Film Review | Spider-Man: Far From Home

Spider-Man: Far From Home is directed by Jon Watts and stars Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Superhero/Teen/Action. Released 2019.

Spider-Man: Far From Home follows the culmination event that was Avengers: Endgame and focusses on the emotional impact it has had on Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and company. He comes to terms with new pressures and responsibilities whilst also being introduced to Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) and learning about a world greater than his own. Homecoming was delightful. Endgame was epic. So, following both of these brilliant films, can Far From Home marry the charm of the former to the grandeur of the latter?

COMPLETELY. I was, and still am, utterly shocked by how much I adore this film. Expectations were already high... I was anticipating something consistent with Homecoming, but Far From Home exceeds it by every measure. Take everything great from Homecoming, multiply it by 10, and elevate the stakes and widen the scope; your result: Spider-Man: Far From Home. What is impressive about Far From Home is the fact that even while feeling so much grander than its predecessor, it still protects the teenage innocence and humour which made Homecoming so special, still carried mostly by our favourite web-slinger.

Tom Holland delivers his best and most emotionally complex performance thus far and proves to everyone that he is undoubtedly the greatest embodiment of Peter Parker we have seen on screen. With me being the same age as the character, it is more emotionally resonant than how most people would respond, and I hope that we get to see more than just a trilogy so we can witness a focussed emotional development of the character, from adolescence and well into adulthood. Holland nails the comedy and the drama in the same beats, much like he carries the charm and intensity of the film in the same breath. He is simply brilliant. A key element of his character - and a key element of the story - is Peter's relationship with Zendaya's MJ, who is given much more to do here and brings to life a real character as opposed to the - although well-performed - inconsequential archetype she was in the first film. A romance I cannot wait to see blossom. The supporting cast give an additional burst of life and energy to the film and any one of these individuals' absences would be felt. I smiled every time Jacob Batalon was on screen, I cackled every time Tony Revolori spoke, and was genuinely moved by Jon Favreau's role - in many ways, the emotional backbone of the story and a poignant reminder of Tony Stark.

Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio is a pretty exceptional addition to the MCU. I am not entirely sure about where his character will go from here and whether he will continue to be a major player going forward, but I would not object. Gyllenhaal is fantastic and Mysterio is one of the best written characters in the MCU, after one supporting role in just one out of twenty-three films!

The plot is expertly woven in Far From Home. It's full of fabulous twists and turns and I genuinely had no idea which way the story would move; credit to the advertising team for showing us barely any detail of the plot from the half-way point onwards. It made the experience even more exciting, unpredictable and gripping than I had anticipated.

A well-woven plot, sophisticated emotional themes, charming humour, great characters and the most brilliant front man, Spider-Man: Far From Home is a film that never switches off, and ranks among the greatest MCU films we have seen thus far. Plus, Jon Watts and co have taken end-credits scenes to a whole other level.

A