‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ sticks the landing—‘nuff said!

In the aftermath of The Snap and in the looming shadow of Dr Doom, we’re settled in for a more grounded, street-level setting. New York City has always been Spider-Man’s home court, and his relationship with its citizens is a large part of his character. More importantly, it’s what makes him so fun. The cinematography is excellent, not just during scenes where Spider-Man swings around the city, but also in the more introspective moments, where Parker is allowed some breathing room to reflect. This also enables the audience to catch their breath and really feel the depth of what Parker is going through. It’s also chock-full of references to iconic Spider-Man scenes across the character’s publication history, which sharp-eyed fans will no doubt stand up and point at.

While there is a long-running debate about who the best Spider-Man on the big screen is, you can’t deny that Holland has captured the witty, mischievous (but not mean-spirited) attitude the web-head is known for. No matter who he exchanges banter with—thugs, Scorpion (Michael Mando) or the Punisher, it does not come off as forced or contrived. It is evidence that we are dealing with a more mature version of Spider-Man, far from the gung-ho idealist we saw in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and without treading too far down the dark and gritty road.

Before we go any further, special praise must be directed to Spider-Man’s new costume. No more nanomachines and instant-kill modes. The outfit shows wrinkles. It bends. There are imperfections. While it still retains a measure of technology, it looks and feels like a costume that Parker himself knit and put together, which does wonders for setting the tone of where he currently is.

And where is Parker, currently? Suffering, with the toll of past battles and tragedies expressed clearly on Holland’s face. It is a burden he carries with as much positivity as he can muster. It’s palpable. But that’s not all that he’s dealing with: his powers begin to mutate, not only causing him to become more aggressive and impulsive, but also granting him organic webbing that causes issues. He seeks out the help of Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) to try and control what is increasingly becoming uncontrollable. Furthermore, he must battle a foe he initially cannot see or outright punch. Interestingly, this villain poses more of a threat to Parker than Spider-Man himself.

The mutation conflict adds an interesting element to the age-old internal struggle that Spider-Man faces, namely his attempt to juggle his civilian life with his masked vigilante persona. To this end, Holland and Bernthal have exceptional on-screen chemistry, which only works because of what we know Parker and Castle have already gone through, and the similarities in their mental state. 

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The rest of the supporting cast—including MJ, Leeds, Banner and more—prop up the film, give it life and lend it that comic book energy without overstaying their welcome. There is little more to praise about Zendaya and Holland, as both have worked on more projects together than one can count, and their off-screen romance powers their performance. But it would be difficult to say more without spoiling the fun and the plot—you’ll have to catch the movie if you want to see the twist for yourself.

If criticism must be directed somewhere, it is to the consistency of the fight scenes themselves. The highs are really high, but the lows are also low. Equal times I found myself staring in awe at the choreography, only to frown upon an ill-timed slow-motion sequence or questionable camera angle. But in the end, this is just a nitpick, and nothing more.

Spider-Man, in my opinion, works best when he stays grounded, grappling with personal issues and street-level villains. It is what makes him so relatable and beloved to fans around the world, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day has shown us why. Beneath the mask is an ordinary guy, just doing the best he can with what he is given.

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