Spider-Man: Far From Home has received rave reviews from critics (it currently sits at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes), and the signs are all pointing to it being a huge success at the box office next month.
By now,
you've no doubt read our review of the Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios movie, but if you would like a somewhat more in-depth look at the sequel's good and bad points, then this article is for you. While we normally delve into spoilers in these posts, we're trying something new and going down a spoiler-free route today so none of the biggest surprises are ruined for you.
While we do allude to certain moments and scenes/characters NOT in
Spider-Man: Far From Home, there's nothing here that will have a significant impact on your enjoyment of the movie, and we don't get into any specifics about the plot or that shocking pair of post-credits scenes.
If you're curious about what to expect, there's plenty here to get you excited, and lots of hints about why this might be the best
Spider-Man movie to date (and what it could improve on).
So, hit the "View List" button below to check out this article in its entirety...
Did Work: More Than A Friendly Neighbourhood Superhero
Spider-Man: Homecoming made it clear that Peter Parker wasn't exactly ready to be a full-fledged superhero, hence why we watched him come to terms with an apparent fear of heights and make some
big mistakes.
Well, after heading into outer space to battle Thanos, this Spider-Man is a lot more confident and doesn't shy away from taking action. He's definitely still learning on the job, but the wall-crawler is doing more than hanging around Queens and is clearly ready to step up in Iron Man's absence.
Much to the delight of many fans, this includes swinging between skyscrapers in the Big Apple!
Did Work: MJ
At the end of
Homecoming, we learned that Michelle likes to be known as "MJ" to her friends and it was a moment which felt more than a bit forced, hence why fans seemed to reject the character.
Well, while she may not be the Mary Jane Watson from the comics, MJ is definitely redeemed in
Spider-Man: Far From Home and quite possibly the web-slinger's best love interest to date. Smart, funny, and fun to watch, Zendaya steals the show here and you will definitely fall in love with both her and the budding romance between MJ and Peter Parker.
Didn't Work: The Second Post-Credits Scene
Don't worry, we're not getting into spoilers! While I'm sure a lot of fans will love this, I personally found that it devalued a lot of what we saw earlier in the movie and, in many ways, it feels like a leftover from another Marvel Studios release.
I may be making it sound worse than it is, though, because it's played for laughs and legitimately funny.
However, I wasn't a fan and think it would have been better to leave us with just the mid-credits scene, as that's bound to have a far more memorable and lasting impact on moviegoers.
Did Work: The First Post-Credits Scene
This really is something else because it's not only a game-changer, but possibly one of the best post-credits scenes Marvel Studios has delivered over the past decade.
Without getting into specifics, you can expect this to not only shake up the status quo of Spider-Man, but the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sure, that sounds like hyperbole, but this ballsy decision is going to leave fans talking for a very, very long time to come.
After this, the sequel really can't get here soon enough. Roll on 2021!
Didn't Work: What About The Sinister Six?
As I noted in my interview with
Spider-Man: Far From Home director Jon Watts, the Sinister Six (and Norman Osborn) do not appear in the sequel despite rumours claiming otherwise. That means cameos from familiar faces you're expecting to see may not actually happen, and there's really no indication here that Marvel Studios is planning to pit Spidey against that team of villains.
Needless to say, that's going to disappoint a lot of comic book fans, and while it could still happen somewhere down the line, it doesn't appear as if it's a priority for the time being.
Personally, I wouldn't get your hopes up about Spider-Man battling the Sinister Six until at least a fourth or fifth movie. Then again, perhaps they'll hold off until the sixth chapter!
Did Work: The New Costumes
In the previous
Spider-Man movies, Peter Parker mostly donned the same costume with some minor cosmetic changes from adventure to adventure. Well, he gets two brand new suits in
Far From Home and they're both spectacular.
The Stealth costume is functional in terms of design but also looks very cool in action, and is used in a clever way to hide the wall-crawler's secret identity when he's battling the Elementals overseas. As for the new "Upgraded" suit, that really does result in the best looking Spider-Man on screen to date and I hope that red and black colour scheme sticks around for a long time to come.
Did Work: The Elementals
I've seen some reviews take aim at the CG Elementals and while they may not have personalities, they're definitely more than just forgettable monsters used as an excuse for some big action scenes.
While it's true that they do fill that role in
Spider-Man: Far From Home, they're an interesting addition to the proceedings and definitely visually unique enough that you'll enjoy watching them.
Ultimately, they serve a purpose and are by no means any sort of weak link here.
