Now that the worst kept secret of a movie in the Marvel Universe is finally out, the burning question is if this behemoth of a film that challenged the likes of Infinity War and Endgame, actually meets the insurmountable expectations set upon it. And frankly, I think it mostly does. Even the most casual of Marvel viewers were probably spoiled in some regard and to those who went into it completely blind…if they exist, well they probably got the best out of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the third installment of our web slinging hero, once again directed by Jon Watts. The scale of this film in the MCU is something akin to Captain America: Civil War, not exactly an Avengers level film but definitely a notable crossover event to satiate audiences moving forward.

To summarize the general plot, after the events of Far From Home, Spider-Man’s identity as Peter Parker is revealed to the entire world by Mysterio, and as this revelation starts to negatively impact the lives of his friends and family, Peter enlists the help of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Of course this doesn’t go according to plan and the spell he devises goes awry, causing unknown villains (at least to our Spider-Man) to appear. With that out of the way, this is by far the best of the MCU Spider-Man films in almost every regard, though it does succumb to a few follies that in my opinion don’t let these films fully breathe. Tom Holland gives us his best performance by far as Peter Parker with the script giving him a lot more room to run the range of emotions necessary for this character to exhibit real growth and take on the weight that comes with putting on the mask. Marisa Tomei, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon reprise their roles as Aunt May, MJ, and Ned respectively, and each character feels way more important despite everything else that’s taking place on-screen, which is saying a lot. Holland and Zendaya have great chemistry together which makes Peter and MJ’s relationship feel fully developed, allowing me to buy into and have a stake in them as a pair. Visually these films have always been competent, but I felt that this one in particular took it up a notch, especially in some of the world-bending sequences with Doctor Strange. I also must say that the pacing of the film was well done for an over two hour experience, especially when compared to the sluggish pacing of Eternals which had a similar runtime.

Essentially this film is everything you could want, not only in an MCU movie, but in a Spider-Man movie, as it captures the essence of what it is to be Spider-Man. Now I can’t get much deeper into the film without diving into heavy spoilers, so consider this your warning. (Spoilers ahead)

If I had to summarize this movie in a phrase it would be ‘extreme fan service’ and with that can come some negative connotations, but in this instance it’s handled in a way that’s extremely rewarding and engaging without feeling cheap or meaningless. Spider-Man: No Way Home suffered from massive studio leaks, so anyone even remotely a fan probably heard rumors of the cameos throughout it far before the film’s release, and yet knowing that did not diminish the overall experience because what they accomplished with these characters is what made this such a solid Spider-Man film. It had been rumored that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield would reprise their roles as Spider-Man from their respective film universes and undoubtedly, they show up as amazing additions to the cast, providing support to the comedy, action, and most importantly the dramatic moments. This film has a much darker tone and hits on themes of being a hero that are much more attuned to this character’s sense of morality and the sacrifice that comes with it. Furthermore, even the villains that appear get a chance to explore their characters and the tragic conflict within themselves that leads to their demise, namely Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius and Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn. These characters really get a chance to shine and become a little more than two dimensional villains, which is great considering they could have been merely reduced to a few throwaway one liners (which some are). I really appreciate the film giving gravity to the emotional beats and again Tom Holland does a great job at capturing that pain, though one of my gripes is that the emotional impact is sometimes undercut with a joke or levity where they could have hung on the solemnity of certain scenes.

The highlight of this film for me were all of the interactions between the three Spider-Men; each of them bringing their own unique energy to their version of the character that just weaves together so well. When it’s played up for comedy or nostalgia it works and when it’s played serious it gives you goosebumps. Maguire, Garfield, and Holland all work together seamlessly, making this rarely seen cinema experience all the more special. But if I had to pick one major complaint from the film’s story, it’s the contrivance of Peter wanting to cure villains from another reality he has no attachment to instead of sending them away immediately, especially after they cause the death of a key character that marks a turning point for him. It just felt like a weak excuse to keep the villains there, though I suppose that’s what separates someone with my cold practical nature from the kindheartedness of someone like Spider-Man. From beginning to end, this truly feels like a great movie for Spider-Man fans and comic book fans alike, placing it among my favorites alongside Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2. Definitely see this one in theaters, I know I’ll be seeing it at least one more time.

Also shout-out to Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock for all of my Daredevil fans out there!