When it comes to iconic comic book characters, few can be compared to Spider-Man. Since 1961, the web-slinger has appeared in countless comic books, TV shows and movies. Written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is another successful story for the masked superhero. Telling a tale that mixes great action with sharp character moments, this film is an incredibly exciting adventure from start to finish.
Committed to Spider-Man full-time, Peter Parker is forced to face an unseen threat as he confronts his own evolution. Tom Holland returns as the title character. He is joined by Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo and Sadie Sink.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a true joy to watch. Recent releases in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) have been hit or miss, but this picture is brilliant in all the right ways. At its core, the story is a deeply emotional tale about a boy forced into adulthood. Tom Holland excels in this regard, and his solid performance allows the narrative around him to flourish. Zendaya is impressive too, as is Jon Bernthal, who injects a welcome edge with his character of The Punisher.
Between the film’s emotional moments are many scenes of thrilling action (set to another impressive score from Michael Giacchino). There is no doubt that Brand New Day features the best action we have seen for Spider-Man thus far in the MCU. Whether he is swinging between buildings or fighting an army of ninjas, our hero is wonderfully captured thanks to Brett Pawlak’s bold cinematography.
If we are to find criticism with the film, one glaring issue is the lack of a strong villain. The movie’s antagonist is well-rounded, but they are built more as an element for future releases than the bombastic bad guy that Brand New Day needed. In this same vein, the film features an extra act that stretches the runtime unnecessarily. While this section of the story features some fantastic moments, it does damage the pacing of the picture as a whole.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day breathes life back into the flailing MCU. An exceedingly fun time at the movies, this superhero feature offers everything you could ask for in a story of this kind. With Avengers: Doomsday arriving in December, time will tell if Marvel can continue to re-establish itself as a thriving cinematic franchise.