Spider-Man: Brand New Day picks up after Doctor Strange casts a memory-erasing spell that made the entire world forget Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) identity as Spider-Man.
Peter now lives alone in an apartment in New York City.
He still fights crime as Spider-Man. In fact, he is more productive as a superhero than ever. He jailed bad guys like Scorpion (Michael Mando), the organization the Hand, Tombstone (Marvin Jones III), and many others, with the help of police detective Jean DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas).
He also got a new friend in Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal). Well, they are sort of friends. Okay, they might even just be workmates. The two are polar opposites in personality, especially in how they want things done. Frank wants to blow things up to get things done more easily and quickly, whereas Peter wants to save the day without generally wanting to harm anyone.
Truth be told, Peter really does not have anyone in his life anymore because no one remembers him. His girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) are living their best lives at MIT without him. And that hurts Peter. But he has to face the consequences of his actions, and he holds on to the hope that maybe someday he’ll get to reintroduce himself to them again. Maybe they’ll remember.
In the meantime, Peter has a bigger problem at hand that he needs to solve. A body-jumping villain is causing havoc in New York City, and since he’s immune to it, he’s the only one who can stop it.
What Peter didn’t know is that this villain has nothing to lose and everything to gain, and it will use even the cruelest means to get the web-slinger out of its way.
It’s a good time to be a Spider-Man fan. Besides the comics, there are currently nine live-action Spider-Man films (including Brand New Day). If we add the Spider-Verse movies, then it’s 11. Not to mention the other movies about his enemies, like Venom, Morbius, and Kraven, and the plethora of cartoons and a new mini-series on Amazon Prime.
Needless to say, people can’t get enough of Spider-Man because he is a well-beloved superhero. And even if the MCU ends one day, he will probably still be relevant.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is Tom Holland’s fourth solo MCU Spider-Man film, and even though he’s been playing the titular character for 10 years, he still feels like he hasn’t missed a beat. Tom Holland is, hands down, the perfect Peter Parker and Spider-Man, no disrespect intended to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. But Tom nailed the look, the athleticism, the vibe, the talent, and the energy needed to play the role. Additionally, it looks like he really enjoys playing the character, and he really believes in the character’s story, purpose, and power, even going the extra mile to pitch his ideas and get himself involved in the creative process. Usually, a film with the lead actor getting creatively involved can turn into a major disaster. Fortunately, though, Brand New Day turns out to be more than okay, precisely because it’s one of the most different Spider-Man films out there.
Yes, that’s the word: different. Brand New Day feels different because the MCU Spider-Man I know is vibrant, light, and breezy. I would describe Jon Watts‘ take as something that never strayed far from safe territory. It also stuck to a proven formula designed to guarantee box-office success. Destin Daniel Cretton‘s new take is darker, more mature, and more grounded. It still feels somewhat “safe” to me, but it feels miles away from the “watching high-school teens fight crime” vibe of the first three films. The stakes feel a lot more personal.
The decision to change the tone of Spider-Man also makes sense when we consider that Peter is already beyond his teenage years. He’s not a kid anymore; he’s a young adult. And what that demands from Spider-Man’s story is themes that go beyond pursuing a crush, trying to pass exams, or going on a field trip. It demands a story that talks about greater responsibilities, coming to terms with your emotions, and learning to live on your own. And that is exactly what we get from this film: a deeper thesis on a man capable of saving the city but struggling to save himself.
Speaking of saving the city, let me just say that Brand New Day’s action sequences are my favorites among all the Spider-Man movies. There is some inventive combat choreography and use of webs here, which proves both how far Peter has come in using his powers and how the use of real stunt work pays dividends.
As for Brand New Day’s place in the MCU, since we are heading toward Avengers: Doomsday, I would say that Spider-Man feels more self-contained and slightly detached from all the Cinematic Universe happenings. This film can stand on its own, despite there being some people and names connected to the MCU and its future plans. It is only concerned with itself, which, to me, is how all future MCU movies should be.
In summary, Brand New Day is not the same kind of movie as Tom Holland’s other three films. But that doesn’t mean Tom Holland isn’t consistent anymore; it’s actually the opposite, as this feels like the best version of Peter Parker he has played yet. That also doesn’t mean this film lacks the heart, humor, and humanity that made the character beloved in the first place. Destin Daniel Cretton might have created a Spider-Man that isn’t mainly for kids anymore, but all the things we love about him, from his relatability to his wit, are still there.
4/5
Now showing in cinemas.