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Now imagine you’re Jon Watts, director of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Not only do you have to follow-up your own movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming – which felt like John Hughes made a superhero movie and featured Michael Keaton as one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s best villains. You’re also making a massive franchise installment that has to answer several big questions left unanswered by Endgame.
Plus, since your previous flick, the protagonist has traveled to another galaxy, turned to dust, returned from the dead after five years and helped dozens of other heroes take down the greatest threat the universe has ever faced. Oh, and you just have to trust that viewers will accept this new normal, because you start shooting almost a year before Endgame hits theaters.
Are you sweating yet? Because I sure am.
Now the craziest part of all: Watts and his screenwriters, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, actually manage to pull the darn thing off. Thanks to a volatile mixture of creativity, humor and a bit of pure insanity, Far From Home sets the table for an even more bonkers MCU than we’ve already seen.
The sequel/palate cleanser picks up relatively soon after (SPOILERS) Tony Stark sacrificed his life to defeat Thanos and his army. Now, everyone is figuring out how establish a sense of normalcy after “the blip,” which is what people are calling the five years between half the universe’s population disappearing and suddenly returning like nothing happened.
For Peter Parker (Tom Holland), that means going back to high school even though he’s grieving the loss of his mentor. His plan is to relax for a while by leaving the Spidey suit at home and traveling to Europe on a class trip with his friends Ned (Jacob Batalon) and MJ (Zendaya). Maybe he’ll even work up the nerve to ask MJ if she wants to take their friendship to the next level.
But that all changes when Peter’s trip is hijacked by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). The former S.H.I.E.L.D. director needs Spider-Man to assist Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal), a mysterious hero who claims to be from a parallel universe. It seems his version of Earth was destroyed by a group of monsters he calls Elementals, and they’re headed for this world. So now Spidey and his new ally must prevent Earth’s destruction yet again, while Peter tries to convince his classmates that everything’s fine.
Far From Home is a blast for several reasons, most of all because it dials the stakes way back. Not every MCU flick can be about the fate of the universe, nor should they be. (I know it sounds like I’m contradicting what I said in the last paragraph, but it’ll make sense later.)
Often intimate stakes are more affecting (see Black Panther and Thor: Ragnarok) and viewers can only take so much tragedy and bombast. With enough imagination and strong performances, seeing Peter’s plan to ask out MJ go awry can be just as big a bummer as Thanos getting his hands on another Infinity Stone.
As a viewer, it’s refreshing to take a deep breath and realize the movie’s biggest problem is Peter wondering if he can be a kid and a superhero at the same time. Much of that is thanks to Holland’s outstanding work. He continues to prove his Marty McFly-infused character is the best live-action version of the hero. (Notice I couched my words to make an exception for the practically perfect Into the Spider-Verse).
Zendaya is also terrific as a far different MJ than we’re used to seeing on the big screen. Part of that is because she’s not technically Mary Jane Watson from the comics, but it’s also that she’s clearly having fun being smart, funny and downright weird. She and Holland have an awkward, endearing chemistry that’s different from a typical romantic pairing.
Gyllenhaal, who mostly tends to gravitate toward small-scale projects, is a welcome addition to the MCU as Beck. He’s playing a complex character, so it’s great to see him convey a wide range of emotions and motivations. In some scenes, he has poignant heart-to-heart chats with Peter, but in others he gets to chew the scenery like late-stage Pacino.
There’s an extended sequence around the halfway point where Beck shows off the full potential of his powers that’s literally jaw-dropping. It rivals any special effects extravaganza we’ve seen from the visual effects wizards behind the MCU. That alone is worth the price of a ticket, especially in IMAX.
Unfortunately, after several movies in row with interesting antagonists, Marvel is back to its longstanding villain problem. It’s not that the bad guy is boring, but fans of the comics already know where part of the plot is headed. Going into more detail risks spoiling, so I’ll just say that for half the film, much of the audience is waiting for the story to catch up to what we already know.
Speaking of spoilers, if you plan to wait a while to see Far From Home, do yourself a favor and avoid social media. There are several fun surprises that evoked gasps from the viewers in the screening I attended, and they’re already being revealed online. It’s also imperative that you stay through the end credits. Most people who go to MCU movies already know this, but it’s particularly mandatory this time around.
Usually, these spots are reserved for fun teasers or throwaway gags (like the amazing Cap joke in Homecoming), but there are two brief scenes here that completely alter the course of the franchise. I’m genuinely shocked they weren’t incorporated into the movie proper.
Look, most people don’t need my recommendation to see the latest Marvel movie. You already know if you’re going or not. But for those viewers who thought they could take a break after Endgame, the devious team behind Far From Home offers plenty of incentive to keep up with the franchise. I know I’m definitely looking forward to a third Spidey flick.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments.
Grade: B+
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