Did Work: Mysterio Unleashed
I can't say too much here for fear of spoilers, but rest assured that we do get a proper display of Mysterio's powers in
Spider-Man: Far From Home and they do not disappoint. In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb by pointing out that this is actually one of the best sequences ever seen in the MCU.
That may sound like a stretch (especially after
that scene with Captain America and Mjolnir), but just wait until you see it because it's one of those moments that will leave your jaws on the floor.
Didn't Work: Time To Move On From High School?
It's fun spending time with Peter Parker's classmates, especially when they're such a likeable bunch. However, an argument could be made that they receive a little too much screentime and it would be no bad thing for Spider-Man to now graduate from high school.
We've spent a lot of time there both in this franchise and the previous movies, moving him into college or even just the real world would be a nice change of pace and not something that would necessarily mean we'd have to say goodbye to the likes of Ned and Betty. They could also take on different roles, and possibly head down similar routes to their comic book counterparts.
This really isn't a big deal because the scenes with these kids are great fun, but it might be worth considering as I do think seeing Spidey swinging out of high school will lead to better stories.
Did Work: Tom Holland IS Spider-Man
Spider-Man: Far From Home's entire cast is excellent, but if you had any doubts about Tom Holland as Peter Parker, prepare to have them completely wiped away by this spectacular sequel.
Whether it's the typical Parker Luck or the inclusion of a certain superpower, this feels like the definitive Spider-Man, and Holland really has grown into the role and is now full inhabiting the character. Needless to say, that should make fans of the comics very happy.
I just can't wait to see where both Holland and Jon Watts take the wall-crawler next.
Continue reading below to check out a roundup of Spider-Man: Far From Home reviews!
The perfect Spider-Man movie, Far From Home is an adventure for the web-slinger like no other and will leave fans talking for a long time to come. Prepare for your jaw to be left on the floor! [5/5]
SOURCE:
ComicBookMovie.com
For everything that the movie had to deal with, it really is as good as fans could have hoped for. That might sound like a slight, but we don't mean it in that sense. It would be easy for the sequel to feel like a letdown after the epic Avengers: Endgame, but Spider-Man: Far From Home is constantly funny, surprising and thrilling. [4/5]
SOURCE:
Digital Spy
Spider-Man: Far From Home is way more than an Endgame epilogue or a Phase Three coda, though. Instead, it’s a lively adventure reminiscent of what superhero movies looked like before expanded universes were even a thing. [4/5]
SOURCE:
Den of Geek
Far From Home is a looser film than Homecoming, with pacing that occasionally slackens, and a compulsion to give every minor character time to shine. But it’s a light-footed summer blockbuster that faces Endgame’s monolithic legacy head-on, before leaving it behind to embark on its own globetrotting adventure. The MCU doesn’t need a new Iron Man yet — Far From Home proves it’s more than safe in the web-slinging hands of Spider-Man. [4/5]
SOURCE:
Empire Online
Far From Home is a movie about attempted escape that carefully reminds us, like a benevolent dictator, that there’s no such thing to be had. Sure, now that we’re post-Avengers we may get smaller, lighter, more personal Marvel movies. But they’ll still all be in rote service to the grand design. Peter Parker might fall in love. He might graduate. He might grow up and leave Queens behind. But he’ll remain trapped in the same simulation. The great treadmill built by Marvel catches all in the end—even those allowed to swing, seemingly free, so high above it.
SOURCE:
Vanity Fair
One of Homecoming's biggest strengths was being able to balance a character-focused story that acknowledges the larger universe in which it's set, and Far From Home again nails that balance. Still, while Spider-Man: Far From Home is a great superhero movie on its own, viewers may be more excited by what comes next - both for Peter Parker and the larger MCU. [3.5/5]
SOURCE:
Screen Rant
The young cast, led by Tom Holland as the bashful web-slinger and Zendaya as a shy girl slow to lose her inhibitions, is plenty appealing as well as funny. But without a proper, full-on villain, as well as an adequate substitute for Robert Downey Jr.'s late, oft-mentioned Tony Stark, this comes off as a less-than-glittering star in the Marvel firmament. It pales even more when compared to Sony's wildly imaginative animated feature of last year, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
SOURCE:
The Hollywood Reporter
What’s most satisfying about Far From Home, though, is that by the end, you have a very solid sense of where things are going for Peter and the gang, and it all feels very right. Just don’t forget to stay for the movie’s two post-credits stingers. It feels like the first step towards something bigger. Kevin Feige has insisted that Far From Home is the end of Marvel’s Phase Three, and while that may technically be true, it’s also more. It’s a big, bold leap for Spider-Man into the future of Marvel’s films, and it’s got a strong upward swing that easily makes it one of the better Spider-Man movies in the character’s history.
