Since his inception back in 1939, Spider-Man has been one of the most popular and recognizable figures in pop culture, let alone as a comic book superhero. Rivals like Batman or Superman may cover darker, more dramatic themes, but Spider-Man and Peter Parker have remained the most relatable in theme and characterization. Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man 2 is widely regarded as the character’s best live-action adaptation for this very reason, giving Peter a chance to prove to the audience and himself what makes him a hero despite the struggles he must face whilst living as an everyday man. Granted, it is a core pillar of the character’s double life, but it’s typically how that double life is represented that can make or break one iteration versus another.
Tom Holland, who has now played live-action Peter Parker and Spider-Man longer than any other actor, has matured about as much as his portrayal. Like Peter, Tommy is no longer a kid from the big city. He has adult responsibilities and has faced many challenges while balancing his life as an actor/entrepreneur and a civilian. Not only was his fresh face what made him a perfect fit for the role back in 2016, but his maturity and growth since then make him a perfect fit now. Spider-Man: Brand New Day requires Peter to overcome what was laid in front of him the last we saw him — a world that doesn’t know who he is — and find those who respect and admire him for who he is, as Spider-Man and Peter Parker. That alone would make this one of Spider-Man’s most relatable iterations, but how the movie frames Peter’s journey makes it uniquely incremental to why the character is so popular.
The first thing the film makes clear is that this is not the Peter Parker we last saw. Crime may be at an all-time low in the Big Apple, but so is Peter. He struggles to acclimate to a life of total anonymity because he believes that the burdens and grief he carries are his to shoulder alone. So, he becomes a shut-in and focuses solely on being Spider-Man to avoid confronting everything he has lost. Yet, through a grand cast of characters, he is reminded that he should neither run from his problems nor feel like he must overcome them on his own. Great power may come with great responsibility, but that responsibility is also what makes him a friendly neighborhood superhero and a well-respected adversary.
For the audience, Peter’s struggles feel relatable because, as he learns in Brand New Day, you do not have to go through it alone. Some may feel that core lesson is rather formulaic or overshadowed by the onslaught of recognizable Marvel characters and build-up to later MCU phases, and rightly so. Yet, others will see it as the character’s most rawly heartfelt and validating journey, and one of Holland’s most effective and punctual performances as Spider-Man, or even in his career. On the surface, these two ends of the spectrum have little overlap, but they oddly make the narrative’s shortcomings more relevant, unique, and poignant.
From start to finish, it screams loud and proud that it is a comic book movie. It features new and recurring villains, heroes, and anti-heroes from across Spider-Man’s history, mashed together with some that fit into the greater MCU timeline. On paper, it is a jumbled mess of ideas that perhaps feel unnecessary and maps out the MCU’s future rather bluntly. However, Peter’s inner conflict connects an array of themes, characters, and plot points neatly into a journey specific to this movie. This also benefits the cinematography, using a mix of practical and digital effects to bring life and depth to New York City and Spider-Man’s stunt work. It worked so well, in fact, that Sony and Marvel littered it across their marketing campaign alongside the “who’s who” of Marvel characters that appear in the film. Beyond the film’s shortcomings is genuine passion for the material, and it shows in the film’s presentation and pacing.
What makes this such a successful romp, however, are the performances. Few fall flat, with each providing the right emotion and brevity to let their characters’ actions speak for themselves. Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Mark Ruffalo, Jacob Batalon, Liza Colón-Zayas, Tramell Tillman — I would run out of fingers for every inclusion that amplifies Peter’s journey from sad loner to happily anonymous adult civilian. Jon Bernthal and Liza Colón-Zayas play eye-opening moral compasses for Peter and the audience, showcasing how there will always be sibling or parent-like figures to support you through thick and thin. Mark Ruffalo warns Peter to face the music rather than use his crime-fighting to avoid his struggles. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon toe the line between old, unknowing friends and outwardly perceptive strangers that beautifully suits Peter’s internal renaissance. Sadie Sink and Tramell Tillman play foils to Peter and Spider-Man, unexpectedly challenging his trust, sense of self, and his journey at large so he can come out as an older, wiser individual. The juice behind these performances brings out the film’s best and brightest qualities, enough where its shortcomings pale by comparison.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day may stumble into many of the MCU’s greater issues in narrative progression and build-up, but what remains is a tight-knit, passionate exploration of a man grieving the loss of so much and how he works to move past it. Alongside his crime-fighting, he faces loneliness, isolation, responsibility, grief, and adversity. He acknowledges his reality and tries to balance his responsibilities towards himself and the world. Most of all, he learns he is not alone and how others can share and resonate with the burdens he carries. Perhaps it shares too much in common with Thunderbolts*, especially in its climax, but those similarities feel much more at home with Peter’s journey. Because underneath Spider-Man is a guy who lives in New York City and faces the same problems everyone else does. So even though Spider-Man is no longer home, he finds solace in having a brand new day ahead of him; a chance to build something better than what came before, with the tools it helped him cultivate. And that may be the most befitting trait a Spider-Man movie could have.
Photo credits: Marvel Studios, Sony Pictures
© Creative Insight 2024
