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‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Review: Tom Holland Returns in a ‘Mature’ Adventure That for All Its Good Action Is Trying Too Hard
Variety's chief film critic Owen Gleiberman reviews "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, which finds Tom Holland's Peter Parker as an isolated, workaholic crime-fighter after the memory-wiping ending of "No Way Home." The critic praises the film's attempt at a more thoughtful, "mature" tone compared with its predecessor but argues it strains too visibly for depth, ultimately undercutting the goal it is reaching for.
In the story, Doctor Strange's spell has erased MJ (Zendaya) and Ned's (Jacob Batalon) memories of Peter, so when the trio reunite they see him as a stranger, while Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) has died, leaving Peter emotionally adrift. The review notes plenty of strong action, including an extended sequence featuring Mark Ruffalo's Hulk, and contrasts the film with 2021's "No Way Home," which grossed around $800 million domestically and close to $2 billion worldwide, calling that earlier film cynically engineered nostalgia despite its success.
In short
- Variety reviews "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" starring Tom Holland
- Peter Parker is now isolated after "No Way Home" memory wipe
- Critic says film's "mature" ambitions feel overly strained despite good action
Explained simply
A new Spider-Man film called "Brand New Day" has been released, starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker. A critic from Variety has reviewed the film, praising certain elements whilst suggesting it falls short of its ambitions.
The film follows events from the previous Spider-Man movie, "No Way Home," which ended with a spell cast by Doctor Strange that erased the memories of those closest to Peter. When Peter encounters his friends MJ and Ned again, they no longer remember him, and his aunt May has died, leaving him emotionally isolated and working alone as a crime-fighter.
The review notes that the film attempts a more thoughtful, mature approach compared to its predecessor and features several impressive action sequences. However, the critic argues that the film's effort to achieve greater emotional depth is noticeably forced, ultimately undermining the serious tone it is reaching for.
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