The Los Angeles premiere of Sony’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” has officially wrapped and the first reactions to the MCU’s latest entry are out in the wild. Official reviews and social media responses are beginning to pour in, with many offering euphoric praise for the multiverse mash-up featuring Tom Holland’s friendly neighborhood superhero.
Director Jon Watts returns for “No Way Home” after directing previous “Spider-Man” entries “Homecoming” and “Far From Home.” The newest installment picks up after Spider-Man’s identity as Peter Parker has been revealed to the world. Peter turns to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), who casts a spell to make the world forget that he’s the web-slinger, but the enchantment goes awry and breaks open the multiverse. The MCU is invaded by “Spider-Man” villains from alternate realities, including Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe). Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau and J.K. Simmons also return for this new “Spider-Man” entry.
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” will be released exclusively in theaters on Friday.
Variety chief film critic Peter Debruge called the blockbuster “a clever meta-adventure” adding that “audiences who’ve tuned out [of the ‘Spider-Man’ films] along the way will be rewarded for giving this one a shot.”
Reviewing the film for IGN, Amelia Emberwing hailed the film as a “perfect harmony of a Saturday morning cartoon and the deep drama that we’ve come to expect from these epics,” citing the blockbuster’s performances as one of the key reasons for its success.
The Playlist’s Rodrigo Perez was less enthusiastic, calling the film a “very regressive, fan-service-y ‘Spider-Man’ legacy-sequel that’s overly nostalgic for its heydays.” Comparing the film to the similarly multiverse-focused “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” the critic wrote that the film is “nowhere near as successful or inventive.”
Nick Schager offered a positive review in The Daily Beast, deeming it “the MCU’s best Spidey movie by a mile.”
On social media, Variety awards editor Clayton Davis erred on the side of caution with regards to spoilers, offering a humorously non-descriptive response that still expressed his praise.
#SpiderManNoWayHome has a beginning, middle and an end. I like those three elements. Tom Holland and Zendaya are good at making me believe they are those characters. The special effects look real. I liked the fights. I had a lot of fun.
This is how I review Marvel movies now. pic.twitter.com/AZrOiX7Cnt
— Clayton Davis (@ByClaytonDavis) December 14, 2021
Fandango’s Erik Davis deemed “No Way Home” the best live-action “Spider-Man” picture to date.
I can confidently say #SpiderManNoWayHome is THE BEST live-action Spider-Man movie. A thrilling & emotional end to the “Homecoming” trilogy, but also a smart, fun & exciting tribute to 20 years of Spider-Man movies. Both hilarious & heartbreaking, I honestly loved every second. pic.twitter.com/8xpqbTNgfz
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) December 14, 2021
Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier called the film “immensely satisfying,” adding the caveat that the middle gets a little bogged down with setting up so many characters.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is immensely satisfying. You’ll cry happy tears, sad tears, and cheer in the theater. The middle gets a little clunky cause there are so many characters but the third act is so dynamic, fun and powerful, it more than makes up for it. #SpiderManNoWayHome pic.twitter.com/klthYwtmCg
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) December 14, 2021
Decider’s Alex Zalben stated that the film works because it remains centered on Holland’s Peter Parker, even while spinning lots of fan service plates.
#SpiderManNoWayHome shockingly works by keeping focused on Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, front and center. It’s still packed with fan service and pays off nearly 20 years of movies; but most of all it’s funny, fun, and often extremely emotional. Stay spoiler free as long as possible.
— Alex Zalben (@azalben) December 14, 2021
See more reactions below:
If any movie this year was engineered from top to bottom to be seen in a theater with an audience, it is #SpiderManNoWayHome. It’s many pleasures are magnified exponentially by how much joy it brings strangers sitting nearby.
— Adam B. Vary (@adambvary) December 14, 2021
Spider-Man: No Way Home didn’t meet my expectations, it EXCEEDED them. This movie is worth every excruciating moment we had to wait! The visuals, the score, the heart, the story, the villains…. talk about an EPIC creation. Tears, chills, happiness… #SpiderManNoWayHome pic.twitter.com/44FcO7IrtF
— Tessa Smith – Mama’s Geeky (@MamasGeeky) December 14, 2021
Spider-Man: No Way Home is one of the best superhero movies of all time.
It just continuously proves, over and over again, why Peter Parker is the greatest fictional character, ever. pic.twitter.com/2VCcIxfZ1J
— Hector Navarro (@Hectorisfunny) December 14, 2021
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the best Marvel movie of all time. #SpiderManNoWayHome perfectly pays tribute to the legacy of Spider-Man and finds that perfect balance of humor, action, heart, and nostalgia. Fans of the web-slinger will absolutely lose their minds when they see this. pic.twitter.com/mYZ7emhkY1
— Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) December 14, 2021
#SpiderManNoWayHome is simply amazing. Every scene w/ Willem Dafoe is GREAT. A love letter to the fans. I don’t even want to say anything else. I love Homecoming, but this may be my favorite of the trilogy. Can’t wait to see it again. 🕷❤️ pic.twitter.com/GBia3SlCqs
— Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) December 14, 2021
No Way Home is fucking great. Endgame levels of “Wow they nailed it.”
— jason c. (@netw3rk) December 14, 2021
#SpiderMan #NoWayHome starts off wobbly under a mountain of exposition/overcrowding but eventually rounds into form. The multiverse elements provide great fan service constructed to serve a greater thematic arc. A natural emotional step from FFH & conclusion to first trilogy. pic.twitter.com/sB8AjQdU0q
— Brandon Katz ☕️ (@Great_Katzby) December 14, 2021