‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Is The Definitive Spidey Movie
It’s been five years since Peter (Tom Holland) pushed forward with the memory spell that made the world forget he was Spider-Man. Now, in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it seems as if Peter has forgotten himself until the return of his former companions, MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon), who start to face danger when a new mysterious threat appears. Masterfully directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, following up his MCU creative contributions in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and (now sadly canceled) Wonder Man. The combo of Holland and Cretton is incredible, delivering insane action sequences while giving us the best and most accurate adaptation of the hero in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
[Warning: spoilers from Spider-Man: Brand New Day are below!]
Tom Holland delights as Peter in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for, but the spell that is greatly affecting Peter’s life turns him into the Spider-Man we’ve always wanted to see from Holland. Holland has had time to mature both on and off-screen, which results in his best-ever outing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This isn’t just a mopey, sad Peter; he’s more determined than ever to wield his power responsibly at an increasingly dangerous cost. In these gap years, it appears that Holland spent a good chunk of time getting even more acquainted with his famed character, effortlessly stepping into a new young adult version of Peter who embraces his isolation.
What really drives home the performance is how electric Holland is amongst the numerous other actors around him. Some key highlights include his interactions with the broader MCU, his embarrassing but necessary request for info from Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), his discussion of mRNA with Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), and his teaming up with Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal). It’s wildly satisfying seeing Spider-Man/Peter getting to casually have these run-ins, as well as the established relationships with Yelena and Frank, who run along the morally gray area.
Beyond the amazing performance from Holland, there is simply the complete character arc for Peter throughout the film, enhanced by the introduction of the new cast member, Sadie Sink. Peter has to balance his own new mutations from his gifts, helping Sink foster her own powers to protect herself and others. The final act of Brand New Day features some of Holland’s best emotional work, going beyond the heartbreaking ending in Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Peter fully becomes an adult and guides Sink similarly to his previous mentors. Holland has always been a star since he first put on the suit, but in this film he steps into this role as easily as the mask slips over his face.
Action sequences elevated beyond belief
I grew up on a lot of Jackie Chan films, so fight scenes and elaborate action pieces are things I love to see on the big screen. After the choreography in Shang-Chi, Cretton was an exciting choice to lead a new Spider-Man title and overdelivered in Brand New Day. To sweeten the deal, the deadly ninjas from The Hand make an appearance and engage in the most creative and exhilarating fight sequences in an MCU film. Chan’s stunt team was involved with the production, and it clearly shows. The Hand ninjas have a sequence near the end, set in a confined space, that shows deep love and respect for the martial arts. On top of all that, there’s also a couple of movements that I swear I did in Marvel’s Spider-Man video game series.
As if to silence a couple of complaints from the Home trilogy, the swinging scenes in Brand New Day are the best of any Spider-Man, and plentiful. It’s not really Spider-Man if he’s not zipping around the city around the iconic NYC skyline. Seeing Spider-Man staying busy with day-to-day rescues and forming a bond with Detective Jean DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas) while having run-ins with classic Spidey villains is also something fans have begged for. Cretton delivers on all fronts; the only gripe is that the time spent with Scorpion (Michael Mando), Tombstone (Marvin Jones III), Ramrod, Black Tarantula, and Boomerang is quite short and mostly part of a montage. Hopefully they pop back up; the mob crime thread was left a little open towards the ending, so the potential definitely exists.
Final thoughts on Spider-Man: Brand New Day
This is the most fulfilling Spider-Man film since Spider-Man 2 with Tobey Maguire, with similarities in how the line between Peter and Spider-Man creates a conflict he has to navigate. There’s an astounding amount of heart and story, anchored by amazing, cleverly directed action sequences. Composer Michael Giacchino initially removed some notes from Peter’s theme at the beginning of the score and reinserted them towards the end, when Peter gets his sense of self back. Holland is obviously proving how much of the correct choice he is as Spider-Man and has now helped usher in a new, exciting character in the MCU portrayed by Sadie Sink; we can only hope that a 5th Spider-Man film will be fast-tracked. Cretton is absolutely welcome to make 15 more Spider-Man movies if this is what we get from him. But based on the post-credits scene, we may see Spider-Man sooner rather than later!
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now in theaters, with IMAX rolling out as well! Have you had a chance to check out this film? Are you loving it as much as we are? Share your thoughts on social media and tag @bsb.insider to continue the conversation!
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a Friendly Neighborhood Masterpiece
