Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) Review

In 2004, Jake Gyllenhaal was merely inches away from replacing Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man 2 after Maguire injured his back while filming Seabiscuit the year prior. If you are a believer in fate, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is more compelling with the charismatic Gyllenhaal as Mysterio acting in a supplemental role towards Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. While their characters share plenty of memorable moments, the rest of the cast is equally fundamental in supplying much needed comedic relief after the tragic events of Avengers: Endgame. Although mostly clever, humor begins to overstay its welcome through a run-time that could be easily be shorter.

Jon Watts adds his 2nd directorial contribution to the Marvel franchise in 'Spider-Man: Far from Home'. The film starts with Peter Parker’s decision to join his class alongside Ned and MJ on a science trip to Europe as he begins to plan how he will confess his admiration towards MJ. Things begin to go awry as elemental creatures begin to attack and Spider-Man has no choice but to suit up, fight, and help Nick Fury uncover the mystery behind these inexplicable beasts.

A tonal shift begins instantaneously as the movie firmly decides not to take itself seriously after the events of Avengers: Endgame. To account for the next chapter of the Marvel universe, there was a noticeable attempt to make this movie as humorous as possible. Although that is a shrewd decision, that leaves us with a surplus of jokes that either seem forced or are simply not that funny. The film does an excellent job creating situational humor that feels authentic and the movie itself sets up many gags that pay off well, but there were plenty of times where jokes lead nowhere or simply came across as filler. However, this issue falls on the shoulders of writing as the acting itself was marvelous on a multitude of levels.

Holland and Gyllenhaal have incredible chemistry as we see Mysterio grow into a Tony Stark-like role with Peter Parker early on. Unsurprisingly, Zendaya (who plays MJ) does an excellent job portraying that awkward high school romance with Peter and their relationship arc felt genuine. Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) has a much larger role in this movie and he continues to deliver with dry, yet compelling humor. Happy Hogan (played by Jon Favreau) delivers the most balanced dialogue as his timing in humorous and consequential moments are supreme, although his relationship with May (played by Marisa Tomei) comes across as corny and spurious. The characters in this film do an adequate job carrying this film, especially during its pacing issues.

The 1st act of the film felt grueling at times because of its slow start and forced humor, but the 2nd and 3rd act far outweigh the negatives that precede it. The action sequences are beautifully edited in this movie as there were no issues discerning what I was watching. The cinematography was mesmerizing, especially in downtown Prague at night, and the special effects continue to uphold that Marvel standard. Not to mention the brilliance by Costume Designer, Anna B. Sheppard, as Mysterio’s outfit alone was enthralling.

The plot itself exceeds expectations as it was constantly throwing wrenches into the plot that only add value to the franchise. Drawing more unforeseen twists than a labyrinth, it answers more questions than it asks. The ending, especially the post-credit scene, is clear, yet adds ambiguity to the future of Spider-Man. A potentially disposable sequel gave the new chapter of the Marvel series something to build on top of.

‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’ does an exceptional job building off the legacy of Tony Stark and Tom Holland continues to prove that he is worthy of carrying the torch. While “Spider-man: Far from Home’ does suffer from pacing issues and ineffective comedy at times, it does not detract from the value that this film adds to the franchise. And yes Marvel, we hope you are excited to show us what comes next.

Final Score: 7.5/10

I feel obligated to thank the city of Charlotte for being such great hosts for the early screening I attended. If all goes well, I will be returning there as soon as possible!