Embedded Files
Published on 8/1/2026
Written by: Braylon Mitchell
Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Mando, Liza Colon Zayas, Tramell Tillman, etc.
Plot: A forgotten Peter Parker lives alone as a full-time Spider-Man until mounting pressure triggers a dangerous change and a powerful new enemy emerges.
REVIEW
Prepare for the box office to be smashed like the Incredible Hulk, because there's a new Spider-Man film in town. No one has a foothold on the world quite like the character of Spider-Man. Following the cliffhanger of 2021's "Spider-Man: No Way Home" where everyone has forgotten Peter Parker exists, this film feels like a fresh step in moving past the previous Tom Holland trilogy—doing a better job at grounding Spider-Man with a solid emotional core/arc to overcome and smaller-level threats that still feel high stakes. Focusing on Peter leaning so much on his Spider-Man persona that he's losing himself and the inner journey he goes through of learning to accept change without sacrificing human connection makes for an emotionally well-rounded arc that lives up to the level of expected connection to this character that generations have consistently held. Peter Parker/Spider-Man is the most popular superhero of all time for many reasons, one of the biggest reasons being how much people empathize with his struggles and his humanity. This film recognizes that, builds a strong story and sense of conflict around it, features some awesome action sequences, and it's all the better of a film for that. Yes, in typical MCU fashion, characters from other projects are forced in and there is a fair share of setting up what's to come in the future, but for the most part I'd say this film does a very effective job at feeling like a standalone Spider-Man film where a good story and good action are prioritized. Under the direction of Destin Daniel Cretton, this film indeed manages to live up to what it promises in its title. It feels like a "brand new day" for this character. Heck, this film even manages to visually look pretty interesting and engaging at times. That's become a rarity for MCU films as of late. It has its issues of overcrowding parts of its narrative, occasionally feels stalled at times, as well as many other nitpicky faults one could waste their afternoon counting—but in all honesty, to me this is one of the strongest MCU films in years and lives up to the hype as an exciting Spider-Man film that audiences will adore. It's a good apple, for sure.
THREE BEST ELEMENTS
Tom Holland's performance. Between this and "The Odyssey", Tom Holland is having a heck of a profitable summer (so are Zendaya and Jon Bernthal), and gives two of the best performances of his career. Tom Holland is my Spider-Man. As a little kid, I grew up with Tobey Maguire and seeing the Andrew Garfield films in theaters—but it wasn't until seeing Tom Holland in "Captain America: Civil War" ten years ago that I was able to claim my generation's Spider-Man. I've grown up into an adult with Holland as my Spider-Man, and he continues to prove that he's perfect casting. In this film, the character calls for more emotional nuance as well as the same playfulness expected, and Holland measures up to that very well. It's probably my favorite performance of his as Spider-Man.
Jon Bernthal's performance. I've yet to see Netflix's "The Punisher" or any of the "Daredevil" projects, so this was my first exposure to Jon Bernthal's portrayal of the character. I can't speak to how he's utilized differently within the bounds of a PG-13 rating compared to his usual R-rated realm, but I can speak to how much I loved his performance in this film and his dynamic with Spider-Man. The rough rapport and friendship between these two characters wasn't something I realized I needed, and Bernthal helps to do an excellent job at selling it.
Destin Daniel Cretton's direction. His direction of this film pops, especially compared to what Jon Watts was doing with the "Home" trilogy, which wasn't bad but wasn't much more than merely serviceable. Cretton makes the most out of the important role he's in, visually guiding the film to be a tad more adventurous than the MCU usually is comfortable with. Get this, he directs the film to feel as fun as it should be. He's one filmmaker where I wouldn't mind it at all if he continues to direct MCU projects.
WORST ELEMENT
There's a lot going on in the narrative, sometimes it can feel a bit jumbled in trying to balance it all. Granted, this is a common issue within a lot of recent MCU projects.
RATING
7/10
It's a very good superhero movie, buddy!
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