"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has screened for critics ahead of release, drawing enthusiastic early reactions that single out Tom Holland's performance as the strongest of his run and praise director Destin Daniel Cretton for moving away from the multiverse storylines of recent instalments. Reviewers describe the film as a more grounded, character-driven return to the hero's street-level roots, blending detective, thriller and buddy-comedy elements while addressing emotional fallout from "Spider-Man: No Way Home".

Critics including Fandango's Erik Davis, Wendy Lee Szany, Brandon Pope, Peter Howell and Kevin Verma all posted positive first reactions on X, citing strong action sequences, a Spider-Man/Punisher double act, and standout support from Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo and Sadie Sink. Several praised the villain, described as a menacing telepath, and called the script the film's real strength, with some naming it the best entry in Holland's four-film run as the character.