When I was a kid, I didn't understand why Darrin Stevens asked his wife, Samantha, not to twitch her nose and use witchcraft to solve their conundrums. As I got older (more experienced to the ways of the world), I came to understand Darrin's noble plea: Working to achieve an outcome (i.e. earning it) is much more fulfilling (not to mention bewitching--tee hee) than taking the easy way out, especially when it comes to character building.
This philosophy prevails throughout Peter Parker/Spider-man's lineage. Steve Ditko introduced it in the early '60s, and it continues to pigment Spidey lore, for on every amazing level, Spider-man: No Way Home epitomizes the dignified point.
Some claim that No Way Home is the final chapter in the Tom Holland "home" (work-hard-for-one's-goals) trilogy and that a series of Sinister Six flicks will follow, in addition to Holland stand-alones that might feature Venom, Carnage, the Vulture and Morbius. Who the hell knows? It's the story at hand that counts, and because of its diligent gist (which connects to such current Marvel/Disney Multiverse fare as WandaVision and Loki), it's an extraordinary one that should resonate with all fans who take pride in getting off their duffs.
In this cinematic fable, director Jon Watts and writers Chris McKenna and Jon Sommers unroll an astounding, Twilight Zone-ish obstacle for Parker, thanks to J.K. Simmons' J. Jonah Jameson exposing Spidey's true identity through some startling Jake Gyllenhaal/Mysterio footage. In desperation, Parker enlists Benedict Cumberbatch's Stephen Strange to fix the situation through a swift spell which only makes matters worse, though this proves a melodramatic blessing, with old and new Spidey personas joining the aforementioned trio: Zendaya as M.J.; Marisa Tomei as Aunt May; Jacob Batalion as Ned Leeds; Tony Revolori as Flash Thompson; Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan; Benedict Wong as Wong; Jamie Foxx as Electro; Alfred Molina as Doc Ock; Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin; Thomas Haden as the Sandman; and Rhys Ifans as the Lizard. (Now, what of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, you ask, as well as some of the other reputed icons who were to be in this one? Ah, shucks, do ya really want me to spoil what may or may not be? That would, after all, be taking the easy way out. Dig? All the same, I don't think one will come away too disappointed.)
Even with its anticipated, special appearances, this Multiverse mishmash doesn't cover every speck of every possibility, but it's still fulfilling for all of its clever intent, heaping great danger, exasperation and responsibility upon Holland's shoulders. That means our Avengers-based Spidey must squash a number of "Monkey's Paw" consequences to reverse the mad process (a motif that Wonder Woman 1984 also asserts), weaving his way in and out of the messes that follow, thus creating an edge-of-the-seat, lesson-based maelstrom, sprinkled with sweet, sensible sacrifice and whenever required, more than a little help from his industrious friends.
The script's underbelly is, therefore, pure Ditko (and in the best possible Parker/Strange classic-rooted manner), allowing No Way Home to capture the artist/storyteller's moral compass with awe-inspiring precision. No doubt Ditko is looking down upon this one with great gratitude and no doubt the same can be said of good ol' Stan Lee.
The bum-ish and spineless won't appreciate this chapter since it goes against their let-me-tap-you-with-my-wee-wand, Potter-fied grain, but for those who understand what makes Parker (as well as Marvel's Multiverse on the whole) swing, this one's a web-slinging godsend and could end up the biggest Spidey blockbuster yet. No Way Home deserves that much. I mean, shoot, it's earned it.
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