As heartbreaking as Avengers: Endgame was, it had one sliver of hope: a more experienced Spider-Man who’s ready to take on the world.
The death of his closest ally and mentor will obviously have a tremendous impact on the web slinger’s psyche and one could only assume that Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) time fighting alongside the Earth’s mightiest heroes would make him a lot stronger and powerful.
Interestingly, Jon Watt’s Spider-Man: Far From Home takes on the more human approach and gives us a Spider-Man who’s broken, distracted, and unsure of himself. This is Spider-Man at his most vulnerable and it’s awesome.
I say it’s awesome because we are taken deeper into the mind of a superhero. Like Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, Far From Home humanises our superhero. It’s nice to see movies that focus on the state of mind of these super strong characters and get a glimpse of their inner struggles.
That’s what we see for most of the movie, and that somehow makes Peter Parker a lot more relatable and rootable.
We must not forget that, first and foremost, Peter is a still a kid who’s influenced by his hormones and desires. This makes him impulsive, reckless at times, and very conflicted with what he really wants to do. He also carries the risk of endangering the lives of his friends.
The title Far From Home accurately depicts the state of mind (and emotion) of the young Avenger because he is so disconnected he can’t get his sh*t right.
As his class prepares for a field trip to Europe, which really excites him because he can finally spend time with MJ (Zendaya), he struggles between surrendering to his desires and fulfilling what’s expected of him.
Here, Peter can no longer keep his feelings for MJ so he devises a plan to let her know–a plan that might have to take a backseat given the danger that awaits.
This troubles Peter Parker deeply. And it gets so intense it clouds his judgment.
Holland imbibes all these internal and external turmoil and he channels the youthful glee and despair at the same time, which makes for a very convincing performance.
But know that this movie isn’t drama-heavy. In fact, the script manages to weave in the signature Marvel humor well, and they didn’t take away from the essence of the story. Amidst the laughs and awesome action (thanks mostly to skillful CGI work), we don’t forget, not even for a minute, that Peter is terribly conflicted. As a result, he second guesses himself and risks putting the rest of the world in danger.
Far From Home is obviously hung over from Avengers: Endgame. There are numerous allusions to Tony Stark, the snap, and the rest of the Avengers. It has the most entertaining opening for a Marvel movie. It’s mostly goofy and light, which makes it a very enjoyable watch. But it doesn’t feel shallow either.
Fans of the MCU will appreciate how this movie was written in a way that gives you closure but makes you look forward to the next chapter especially since references to possible storylines were provided (i.e. the multiverse).
It also provides a sense of realism. The tension between Peter and MJ have leveled up and they can’t seem to find a way to address it. You’ll remember how it feels like to have suppressed feelings for someone and how difficult it is to have self-doubts or the joy of letting loose and exploring the world.
The movie presents harsh realizations and subjected the characters to some rude awakenings which will eventually lead to self-discovery. And it is this vulnerability in the story that feels satisfying and refreshing.
Needless to say, Spider-Man: Far From Home will not disappoint when it comes to entertainment value. This is surely one of the most enjoyable to watch so far.
