SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

With the dust having settled from Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios close the Infinity Saga and kick off a new era for the MCU with Spider-Man: Far From Home. Following such an epic cinematic event as Endgame is never going to be an easy task however, with Spider-Man, arguably the most popular superhero of all time, at their disposal, this is probably the best route they could have taken.

With the world a much changed place after the events of Endgame, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) must step-up in his duties as Spider-Man to protect the world from new threats, all while travelling around Europe on a school vacation.

Considering Tony Stark's death in Endgame hit Peter Parker pretty damn hard, having his film close out the Infinity Saga seems incredibly fitting, the responsibility left on his shoulders after being chosen by Stark looming over him throughout. Homecoming saw Parker want to be more than the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man however, having seen just how vast the threats across the universe can be, Far From Home sees him content with his world being smaller. The great thing about Parker as a character is the internal struggles he must juggle with his dual identity and Far From Home does a great job in portraying Parker's emotional journey, the fact it all happens while he's still at high school, a battlefield itself, making it much more intriguing.

Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers have done a great job in writing a film that throws us so effortlessly into the complicated web that is Peter Parker's life, whether it be trying to help save the world from new threats or trying to win the girl of his dreams. Both aspects are dealt with seriously but it would be a lie if I told you they didn't have some fun while doing it, jokes firing on all cylinders for the most part. There was one running joke involving Ned they could have done without, adding no purpose to an already stuffed plot, but I can let that slide when there is a huge amount of fun to be had here.

One aspect that has improved since his first Spider-Man effort on Homecoming is director Jon Watts' ability to deliver an action sequence. They were good in the first film but they're much better here, particularly in the final act that includes some rather trippy yet visually stunning action, aided by some rather expectedly great special effects work.

Coming to the performances, Far From Home proves further that Tom Holland was just born to play the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man. It's often said about most actors who play superheroes however, Holland just oozes the screen presence to make the whole thing click and feel utterly believable, the naivety and awkwardness of both identities being strongpoints of his overall performance. Spider-Man is one of the most relatable superheroes and he's never felt as relatable as he does with Holland in the role.

Zendaya introduced herself as MJ (Mary Jane to those who don't know) in Homecoming, triggering the nerd blogs with posts about her not being how MJ should be but she owns it in Far From Home, settling into the role brilliantly and sharing a good chemistry with Holland, key to making this particular relationship working on screen. Jake Gyllenhaal is a major coup for the MCU and he really does go all out to ensure Mysterio becomes a character it'll be hard to forget in a hurry, his quirkiness matching that of Quentin Beck to a tee. 

With Endgame closing a chapter for a few of Earth's mightiest heroes, Far From Home opens the MCU up to a whole new world of possibilities, for both Spider-Man himself and others scattered around the universe. The two credit stings are probably two of the biggest they've ever done in terms of the future of the MCU, so they're worth sticking around for. If you thought the MCU was going to run out of steam after Endgame think again because Far From Home makes it feel as if they're just getting started yet again for something big.

Verdict: ★★★★½