Spider-Man: Far From Home confirms that Tom Holland is my preferred Spider-Man. Notice that I didn’t say Peter Parker. Over the years, I’ve grown to accept that Tobey Maguire plays the best 35 year old as an 18 year old Peter Parker. However, it takes a special kind of magic to pull off Spidey.
Why’s that? Well, because it’s Peter Parker’s wish fulfilled self. In Far from Home, so much of the film is about Peter trying to achieve what he’s supposed to be now. Iron Man’s shadow looms heavily over him, as well as expectations at school and home. Who is he now? Who can he trust?
Going to Europe has never fared well for Spidey in the comics. If you believe the JMS run, it’s where Gwen ran off to get knocked up by Norman Osborn. Plus, Spidey accidentally helped kill a lady over there. Plus, all of those Marvel UK books. Just gross.
Anyways, this film does its best to function as an Endgame epilogue and further Peter Parker’s journey. Now that the heroes that introduced him into superheroics have moved on, what will Peter do now? Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. are still going to need people to protect the planet. Hell, Captain Marvel can only do so much.
What makes the film sing is that Marvel is taking its connected universe to the next level. Modern sensibilities love to poo-poo continuity. However, such close ties are a reward to long time fans. While watching the movie, you’ll see connections to Endgame, Infinity War, Captain Marvel and Homecoming. If that wasn’t enough, you have the already spoiled first credits scenes to watch on repeat.
I hate to be the Marvel fanboy, but even the way that end credit scene was staged is one of my favorite movie moments of 2019. Yet, so much of that is built on the merit of other things and not the film itself. That’s why if we’re going to accuse Dark Phoenix of being a TV movie, we have to throw the same slam at Far From Home.
Nothing is gained or lost in the film. In every sense, it’s an epilogue to a much larger story where Spider-Man wasn’t even a character until the Third Act. If you point out the Iron Man 2 scene as a little kid, I will smite you for not understanding how scripted drama works.
But, for now…it’s one of the better summer movies in a lackluster season. I hate using the term hang movie, so I’ll call it an international scholastic jaunt film. Some will like it, others won’t. In the end, it entertained me.
