“Spiderman: Far From Home”: An imperfect magic trick that leaves the way ready for “Spiderman: No Way Home”

Countdown: El Comercio presents a series of special articles about the upcoming premiere of “Spiderman: No Way Home” (“Spider-Man: No Way Home”), the most anticipated movie of 2021, starring Tom Holland, zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Benedict Cumberbatch; etc. From Monday December 6 to Wednesday 15, we publish reviews of every movie that the hero has starred in the cinema. On this occasion, it’s time to see the second film of the arachnid in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, located after the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” The universe was saved, but heroes like Black Widow and Peter Parker’s mentor Iron Man died in the process.

Watching “Spiderman: Far From Home” a second time was a satisfying experience. A film of correct conflicts, but that prioritizes the impact of its images, of its moments, over history. It dazzles, but if you think about it a lot, you find the seams.

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) wants to take advantage of a school trip to Europe to declare his love for MJ (Zendaya), but the attack of giants from another universe, the ‘elementals’, interrupts the journey. Being the only Avenger available, Peter must face them, for which he will have the help of the interdimensional traveler Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). Along with everything, Peter will have a conflict between his personal life and that of a hero.

Duty

In the main plot of “Spiderman: Far From Home” (2019), the hero has the duty (on his own initiative and due to external pressure) to live up to Tony Stark, who died in “Avengers: Endgame” and is remembered like a hero. It’s a twist on the plot of “Spiderman: Homecoming” (2017), where Peter wanted to show his courage before the hero in the armor. When Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) seeks him out on a mission, the teenager just wants normal vacations. Upon arriving in Italy, Peter has to fight a water elemental, fight where he meets Quentin Beck; aka Mysterio.

Mysterio fits in because he presents himself as a father figure to Peter, disoriented after the death of Iron Man. After a few comings and goings across the old continent, Peter wonders how fit he is to become the heir to Iron Man, thereby I mean not only to be a heroic figure of weight, but because he receives Edith; artificial intelligence in the form of sunglasses capable of intercepting communications and controlling a swarm of warlike drones.

The villain tricked Peter into giving him control of Edith, thereby wanting to pass himself off as a hero and thus exact revenge against Tony Stark.

Regardless of whether the ballistic traces that the drones left in Venice and Prague had revealed Mysterio’s plan, the villain loses impact by revealing himself as resentful not for his reasons to hate Tony Stark, but for his speech when expressing this hatred; that brings you closer to a teenager than an adult. The trick overlaps with the explanation of the villain, who ensures that people are capable of believing anything.

It is in the battle of London where several plot lines are decided: Mysterio tries to kill Peter’s friends (since they know his secret) and, at the same time, orchestrates an ‘elemental attack’ to remain a hero on a large scale. Peter wants to save his friends and stop Beck, no longer because he feels obliged to do so, or because it would be well seen in the eyes of others, but because he wants to. The collision of wills seen in the previous film returns, but Beck’s emotional immaturity as a character takes away its impact.

The most shocking ending

Other plots to highlight? That of Peter and MJ, which grows organically and complements that other conflict of the hero, who seeks a normal life. On the other hand, wasted is the role of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who does not realize Mysterio’s plan despite being the most qualified for it. I Instead, more satisfying was the mini-arc of Flash Thompson (Toni Revoroli), the bully ignored by his parents.

The ending of the movie is arguably the best of it, so it proposes. As a last will, Mysterio tasked his team to tell the world a truth seasoned with lies: Spiderman’s identity is revealed, but Peter is accused of causing the attacks all over the world, as well as killing the villain.

The best trick of “Spiderman: Far From Home” is to make you believe that it is a very good movie, when in fact it is average. The second best trick is to leave the world with high expectations for the closing of the trilogy; that when you are reading this text it should already be in theaters.

Qualification

3.5 Stars out of 5

Data

• You can watch “Spiderman: Far From Home” on Amazon Prime Video.
• “Spiderman: No Way Home” previews in theaters Wednesday, December 15, opening Thursday, December 16.

Look also

Read all our reviews of the saga “Spiderman”