movies were largely focused elsewhere. Brand New Day fully pulls the focus back to Spidey as a hero to his city and its people, and I feel that the movie is all the stronger for it. It’s fun to see the setting changed up every now and then, but Spidey’s home is New York and it was important to emphasize that in a film that was very much about reframing and refocusing Spidey’s identity in the MCU. His relationship with DeWolff and fun touches like being given the key to the city were great, and the scene at the end of the film when the people of New York are keeping vigil outside the hospital while Peter recovers was beautiful. Not only was it a testament to the genuine love the people of his city had for him, the following scene were he goes out to stand with the crowd while Frank Castle masquerades as Spidey was a powerfully representative moment for Peter. He’s not the guy that needs people to cheer for him, he’s the one who wants to be out there in the crowd, sharing the joy with everyone else. It’s the moment where he allows himself to enjoy the thing he’s denied himself for so long: connection. On the subject of connection, there’s also the two most important people in Peter’s life. Best friend Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) and former girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) have gone on to college with no memory of Peter or their time together. I enjoyed them in the previous films, but my hope going into Brand New Day was for the film to move away from them and focus on developing Peter at this new place in his life. Having seen the film, my opinion has done a full one-eighty. So much of their time together in the previous films involved them reacting to things. It told us who they were as people and showed us how they relied on each other, but I felt like this movie was the first to really emphasize what they mean to each other as friends. We get a moment towards the end of the second act where Peter, in full costume, spends time with Ned and MJ, building legos while talking and enjoying each others’ company, and the chemistry the three of them share shines in that scene. It was the moment that fully sold me on how integral they are to Peter and the sheer tragedy that losing them was. I could have spent the rest of the movie just watching them hanging out, and I now realize that they are as important to this version of Spider-Man as Peter himself. As Peter toys with the idea that there might be something in MJ that remembers him and could help rekindle their relationship only to have that fully torn away is devastating, and it makes the moment when he begins to reconnect with Ned and MJ as friends so rewarding because we’ve seen firsthand just how badly he needed it.

With this film being more character-driven than previous entries, the primary conflict was Peter’s identity crisis as he increasingly abandoned his persona as Peter Parker and devoted his time to being Spider-Man 24/7 with all of the isolation and loneliness that entails. This conflict is externalized throughout the film with Peter’s powers beginning to evolve. He periodically manifests natural webs, greater strength, a stronger spider-sense, but with the added downside of increased aggressive and ruthlessness. It’s clear to see how the evolution is him becoming untethered from his humanity and the telltale black eyes that appear whenever he goes into this mode evoke the iconic story The Other from John Michael Straczynski’s run from the early 2000’s. As much as I enjoyed that story and its exploration of the spiritual aspect of Spider-Man’s powers, I think the movie made the right choice streamlining those story beats. Fans are being well-served in that aspect of the character with the Spider-Verse films and diving too deep here would mean less time spent on Peter’s psychology. Interestingly, further mutations in the comics tend to be portrayed as something negative and the film allows us to think it’s a similar case here for a while, but it becomes increasingly clear that Peter’s resistance to the mutation is representative of his resistance to change over all. I think this is where the film does an exceptional job threading the needle of a nuanced metaphor by making it clear that change does not mean abandoning everything that’s come before. Change is an inevitable fact of life and some changes we can prepare for while others appear unexpectedly and force us to adjust on the fly. But the unwillingness to change is actually taking away Peter’s ability to engage with and embrace his past because he’s become so protective of it. He exists in a perpetual moment of indecisiveness where he doesn’t have to commit to a decision that might not go his way. It’s a relatable moment for anyone who’s ever been faced with a choice that could be rewarding but also requires leaving the familiar and stable in exchange for greater risk and greater reward. Ultimately, Peter’s acceptance of change allows him to reconcile both aspects of his identity and gain greater power without abandoning the virtues that made him a hero in the first place. Not only is it a profound emotional scene, but it also leads to one of the coolest fights in the film as a newly empowered Peter shows off against a group of ninjas. In the end, however, it isn’t even his Spider powers that end the conflict. The powers were never what made Peter a hero in the first place. They were just a means for him to act according to his values. The values themselves came from the people who raised him, especially May Parker. I wasn’t expecting Marisa Tomei to reprise her role in this film, but the way they chose to incorporate May was perfect. For much of the movie, we only see her in glimpses of a memory, framed in a way that feels more like a nightmare. However, once Jean Grey reaches the peak of her power and begins lashing out, Peter’s response is to drop his guard and let her into his mind, allowing her to experience the memory in its entirety. Jean gets to exist as Peter in that moment, sitting with his mother-figure as she makes it clear how loved he is and how important it is that he doesn’t lose sight of it even as everything changes around him. We’d seen earlier on that Jean and her sister were thrown out by their mother when their powers developed, and that sense of rejection has only gotten stronger as they’ve been hunted by the government. For what “defeats” Jean to be Peter using his memories to let her experience the love and acceptance she’s wanted was the perfect way to both resolve that conflict and display how no matter what Peter has lost, he has an endlessly compassionate core that’s been tempered by kindness and love from the people who have raised him. He doesn’t have those people in his life anymore, but rather than running away from those memories, he’s embracing them and starting to share that kindness with the next generation. If Jean Grey is an indication of the coming X-Men to be a younger group, there’s a lot of potential for Peter to act as an older-brother figure and advocate as they begin trying to find their place in the world.

That brings us to the future. We already know Spider-Man will be back in some capacity in Doomsday/Secret Wars, but there are still stories to be told focusing on the Wallcrawler. It’s unclear at the moment how many more movies Tom Holland has in him. It’s a physically demanding role and four movies is a lot, so he’s more than earned a break. If he does decide to return to the role, however, it will be in an era where the Avengers have likely gone through another shift and the Fantastic Four and the X-Men will have taken on an active role in the MCU. I’m hoping to see him get plenty of time with the Fantastic Four in the upcoming Avengers films considering how significant their relationship is in the comics, especially with the Human Torch. If Holland does decide he wants out, it may also be a good opportunity to introduce Miles Morales to the MCU. Miles has been getting a spotlight over the last few years with both the Spider-Verse movies and the recent games, and even the comics have made it clear that there’s plenty of room for two Spider-Men in New York City. Introducing Miles could be a way to focus on some of the teen heroes of the MCU that haven’t appeared yet, or it could be a way to give Tom Holland a break while still keeping Peter alive by putting Peter into more of a mentor role for the younger Spider-Man. A dynamic like that would open up a ton of new stories that could be told with both characters. It’s a long-time tradition to try and figure out which villains will be the next to show up, but Brand New Day has made it clear that the main antagonist doesn’t even have to be a classic Spidey villain for the movie to be good. That said, the introduction of Jean DeWolff had me wondering if we were going to get a Sin-Eater story at some point. These movies have increasingly proven that they don’t need to rely on following the same beats as the source material, so the future is wide open and the possibilities are endless.

If you’ve stuck around (get it?) on this long, rambling diatribe about Spider-Man, I appreciate you. I’ve had these thoughts simmering about the film for a while now and enough time has passed that it felt alright to get into the weeds of some of the more spoilery elements. This movie was a blast and reminded me of why I love Spider-Man so much in the first place. It’s funny, it’s heartfelt, and it has some of the coolest action sequences in the MCU. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you really need to go check it out. I’ve barely scratched the surface of what this movie was doing and why it was so great. If you’ve fallen behind on the Marvel films, this movie will tell you everything you need to know within the first five minutes. This is the best Spider-Man film to date and a quintessential example of superhero storytelling. It really does feel like a brand new day.