With the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame, it was clear that there was going to be a shift in the arch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What was unclear is exactly what that shift would entail and exactly who would anchor this second wave of MCU theatrical releases. Would the timeless Spider-Man character step up to fill a void left by so many well-known Avengers? Does Captain Marvel cement herself as the most important Avenger moving forward? What exactly will Captain America's leaving Falcon with the Captain America shield mean for Falcon's role from now on? Well, this latest Spider-Man does not bring much in the sense of concrete answers to these questions; but, it most certainly sets the stage for something very interesting to come.
"Spider-Man: Far From Home" is like the surprise epilogue to the first wave of MCU/Avengers movies that fans were not sure would move the franchise forward but are excited for nonetheless because of the promise it entails. And, it most certainly does not disappoint. The on-screen chemistry between Spider-Man (played by the charismatic Tom Holland) and MJ (played by the ever-so-enigmatic Zendaya, who herself is absolutely SLAYING her current role in the HBO show "Euphoria") takes a few leaps forward. Happy and Mary Parker continue to inject their timeless and timely humor seemingly every single time they are on screen. And the introduction of another favorite of mine in Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio is not only refreshing; but also, for some reason, rather seamless. While it's the first time we see Mysterio in the MCU, Gyllenhaal has this spirit about him that makes Mysterio fit right in as though he was at the very least being discussed in previous movie, although he was not at all.
While my first time around seeing this film was not in 4DX because of some back pain, I am most certainly excited to see in 4DX as soon as I can. The action and CGI/effects were again stunning and moving; but, also taken up yet another notch to a slightly different level. The realm in which Spider-Man and Mysterio operate here is not only visually stunning, but also, somewhat revolutionary. In fact, there were times when what I saw on screen reminded me so much of what I saw on screen during "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse."
At just over two hours long, the film still does not lend itself to any momentary lulls. In fact, everything that occurs, including the TWO post-credits scenes (the first of which is a jaw-dropping look towards the future), leaves fans applauding in ecstasy but yearning for MORE. The only thing that could have made this film better in my eyes were more Avengers. However, their inclusion might have thrown off the feel of the movie, which is that of another stand-alone "neighborhood Spider-Man" iteration that nevertheless sets the stage for major developments forthcoming. Spider-Man: Far From Home gets an easy 4 out of 5 stars from me and will MOST certainly be watched multiple times by so many people both in theatres and at home. It will RUN the box office this weekend and for weekends to come. And it will do so very deservedly.
Have you seen how Spider-Man swings into action while being far from home? If so, what did you think about it and how it sets up the MCU future? If not, are you excited to?! Let me know in the comments; and, as always, this remains a SPOILERS-FREE place to PREview films you're deciding between for your next trip to the movies. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend, movie fans!
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