SOURCE:
io9
he teen characters really are a blast, even if one key person skips a whole movie of development between scenes. Some digital effects look good in a boring way, and then some digital effects look bad in a perfect way. “Is this real?” asks Spider-Man. In the end, I really didn’t know. Far From Home succeeds with an unusual, troubling virtue: The best parts are the most fake. [B]
SOURCE:
Entertainment Weekly
“Far From Home” gets closer, in spirit, to the good Tobey Maguire films. (It has a kiss worthy of “Spider-Man 2.”) By the end, this Spider-Man really does find his tingle, yet coming after “Into the Spider-Verse,” with its swirling psychedelic imagery and identity games and trap doors of perception, “Spider-Man: Far From Home” touches all the bases of a conventional Marvel movie. It doesn’t take you out of this world. But it’s good enough to summon the kick — or maybe just the illusion — of consequence.
SOURCE: Variety
Ultimately, “Spider-Man Far From Home” turns all its intelligent themes into a triumphant story of self-belief for Peter Parker. Fed up with the lies, Spider-Man finally makes the important choices he’s avoided, and it culminates in a rousing third act that is thrilling, full of stakes and emotionally resonant. Be cynical about Marvel’s formula all you want, it’s still very much present, but the web of deceit they weave here, and the manner of which Peter Parker creatively spins out of it, is some top-notch summer moviegoing that shows their dominion is not about to end any time soon. [B+]
SOURCE: The Playlist
Spider-Man: Far From Home is a grandly entertaining culmination of the MCU wall-crawler’s journey so far. Thanks to its sweet humor, clever commentary, and deft action set-pieces, Far From Home continues the journey of Peter Parker from kid hero to Tony Stark’s successor. The movie sets the table for some exciting new adventures ahead for Spider-Man and his place in the MCU, pitting him against an antagonist who preys on Peter Parker’s fears and insecurities in ways no other villain quite has yet. Far From Home ends Marvel's Phase Three with a hell of a bang, thrusting its young wallcrawler into a treacherous but hugely exciting new era. [8.8/10]'
SOURCE: IGN
Throw in some fun flirtation between Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) and Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), stakes that are about personal growth rather than intergalactic Armageddon, and some satisfying hero-on-villain throwdowns, and “Spider-Man: Far From Home” becomes an entertaining example of what we used to call “a summer movie.” You know, back before they started giving us a bright, loud comic-book adaptation like this (but rarely this good) on a weekly basis.
SOURCE: The Wrap
Spider-Man: Far From Home is the perfect way to end the third phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it reminds us that the world can be happy after all of this devastation. It gives us an idea of what the world post-Infintiy War and Endgame is like while not dwelling on it too much. The third Marvel movie of 2019 is another strong contender that could easily hit the top ten of this entire franchise of movies so far.
SOURCE: Bleeding Cool
With the burden of dealing with some heavy MCU continuity, Far From Home isn't quite as refreshing as Homecoming, and its lively tone sometimes feels off for a movie that essentially takes place in the aftermath of the end of the world. But it also provides an effective epilogue and new beginning for the ongoing cinematic universe, looking ahead to the future without discounting the consequences of what came before. Along the way, it works as a warm and funny high-school dramedy, an exciting action-adventure, and an old-fashioned superhero/supervillain battle. Who needs to save the universe when you can accomplish all of that?
What I can tell you is that there’s no drop off in quality between Homecoming and Far From Home. They’re both a lot of fun, Holland continues to kill it as Spider-Man, and Marvel Studios knows how to make the Spider-Man mythos feel original and distinct. Like the adoring crowds in Far From Home, I too hope Spider-Man is the new Iron Man. It means we’ll get over a decade’s worth of movies with him. [B+]
SOURCE: Collider
Jackson, as ever, puts the ballast of maturity into the movie, needed more than ever now that Robert Downey Jr is now not in the picture. Holland is very good but he needs someone to play against, someone with Downey’s heft. That someone could well be Zendaya, as MJ, the great love of Peter Parker’s life. We shall have to see how the Marvel franchise plays this romance in forthcoming episodes. [3/5]
SOURCE: Guardian
Having spent the last decade building up to the second most successful film ever made, it’s only natural that Marvel Studios would want to take a gap year. Spider-Man: Far From Home offers a breezy, Europe-set intermezzo between Avengers: Endgame and whatever is coming next – a kind of sorbet in blockbuster form to punctuate the binge. [3/5]
SOURCE: The Telegraph
Spider-Man: Far From Home manages to act as a sequel to both Homecoming and Endgame, giving us a superior followup to the former and a wonderful epilogue to the latter -- reminding us that MCU goes on in a joyous ride. Let's hope Phase 4 gives us plenty more Peter Parker.
