by Josh Sewell
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
(Rated PG-13 for sequences of action/violence and some language. Opens in theaters on July 31.)
Marvel has found itself in a slump, to put it mildly, since 2019’s triumphant victory lap Avengers: Endgame. Sure, several of their films have done well financially (Deadpool & Wolverine) and/or creatively (Thunderbolts*). But most of their output over the last seven years has ranged from fine (The Marvels, The Fantastic Four: First Steps) to straight-up garbage (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Captain America: Brave New World) due to an overabundance of convoluted, increasingly desperate fan service and visually offensive CGI slop.
The MCU’s safe haven has been Tom Holland’s Spider-Man films, which overlord Kevin Feige can’t take sole credit for since the franchise is a partnership with Sony. Still, even those massive successes haven’t aged well – especially 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, which boasts a handful of cheer-worthy moments surrounded by a story that falls apart if you think about it for a few minutes.
Fortunately, Marvel has its first genuinely good entry in quite a while with this weekend’s highly anticipated Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The story (written by franchise regulars Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, with Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton taking over for Jon Watts) picks up after the events of the previous flick, when Doctor Strange cast a spell that made the world forget about Peter Parker (Tom Holland).
Now that his former girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) don’t know he exists, Peter spends all his time fighting crime as Spider-Man, which is beginning to take a mental and physical toll. His powers are evolving in ways he doesn’t understand, but that might be just what he needs to face a mysterious newcomer (Sadie Sink).
In a stunning revelation, it turns out superhero movies can still be good when they focus on character development and interesting stories instead of pointless action sequences and never-ending setup for future sequels that might not happen. Who knew, right? Holland delivers his best performance in the role yet, embodying Peter’s transition from teenager to young adult at the same time his Hollywood persona is changing in similar ways (see also: his terrific supporting work in The Odyssey).
Zendaya and Batalon are also quite good, although my primary gripe with the film is they don’t get nearly the amount of screen time they did in previous installments. I know that’s what the story dictates, but it’s still a bummer. When it comes to the supporting cast, Jon Bernthal is a blast as Frank Castle (aka The Punisher), though it’s a considerably toned-down version of the usually R-rated character.
Sink, best known for her work in the recently concluded Stranger Things, makes a strong first impression as a character we’re going to be seeing for quite a while. Marvel is treating her identity as a massive spoiler, though I’m not sure why – the flick reveals her name pretty fast, and most fans have known who she’s playing for a while. Nevertheless, I’ll keep the secret just in case.
Brand New Day indicates a future with far more grounded, adult versions of characters we’ve grown to love, so I’m curious to see where the franchise goes from here. I haven’t been able to say that about Marvel flicks for a while, so consider me cautiously optimistic.
Grade: B+
Motor City
(Rated R for strong bloody violence, some grisly images, drug content, sexuality/nudity and language. Now playing in theaters.)
When it comes to directors, Potsy Ponciroli isn’t a household name, but the journeyman filmmaker already has an admirable resumé. Although a lot of people haven’t seen 2021’s Old Henry and 2024’s Greedy People, they’re still terrific genre flicks with excellent performances.
Ponciroli is now three-for-three with Motor City, a gritty revenge story with an interesting narrative conceit at its center. The throwback action thriller (written by Chad St. John) takes place in 1970s Detroit, where a working-class romantic (Alan Ritchson) is framed by a ruthless gangster (Ben Foster) after falling for his girlfriend (Shailene Woodley). After years in prison, he breaks out to go on a mission of vengeance.
I’ve heard Ritchson and Ponciroli call Motor City a rock opera rather than a traditional action flick, which is a solid comparison. St. John’s screenplay embraces genre clichés while also putting a unique spin on them – the film is almost entirely dialogue-free. It’s a creative choice that might annoy some viewers, but I thought it was compelling. Plus, in an era when many people look at their phones more than the screen, it’s refreshing to come across a movie that demands the audience’s complete attention.
The nonstop needle drops, full of ’70s classics, are fun, plus most of the actors know exactly what kind of movie they’re in and adjust their performances accordingly. Ritchson, best known for his work on Amazon Prime’s Reacher, doesn’t have to stretch his acting muscles very much (Jack Reacher is the strong silent type too), but he’s endearing and charismatic.
Woodley, Lionel Boyce and Ben McKenzie are also solid despite not getting much to do. Pablo Schreiber is immensely loathsome as a crooked cop, but he and Ritchson share the film’s standout sequence: an extended, claustrophobic fight in an elevator that’s one of the most brutally violent I’ve ever seen.
However, Foster pretty much steals the movie. Playing yet another sleazebag in a career full of them, he mugs and overexaggerates his physical movements in every scene to make up for his lack of dialogue and it’s a blast to watch him work.
