Review: Despite its initial flaws, 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' is a must-see spectacle

Spider-Man: No Way Home
3.5 out of 5 Stars
Director: Jon Watts
Writers: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Stan Lee
Starring: Tom Hollands, [Redacted], Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, [Redacted]
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13 for sequences of action/violence, some language and brief suggestive comments

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) – Synopsis: With Spider-Man’s secret identity as Peter Parker revealed, Peter turns to Doctor Strange for a quick fix that goes terribly awry.

Review: Pretty much everything about "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is a spoiler. Obviously some secrets have been better kept than others. I've done my best to remove even aspects of the plot that have appeared in the trailers. So, let's dive in.

Heading into "Spider-Man: No Way Home" I was asked if watching the originalTobey Maguire trilogy or the two films that starred Andrew Garfield wasnecessary. Did you even need to have seen the two previous Tom Holland films? I joked, "Only if you want to understand the reviews." Having watched the film, I'm only 65% comfortable with that statement. You can certainly watch "No Way Home" and understand the basics of the plot without having seen the previous entries. However, if you want to get the most out of "No Way Home" a working knowledge of the previous films is required because many of the best scenes in "No Way Home" directly reference events from all the previous films. Most of these moments aren't explained. Why is [Redacted]crying after [Redacted]? What is the emotional significance of [Redacted]? Why is the person next to me laughing? What is the the background to the [Redacted]? Who are these people anyway?

That's easy, they are [Redacted] and [Redacted]. You should care because [Redacted].

The first half of "No Way Home" is messy as the narrative builds the framework for everything that follows. We get MCU alumsBenedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Marisa Tomei as May Parker, and Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan. We also have the expected return of villains[Redacted], [Redacted],[Redacted], and [Redacted] who were featured in the various trailers. If you watched "Spider-Man: Far From Home" you know that everyone's least favorite journalist [Redacted] also plays a significant role. That's a lot of characters to reintroduce. Particularly when you consider that they have to fit in Peter, MJ (Zendya), and Ned (Jacob Batalon) entering their senior year of high school and looking ahead to applying to colleges. It moves as quickly and efficiently as it can. Could it have been cleaner? Yes, but exactly how isn't instantly apparent. If this was a series, there would be space to stray from Spider-Man and give more time to the other characters. As a film, the story and its supporting characters have far less wiggle room.

The second half is arguably one of the best Marvel movie ever made as Holland, [Redacted], Zendaya, and [Redacted] bring an unexpected depth to the narrative. The emotional richness of the script and performances are fantastic. It reminded me of the things I've loved about the previous films and avoided the disappointment that I felt when those movies failed to live up to their potential. There is a perfect balance of humor, action, and serious introspection. There are surprises. Lots of surprises. A few of them had me clapping. The thrill of being given the unexpected is tremendous.

The ending of the film is a little disconcerting. Like MJ, I've learned to expect the worst and there's a track record with Spider-Man that can't simply be ignored. The ending doesn't signal a specific trajectory. It does introduce optional storylines that I hadn't considered. Sony insists they haven't planned what happens next. I think they are testing the water and the mid-credit scene teases the inevitable setup that I've long hoped to avoid. There is also a post-credit scene and it is fantastic.

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" isn't quite the film I wanted it to be from start to finish but its second half works marvelously. See it on the largest screen you can possibly find.