It’s the warmth that drives the film, and hammers down just how nice this film is. It’s a pleasant and lovely coming-of-age story first, a wild, funny, and cleverly executed comic book story second. While it’s not as much of a success as Homecoming at capturing that grounded teenage spirit, in the blending of Peter Parker’s internal and external conflicts, it’s a home run. [7.5/10]
SOURCE: Slash Film
For all the good the Russo Brothers brought to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, getting Sony to give back Spider-Man (even temporarily) was without a doubt their greatest contribution. Now that we’ve seen him both at home and abroad — and in space! — the only question left to ask is what Peter Parker can do next. Thankfully, it looks like the minds behind Far From Home already have some big ideas, and if the movie’s post-credits scenes are any indication, the next movie may be even better than the last two.
Watts... smoothly steers some of that heavy MCU world-building back into goofy high-school comedy, and his cast is so winning that the movie's interpersonal surprises are often more exciting than its big plot twists. [B-]
SOURCE: AV Club
An entertaining segue into the post-Avengers era. [3/4]
SOURCE: Newsday
Another home run for the MCU that puts Pete’s responsibilities in a post-Iron Man world front and centre during a rib-tickling summer romance. Whatever you do, don’t skip the credits. [4/5]
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and it might just be my favorite live-action Spider-Man film to-date. For those nervous about the future of the MCU because of the events that occurred in Endgame, don’t worry. This film is proof that the MCU has more stories to tell, and although we don’t have the heroes we grew up with, it’s comforting to know our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man will be there to lead the way into this new phase of the MCU.
SOURCE: Geeks of Color
“Far From Home” has a lot more boxes to check than “Homecoming” in terms of storytelling, and while it’s always enjoyable, the film feels unfocused in parts. Everything changes when a major turn happens – of the story-exploding, can’t-talk-about-it-at-all variety – and the last half takes on a very meta vibe with some of the craziest visuals Marvel has unleashed in a while and a stellar understanding of what Gyllenhaal can do so well on screen. [3/4]
SOURCE: USA Today
Throw in the earnest sweetness of Peter and MJ’s growing friendship, and Far From Home leaves us on as strong of a high as the low that its first act takes us to. That warm and fuzzy feeling makes it impossible not to think of how great a movie Far From Home could’ve been had it not tripped over its own feet in setting the stage, or unspooled itself from that tangled-up beginning. Because when the movie is at its best, it is so effortlessly engaging. It’s such a shame, then, that so much of the movie feels like (home)work.
SOURCE: Vox
As Sam Raimi proved with his millennial Spider-Man outings (still the best ones), this is a franchise that works best when you bring out the playfulness. On those grounds, the emotionally exhausted Marvel faithful can treat Far from Home like the selfie-laden escape it wants to be—and sometimes is.
SOURCE: Time Out
So, yes, Spider-Man: Far From Home is funny and clever – in the end, Peter just wants to enjoy his class trip to Europe with the hopes of growing closer to MJ (Zendaya) – but it’s also a movie about both mourning and deception. Peter is still reeling from the loss of Tony Stark, who remains a specter wherever Peter turns. Peter’s emotions are raw, which also leaves him more susceptible to forces preying on his emotional state. It’s a movie filled with surprises (I don’t say that lightly) that leaves Peter, and a viewer, wondering who is real and who can be trusted. Yet it never feels like a movie filled with dread. It’s a hopeful tone, which, after the last two Avengers movies, is very welcome.
From dealing with the fallout of Endgame to deciphering what Marvel has in store for Spider-man, there's a lot to uncover in this, and one of the best secrets is kept until after the credits, so make sure you stay until the absolute end. [4/5]
SOURCE: Mirror Online
Spider-Man: Far From Home is about a kid with great power who is struggling with the whole great responsibility thing, so it serves as a satisfying second chapter in Peter Parker’s march towards adulthood and heroism. As the last movie in Phase 3 of the MCU, it works hard towards tying up the loose threads of the previous 21 films while looking optimistically forward to the twists to come. To that end, its mid and post credits scenes are some of the most gratifying since The Avengers.
SOURCE: Mashable
The whole “Peter Parker’s Wacky Summer Vacation” stuff is mostly a lot more fun than the whole “Spider-Man teams with Nick Fury and Mysterio to save the world” stuff, but there’s plenty of the former to tide you over during the latter. Spider-Man: Far From Home is a step up from Spider-Man: Homecoming and a decent epilogue for Marvel’s “Infinity Saga.”
SOURCE: Forbes