Movie Review: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, Michael Mando, Mark Ruffalo

Plot: Peter Parker has been living a life of solitude after the sacrifices he made in his previous adventure. When a new telepathic, body-hopping villain appears on the scene, Spider-Man finds his powers starting to behave erratically.

Review: If there was ever a time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to recapture audiences, it’s now. Interest in the franchise has been dwindling of late, with some damn fine films failing to draw the crowds they deserved. With Doomsday next in line, it may be up to Disney and Sony’s web-slinging collaboration to bring audiences back. Spider-Man has maintained his place as one of the world’s most beloved superheroes, with Tom Holland’s iteration of the character proving especially popular. With Holland noticeably absent from the recent Doomsday promotions, we’ve been wondering what they have in store for us here.

The memories of Peter Parker (Holland) as Spider-Man have been erased from the global population, leaving Peter without his superhero friends as a support network and heartbroken over losing MJ and Ned (Zendaya and Batalon). Having largely cut himself off from society, Peter has thrown himself into his role as the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Hopefully you’re not expecting extended sequences of Spidey fighting his rogues’ gallery, because they’re only here for a scene-setting montage. Although he’s excelling as a web-slinger and earning the praise of New York, his personal life ranges from non-existent to depressing. At best, he has an antagonistic working relationship with The Punisher (Bernthal).

While trying to prevent an attack on the Department of Damage Control, now a powerful organisation within the city, Spider-Man comes face to face with a new threat. An unknown individual has the ability to “jump” from one person’s body to another in an instant, making them nearly impossible to pin down. In the midst of this crisis, Peter’s powers begin to mutate. Organic web-shooters might be a (gross) bonus, but losing control of his enhanced senses throws him completely off his game. This leads Peter to Bruce Banner (Ruffalo) in an attempt to rein in these changes with technology.

One of the biggest changes to the series is the departure of the previous trilogy’s director, with Destin Daniel Cretton taking up the mantle. He established himself in the MCU with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and while he doesn’t deviate too heavily from the style of the previous Spider-Man films, there’s a fresh dynamism to the action that stands out. There are some well-planned gimbal shots and camera pivots and flips that help replicate Peter’s perspective without making the action confusing. Perhaps I’m getting old, but extended action scenes don’t hold my attention unless they’ve got something exceptional happening. The flow and creativity on display keep things engaging throughout. Why the MCU didn’t immediately fast-track Shang-Chi sequels remains one of modern blockbuster cinema’s great mysteries, but at least Cretton is getting paid.

There’s also a strong emotional core to the story. Holland has become incredibly comfortable in the role of Peter Parker, and his close working relationship with Zendaya allows them to dig deep into the emotional turmoil their characters endure. Holland’s dynamic with Bernthal’s Punisher is also a surprisingly sweet relationship—like bickering siblings who can’t admit how protective they are of each other.

There’s a fairly choppy first act, skimming through the last few years of Peter’s life and encounters with various costumed villains. When Peter begins his investigation, it almost feels like a jaunt from one cameo to another, but everything comes together once the main players have been established. Considering how long it takes for the main villain to properly appear—and even longer before they’re unmasked—it’s surprising how effectively the film develops the character.

We’re not going to get into spoilers because we were nicely asked not to, but we will say that a key character from a comic series this writer is a huge fan of makes their debut. I’ve read somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 issues featuring this Marvel character, and I loved the version brought to the screen here. They’re somewhat nerfed and noticeably younger than we’re used to seeing, but watching the beginning of their journey and the development of their powers is a genuine highlight.

Daredevil, however, is not in this. Sorry.

Rating: EIGHT out of TEN