REEL | Tom Holland Resets the Emotional 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'

"Enough of this soft-serve bullsh*t!"

Sony Pictures / Marvel Studios

Spider-Man: Brand New Day refreshes Tom Holland's enthusiastic interpretation of the webslinger superhero in the current Marvel Cinematic Universe canon and continuity. Led by the talented Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton this time around, we find a lonely Peter Parker struggling with his powers after the multiverse-changing events of No Way Home.

Both Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are back as Peter's closest but now estranged best friends after they were forced to forget his existence along with the rest of the world to save the universe. Holland's more solemn hero must also deal with other issues, changes, and mutations. Instead of any multiversal shenanigans or typical big baddie, Cretton throws a barrage and series of lower-level enemies in Spider-Man's path as he battles a crime syndicate sieging the streets of New York City.

Enter Sadie Sink as a new and mysterious teenage antagonist, Jon Bernthal as the vigilante Punisher, Michael Mando finally donning the Scorpion mech suit, and Mark Ruffalo back as the (savage) Hulk. These, and many others, make Brand New Day feel like a particularly populated film with its own distinct corner of the universe amidst the sea of complex Marvel worlds clashing together. While there's plenty of stakes and consequences, Cretton focuses on more street-level concerns in a lived-in New York City.



Previous Spider-Man: Home trilogy screenwriters, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, return to script Spidey's post-school misadventures. It's a fairly grounded film, clearly shot on location (Glasgow doubling NYC), with a distinct and saturated colour palette to its rich cinematography that's visually striking. These elements feel particularly reflected in the highly emotional performances from Holland and Zendaya as Peter, who both try to remember and forget their sweet romance, tries to rebuild his friendships from scratch without endangering others and those he loves.

There's so much heart as the actors exploit our familiarity and investment in these particular versions of the comic book characters while making the webcrawler's current existential threat a cerebral target. Holland as Peter cannot bear to lose anyone else while he struggles to make new connections. Sink's own motivations and mission to avenge someone she lost clash with what Spider-Man must protect at all costs.

Cretton enjoyably resets Spider-Man: Brand New Day into something more powerful than just Holland's fourth standalone outing as his arachnid superhero incarnation (and seventh overall appearance in the MCU). It's a fun, bright, shiny, and hopeful entry into Spider-Man's cinematic legacy.


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