Review – Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Whenever there is a new entry to the MCU, there’s always the question as to whether ‘superhero fatigue’ is real or if fans will continue to support this ever-expanding catalogue of movies and shows. Since Avengers: Endgame, there has been a real struggle to keep the momentum and enthusiasm going for this cinematic universe. Except when it comes to our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. As Marvel’s most famous superhero, and one of the most popular in existence, Spidey’s films have reliably drawn in huge crowds in the past and kept the flame alive. With the character’s rights divided amongst several Hollywood studios, there’s a lot riding on Spider-Man’s continued success. But can his luck run out?

Content Guide

Violence/Scary Images: Talks of human experimentation. A character is tortured (strapped to a chair and endures a procedure on their brain (no gore)). Discussions of how previous victims of experimentation resulted in fatalities. Gun violence, gun shot wounds, and pooling blood is depicted. Explosions. Car accidents. Battles with weapons that cause electrocution. Characters are physically assaulted with excessive force. Spiders and gross-looking webbing are shown—some discussion about spider biology.

Language/Crude Humor: The s-word and variants are said, along with a** and alternatives. Jesus is used as a curse word. The f-bomb is intended but cheekily censored.

Drug/Alcohol References: Casual consumption of alcohol at a party, along with talk of beer. A character is obsessed with energy drinks. Neural inhibitors are a major part of the plot.

Sexual Content: An unmarried couple kiss—it is technically without consent, though that element is addressed later on. A character asks another to remove their clothing. There is a joke that Spider-Man fans have created workplace inappropriate fan drawings.

Spiritual Content: Nothing specific, although magic and spells do exist in their world.

Other Negative Content: Characters are forced to do things against their will, although the topic of consent and the morality of this is not properly discussed. Vigilante justice is depicted. Trespassing.

Positive Content: The film maturely deals with the topic of loss and the grief of change, and encourages personal growth and acceptance. It emphasises the need for community and connection, and to not live in isolation.

Review

Peter Parker wasn’t in a great place the last time we saw him. The events of Spider-Man: No Way Home left the titular character more isolated than ever before thanks to the result of a magical spell. In the years since, there has been much discussion online as to how consequential this spell really is, with some confusion as to how exactly it works and the rules and limitations surrounding such world-altering magic. Well, you’re left wondering in some aspects, as the story veers away from those nitty gritty details, and instead concerns itself on the impact it had on Peter.

Right from the start with the opening Marvel logo, Spider-Man is displayed as the sole superhero, as though he is disconnected from his former partnerships. This idea flows right through the first act. With Peter’s life essentially upended at the end of the last film, naturally he has funnelled all his energy into crime fighting, with his identity as Spider-Man taking precedence. For all the Spider-Man fans out there—this is fantastic news for you! We’re treated to snapshots of multiple villains, seeing Spider-Man perform at his absolute peak, along with some wonderful cinematography as we feel what it’s like to swing through New York as the iconic superhero… and get a glimpse at its loneliness.

The story features a clever oxymoron where we’re shown this superhero at his best, and yet simultaneously he is also stuck in a rut. It’s clear the world has moved on in ways that Peter is resisting. As such, it does take a while for the plot to kick into another gear, which thankfully occurs when a mysterious villain with an unnerving power orchestrates the narrative’s inciting incident. The film is on the longer side, containing a rarer four-act structure, which means the pacing dips in and out at times, although the story and its twists and turns manage to maintain the audience’s interest.

The MCU has really refined the superhero subgenre over the years, moving away from the subject matter being merely popcorn entertainment, and instead stretching and reexploring the boundaries of these iconic tales. While it has suffered numerous misses throughout the years, Marvel studios has avoided becoming too stale by playfully dipping into other genres. For instance, Captain America: The Winter Soldier dabbles in the spy genre, Thor: Ragnarok goes for comedy, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness surprised many with its moments of horror, while Eternals draws on the same tone as the epic romances of yesteryear. If there was a film in its catalogue that was a straight drama blend, it’s probably Spider-Man: Brand New Day (with Thunderbolts* as a close contender).

Like Thunderbolts*, Spider-Man: Brand New Day spends an inordinate amount of time delving into the psyche of its main protagonist, fleshing out the conflict in their inner world. It’s difficult to say which of these films offers the better package. Thunderbolts* was masterful when it came to handling its themes. The same cannot really be said for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. While the story is trying to explore genuinely complex and mature themes, its presentation is as delicate as the Hulk at times, where characters— ones that have no business in knowing what Peter is going through—somehow blurt out oddly pointed dialogue that distractingly coincides with the lesson the hero must learn. In short, this is not an intelligent drama, as the script never really dares the audience to think for themselves for too long.