Grade: B+
(Rated PG-13 for sequences of action/violence and some language. Opens in theaters on July 31.)
Marvel has found itself in a slump, to put it mildly, since 2019’s triumphant victory lap Avengers: Endgame. Sure, several of their films have done well financially (Deadpool & Wolverine) and/or creatively (Thunderbolts*). But most of their output over the last seven years has ranged from fine (The Marvels, The Fantastic Four: First Steps) to straight-up garbage (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Captain America: Brave New World) due to an overabundance of convoluted, increasingly desperate fan service and visually offensive CGI slop.
The MCU’s safe haven has been Tom Holland’s Spider-Man films, which overlord Kevin Feige can’t take sole credit for since the franchise is a partnership with Sony. Still, even those massive successes haven’t aged well – especially 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, which boasts a handful of cheer-worthy moments surrounded by a story that falls apart if you think about it for a few minutes.
Fortunately, Marvel has its first genuinely good entry in quite a while with this weekend’s highly anticipated Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The story (written by franchise regulars Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, with Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton taking over for Jon Watts) picks up after the events of the previous flick, when Doctor Strange cast a spell that made the world forget about Peter Parker (Tom Holland).
Now that his former girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) don’t know he exists, Peter spends all his time fighting crime as Spider-Man, which is beginning to take a mental and physical toll. His powers are evolving in ways he doesn’t understand, but that might be just what he needs to face a mysterious newcomer (Sadie Sink).
In a stunning revelation, it turns out superhero movies can still be good when they focus on character development and interesting stories instead of pointless action sequences and never-ending setup for future sequels that might not happen. Who knew, right? Holland delivers his best performance in the role yet, embodying Peter’s transition from teenager to young adult at the same time his Hollywood persona is changing in similar ways (see also: his terrific supporting work in The Odyssey).
Zendaya and Batalon are also quite good, although my primary gripe with the film is they don’t get nearly the amount of screen time they did in previous installments. I know that’s what the story dictates, but it’s still a bummer. When it comes to the supporting cast, Jon Bernthal is a blast as Frank Castle (aka The Punisher), though it’s a considerably toned-down version of the usually R-rated character.
Sink, best known for her work in the recently concluded Stranger Things, makes a strong first impression as a character we’re going to be seeing for quite a while. Marvel is treating her identity as a massive spoiler, though I’m not sure why – the flick reveals her name pretty fast, and most fans have known who she’s playing for a while. Nevertheless, I’ll keep the secret just in case.
Brand New Day indicates a future with far more grounded, adult versions of characters we’ve grown to love, so I’m curious to see where the franchise goes from here. I haven’t been able to say that about Marvel flicks for a while, so consider me cautiously optimistic.
Grade: B+
(Rated R for strong bloody violence, some grisly images, drug content, sexuality/nudity and language. Now playing in theaters.)
When it comes to directors, Potsy Ponciroli isn’t a household name, but the journeyman filmmaker already has an admirable resumé. Although a lot of people haven’t seen 2021’s Old Henry and 2024’s Greedy People, they’re still terrific genre flicks with excellent performances.
Ponciroli is now three-for-three with Motor City, a gritty revenge story with an interesting narrative conceit at its center. The throwback action thriller (written by Chad St. John) takes place in 1970s Detroit, where a working-class romantic (Alan Ritchson) is framed by a ruthless gangster (Ben Foster) after falling for his girlfriend (Shailene Woodley). After years in prison, he breaks out to go on a mission of vengeance.
I’ve heard Ritchson and Ponciroli call Motor City a rock opera rather than a traditional action flick, which is a solid comparison. St. John’s screenplay embraces genre clichés while also putting a unique spin on them – the film is almost entirely dialogue-free. It’s a creative choice that might annoy some viewers, but I thought it was compelling. Plus, in an era when many people look at their phones more than the screen, it’s refreshing to come across a movie that demands the audience’s complete attention.
The nonstop needle drops, full of ’70s classics, are fun, plus most of the actors know exactly what kind of movie they’re in and adjust their performances accordingly. Ritchson, best known for his work on Amazon Prime’s Reacher, doesn’t have to stretch his acting muscles very much (Jack Reacher is the strong silent type too), but he’s endearing and charismatic.
Woodley, Lionel Boyce and Ben McKenzie are also solid despite not getting much to do. Pablo Schreiber is immensely loathsome as a crooked cop, but he and Ritchson share the film’s standout sequence: an extended, claustrophobic fight in an elevator that’s one of the most brutally violent I’ve ever seen.
However, Foster pretty much steals the movie. Playing yet another sleazebag in a career full of them, he mugs and overexaggerates his physical movements in every scene to make up for his lack of dialogue and it’s a blast to watch him work.
Grade: B+
Reach out to Josh Sewell at joshsewell81@gmail.com or on BlueSky @joshsewell.bsky.social
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