Spider-Man’s newest film gives a refreshing take on one of Marvel’s most famous superheroes.
Since its release on July 31st, theaters around the globe have been packed for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The story follows Peter Parker (Tom Holland) four years after the events of No Way Home, when the world has forgotten he ever existed. Balancing his life as a crime-fighter against super-powered foes, he also grapples with the loss of his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) and the broken bonds with Michelle Jones (Zendaya) and Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon).
This thrilling chapter honors past adventures while setting the stage for exciting new tales of everyone’s favorite web-slinger.
Be advised, spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day lie ahead.
Excellent visuals, fight choreography, and soundtrack all create a cinematic experience to remember.
One of the most memorable sequences early on in the film is of Spider-Man during the four-year time-skip. It then shows several scenes of the superhero fighting super-villains in quick succession, with many shots that pay distinct homage to comic covers featuring Spider-Man. Many of these were featured in the trailers, most notably Amazing Fantasy #15, which was the character’s very first introduction. A later example of referencing comic art in the film is when the Punisher carried Spider-Man to the hospital, which occurred during the “Civil War” crossover.
The film also features significantly more web-swinging scenes than the previous films, which had been criticized and compared to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man films. The first such scene pays homage to the first teaser of The Amazing Spider-Man, which features a first-person web-swinging sequence, which only partially appeared in the film. The camera follows lopsided angles when Peter crawls on walls or ceilings, and even shows the eyes from inside the mask.
The two standout fights in the film both occur towards its end: Spider-Man against the Hulk, and later against the Hand. The first fight re-debuts the rampaging Hulk in his first appearance since Infinity War, brute strength and all. This particular fight best shows Peter’s ingenuity and web-slinging against tactical foes. His fight against the Hand portrays excellent team coordination and fight choreography from opponents just as agile. Both have excellent cinematography, using unique camera angles best saved for characters that move as freely as Spider-Man.
Peter-One’s new chapter is one of rebirth from loss.
One of the biggest themes and messages in the film is growth. Peter has devoted himself to being Spider-Man for the past four years since the world forgot him, giving no room to grow. This growth soon becomes literal as mutations in his powers and spider-DNA become triggered by stress. Peter’s attempts to suppress these mutations are questioned by Bruce Banner and MJ, and encouraged by Jean Grey (Sadie Sink). The Hulk’s rampage, however, is one example of why this is a bad idea. Instead of suppressing his inhuman side like Bruce did, Peter embraces it, giving him the strength to ultimately win. He also grows by reconnecting with MJ, Ned Leeds, and the other people surrounding him.
Trauma and loss is another message of the movie, as many characters experience it. Peter suffers the death of Aunt May and his lost relationships with Ned and MJ. Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) also suffers his family’s deaths, though One Last Kill has shown him processing that trauma by fully being the Punisher. Similarly, Jean witnessed the kidnapping of her sister, and eventually realizes Sara died to her captors.
Even in death, May helps Peter realize something crucial. Surrounding himself with people who wholeheartedly support him is key to getting through hard times. Peter promises to support Jean, which results in her saving him, and Frank even acknowledges him as a friend. Between himself and the people surrounding him, Spider-Man is a character shaped by tragedy. The film captures that motivation well.
Spider-Man’s connection to an ever-expanding cinematic universe is a point of contention for many fans.
The early announcements about what Spider-Man: Brand New Day would include had fans endlessly guessing what the film would be. Even after the Infinity Saga, a story featuring Spider-Man, the Punisher, the Hulk, and Spider-Man’s many comic villains sounded far-fetched. This sparked numerous theories about the comic storylines the film might follow or reference. Several of these theories never materialized.
One of the biggest examples is the Hand, a ninja clan. Spider-Man faced them as a threat during the four-year time-skip. Longtime Marvel fans expected tie-ins to Daredevil, aka Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), who had previously appeared in No Way Home. Previous trailers showing a prison fight also alluded to the comic storyline ‘Devil in Cell-Block D,’ comic storyline, lending to this theory. However, the film’s final climactic fight did not show Daredevil or the Hand. The film did not explain how they survived after The Defenders.
Similarly, Spider-Man’s appeal to his friendship with the Hulk to win falls flat since the two never shared any screen-time. Their shared comic history runs much deeper, having fought with and against each other many times, and even swapped powers. An often-discussed moment is when the Hulk—not Bruce—revealed he was immune to Dr Strange’s spell. This made him one of the few people to remember Spider-Man as Peter Parker, ending with Hulk acknowledging him as a good man.
One of the best parts of the film is Spider-Man’s friendship with the Punisher, marking the vigilante’s first film appearance. An employer hired Frank to hunt down Spider-Man, and the two quickly formed uneasy allies. In place of this, Holland and Bernthal’s natural chemistry work with the writing to establish a prior history. Frank’s bonding with Peter over loss similarly does well to do the character justice without diminishing his inherent violence.
Other cameos from previous MCU projects include Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) from Black Widow and Thunderbolts, Sheila Rievera from Daredevil: Born Again, and Scorpion (Michael Mando) from Homecoming. New characters from comics include Detective Jean DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas), Tombstone (Marvin Jones III), Boomerang (Aidan Kennedy), Ramrod (Billy Clements), and Tarantula.
Jean Grey highlights issues not only with her introduction in the Multiverse Saga, but the X-Men’s as well.
Last but certainly not least is Jean Grey, the antagonist of the film. Because Sadie Sink’s role was an open secret, people discussed her inclusion in Spider-Man: Brand New Day endlessly. The biggest reason is she was a founding member of the X-Men, which had not appeared in the live-action far. This has been an issue with the MCU’s X-Men as a whole, who many feel should have been introduced before Avengers: Doomsday. The writers have loosely introduced the concept of mutants through Kamala Khan, Namor, and Jean in the Prime Timeline. Introducing her in Avengers: Secret Wars to an already-established team she is supposed to be a core member for has not sat well with many.
Furthermore, Jean has shown far more villainy than heroism in Brand New Day. While moral ambiguity has been a recurring theme for the comic character, this mostly stems from the Phoenix Force. ‘Jean Prime,’ on the other hand, threatened and even attempted to kill MJ willingly.
Later in the film, her grief-stricken burst of psychic power would also threaten thousands of New Yorkers. Although she saved Peter, she ran away instead of making an effort to help the people she hurt. It follows the MCU’s pattern of sympathetic villains facing little to no consequences in the wake of a tragic backstory. Fully redeeming her to be able to stand with other heroes in future projects will take time and effort.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is still showing in cinemas worldwide.
Sources: Gizmodo, iMDB, YouTube