However, Thunderbolts* didn’t have too many standout action set pieces, whereas Spider-Man: Brand New Day, despite focussing more on its themes and the character’s internal strife this time around, features several scenes that will please longtime fans. There are some matchups that are exciting to watch. Once again, Spider-Man (and his actor, Tom Holland) is in top form in this movie, and the quality of the battles reflect that, even though this story isn’t as action-packed as others in the MCU.  

Spider-Man’s character arc across the entire MCU franchise has been an interesting one. We’ve seen him develop from a geeky teen to a solid and respectable superhero. The more serious tone and the attitude of the character we see in this latest movie could not have worked without the build-up of the first three films. The MCU’s version of Spider-Man has also faced limitations with its storytelling due to all the issues surrounding the character’s licensing and rights, where a lot of the more famous and iconic villains are not up for use without multiple boardroom meetings and lawyers getting involved. Four movies in, and this has led to a happy accident, where not only has Spider-Man now developed into the fully-fledged crime fighter that’s reminiscent of the best in other versions, but he also has access to battling just about anyone on the MCU’s roster. While Spider-Man: No Way Home celebrated a crossover with other ‘alternate realities’ (or rather, just the other live action Spider-Man film franchises), Spider-Man: Brand New Day feels like a crossover with any comic franchise under Marvel’s umbrella. It’s a real treat to see how these characters interact. It’s no surprise that many fans are claiming that this movie is the best of the Spider-man films in the MCU’s lineup, and that’s because all of that set up done in the past is starting to really pay off.

Yet, like previous Marvel films, the whole thing is a double-edged sword. It has taken the MCU almost two decades to get to this point, where the audience is extremely comfortable with these characters and the writers can therefore play around with this level of interaction without spending copious amounts of screentime dedicated to worldbuilding. On the other hand, as someone who has invested their time into all thirty-eight films involved in this franchise, it is utterly frustrating to learn that still isn’t enough. Now it’s clear that movie goers will need to hop on Disney+ and watch the television shows to ensure the best experience, as while the story still makes sense if you haven’t, it’s abundantly evident with how many times The Punisher and Spider-Man reference a previous event that you’re missing out on little pieces if you haven’t done your additional ‘homework’. In fact, at no point is Jon Bernthal’s character called The Punisher; the movie doesn’t hold the audience’s hand when it comes to show references—it’s assumed knowledge.

Out of all the films in the MCU thus far, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is possibly the film that’s going to have viewers drawing on all of their Marvel comic book superhero knowledge the most if they haven’t watched every piece of MCU content. For instance, The Hand is also in this film, and unless you’re familiar with Daredevil in general or have watched the show (or you’re weird like me and know about The Hand due to reverse-engineered trivia knowledge from the TMNT), there’s no way to know where they’re from if you’re basing your knowledge from this film alone. But even with the more popular characters, it’s hard to keep track of everyone if you’re not up to date. The Hulk has a great moment, and it’s nice to see this character return to form, but it is getting confusing as to whereabouts he is in his journey considering he seems to now be different in every film. And what about Dr. Strange? Considering the power of Spider-Man’s mystery villain, it seems almost foolish for Peter to seek out Frank rather than Strange (or maybe it is explained in a random spin-off show—I have no idea). For while Spidey’s battle with The Foot The Hand is cool, it is ultimately symbolic of the MCU’s greatest problem; a dwindling viewership. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a terrible film for newcomers to jump into the MCU, while casual fans (even if they’ve watched every single film) may feel left behind, meaning that it’s clear you need to go ‘all in’ from here on out for the MCU to truly enjoy and appreciate every moment.

For those that have done their homework, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a fantastic film because it stands atop the legacy of all those movies (and shows) that came before it. There are also some wonderful performances and many great moments, although due to its blend with the drama genre, it’s possibly not as rewatchable due to the content feeling emotionally heavy. Is it the best Spider-Man film ever? Well, the jury’s still out, and I think that’s more of a statement as to how good Sony’s animated movies are, and the well-rounded quality of Spider-Man 2. Recency bias is currently strong with Spider-Man: Brand New Day as while it is deeply rewarding, thematically strong, and has a few great battles, its narrative structure is clunky, there’s not a whole lot of finesse with its storytelling, and the implications of some of the characters are currently being glossed over by fans which will no doubt be unpacked and properly analysed in the months to come. It’s a strong MCU entry, but it does have its pitfalls and may lose its shine over time.