By Mateo Biggs
As the semester starts back up again, many students welcome the new year with open arms– change is always a welcome necessity for the current time for many people at Roanoke College. And with this new change comes a new addition to the ever expanding universe of Marvel, one that was well expected and well received by many fans.
Marvel Studios’ newest release as of Dec. 17, 2021, was “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” and what a way to welcome 2022. From the ever beautiful cinematography born of both the camera crew’s artistry and the direction from Jon Watts, to the universe-shattering effects of the plot, the third “Spider-Man” movie already sets standards high for the next Marvel movie– or series –that will be released.
Months of anticipation on the part of Spider-Man fans everywhere did not disappoint— the film blew already high hopes out of the water. With the way that Tom Holland portrayed this newest journey as Peter Parker, the film felt like both a new chapter and a promising conclusion should Marvel decide that this will be the last installment of New York’s infamous web-slinging hero.
For most, the best part of this movie might be the blast to the past with Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker and his infamous villains of Green Goblin (William Dafoe), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), and Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina). Not to mention Andrew Garfield’s witty quips as the Amazing Spider-Man and the return of Electro (Jamie Foxx) and Doctor Connors (Rhys Ifans). The film even featured some appearances from the master of the mystic arts Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and fan favorite Wong (Benedict Wong).
However, the series decided to take a darker turn in this movie, showcasing the struggle of anonymity and the twisting of words that was born from the heinous last act of Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhall) in the previous film, which had already taken a slightly darker look at the responsibility of power.
With a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, an 8.7 out of 10 by IMDb and a 71% by Metacritic, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” has garnered plenty of praise by both critics and fans alike as it managed to check off many of the boxes for a Spider-Man film. Whether this be the final goodbye fans must give to Zendaya’s MJ and her cynical attitude or the start of Tom Holland’s newest chapter as Spider-Man, fans of both new and old eagerly await what comes next from Marvel Studios.
