“SPIDER-MAN No Way Home” is even better a second time

Concluding the Marvel Cinematic Universe trilogy centered around the title character starring Tom Holland, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was released Dec. 17, 2021.  Though released at the end of the year, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” ended up being one of the biggest successes at the box office.  The first reactions to the film made audiences realize that this film would also be recognized as one of the biggest superhero movies ever, 20 years in the making. 

 The latest entry to the ever expanding MCU picks up right after the previous film’s villain, Mysterio, revealed Spider-Man’s identity to the public.  With no place to hide, Peter Parker is faced with choices that will forever change his journey as a hero when he is confronted by familiar faces from Spider-Man movies passed.  The only non-spoiler review I can give is that I loved every second of it, had an incredible time in the cinemas and recommend it to any fans of the genre. 

“Movies like this should not be this good,” agreed Times of San Diego. “But shockingly, everyone involved pulled it off.” 

 In fact, it is my opinion that you should see “Spider-Man: No Way Home” more than once.  The significance of seeing this film multiple times has a lot to do with its rewatchability, and there are several reasons for this.  However, if you have not been able to attend a screening, I strongly suggest doing so before reading the remainder of this article as it contains major spoilers for the rest of the film. 

 Understandably, saying that a movie is rewatchable may not seem to say much about it at first, but when considered that it’s a Spider-Man film and features all three major live-action interpretations of the character from over the last two decades, one is sure to appreciate the hype surrounding the film.  For me and other fans of the Webslinger it is a joy to even describe the thrill that we experienced in theaters.  People have even likened it to have moments that rivaled “Avengers: Endgame.” 

 “I feel rewarded for loving Spider-Man, and for the first time in the MCU, I feel like the filmmakers love Spider-Man too,” commented Eric Switzer with The Gamer. 

 While films like “Avengers: Endgame” are a once in a lifetime experience and are never as good as they were the first time, I consider “Spider-Man: No Way Home” to be up there with Christopher Nolan’s “Inception,” not as a better film but as a more rewatchable one.  My primary argument is the acting in the movie, especially with Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Alfred Molina and Willem Dafoe joining the cast.  All the character interactions are almost perfect with how they all play off each other, to even the simplest shrug or look shared between the Spider-Men. 

 “It’s a reunion that ensnares you in an emotional web you didn’t even see being wove,” said Rolling Stone reporter, David Fear. 

 Another remarkable thing I noticed rewatching the film was all the Easter eggs and references made to the comic source material and previous Spider-Man movies, not to mention the surprise cameo of Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock, whom we have not seen since 2018.  Examples include the suit that Holland wears in the bridge fight scene being like the one Maguire wore in “Spider-Man 3” and the silhouettes of villains Scorpion and Kraven the Hunter visible in the sky during the climax.  I also found myself impacted by the themes more the second time, specifically the “with great power comes great responsibility” speech given by Peter’s late Aunt May. 

 CNET wrote in their review of the film, “It made me think about how everyone watching in that theater had surely experienced some form of loss and grief, and we could all take a moment to disconnect from that pain and find comfort in these characters – and, by extension, in each other.” 

 “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” while not a perfect film, is one that ensures its audience fun and new details along with deeper meanings with every viewing.  Upon its release, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” made more than $1 billion according to CNN and has become the 8th highest grossing film ever.  It is well deserving of that title, and I am excited to see what’s next for our friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man.

marks is an opinion writer.