Shadows on the Wall | Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Review by Rich Cline | MUST SEE

dir Destin Daniel Cretton
scr Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers
prd Kevin Feige, Rachel O'Connor, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad
with Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, Florence Pugh, Liza Colon-Zayas, Tramell Tillman, Marisa Tomei, Michael Mando, Naomi Watts
release US/UK 31.Jul.26
26/UK Marvel 2h25

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One of the best superhero movies in recent memory, this film continues the fine run of Tom Holland's Spidey-adventures, and it allows for an unusually textured performance that makes it both thrilling and moving. Director Destin Daniel Cretin also keeps the action crisp and clear, with excellent choreography, camerawork and editing that add exhilarating kicks. And the buoyant humour is just as grounded as the complex emotions.

Having made everyone forget him, Peter (Holland) is very much alone, working as New York's enigmatic crime-fighter. And he's the only person immune to a ghost-like menace who leaps between people, possessing them while pursuing a mysterious goal. Then it begins threatening Peter's friends MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Batalon), even though they no longer remember him. Now even his body seems to be fighting him, so Peter approaches Bruce Banner (Ruffalo) for help suppressing his expanding spider-senses. And he starts wondering if it will be possible to be both Peter and Spider-Man for much longer.

Impressively, this internal struggle remains central even with the film's comical tone. Peter's thoughts and feelings vividly emerge through a combination of flickering flashbacks and Holland's remarkably natural performance. Always a sympathetic actor, he seems to effortlessly layer soulful conflict into a role that bursts with charming, offhanded wit. This creates powerfully involving interaction with other characters, bringing unexpected nuance that is very rare for the genre. It also adds riveting edges to the action sequences, giving them a genuine urgency.

As a result, all of the people on-screen feel bracingly truthful. Zendaya gives MJ a superb mix of knowing truthfulness and wry humour, while Batalon's exuberant, hopeful Ned livens up every scene he's in. As the hot-headed bulldozer Frank, aka Punisher, Bernthal is both exasperating and surprisingly open-hearted. Reprising iconic roles, Ruffalo and Pugh find their own wonderfully offbeat textures. And as the primary antagonist, Sink astutely continues the Spider-Man tradition of creating a villain who isn't actually villainous.

This is also a rare Marvel movie that isn't overwhelmed by digital effects; even the most outrageous scenes have an earthy, real-world scale. And the bigger action beats are accompanied by deep emotional resonance. So the film becomes a beautiful exploration of identity and human nature. Peter is refusing to accept a future without family or friends. And he's also discovering that he can't control something that needs to be expressed. These provocative ideas add to a movie that's also funny, whizzy and extraordinarily cool.

themes, language, violence 28.Jul.26

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