Spider-Man: Brand New Day

There's something magical about watching Spider-Man swing through the skyscrapers of New York. No matter how many times we've seen Peter Parker spin his webs and leap between towering buildings, it still brings a smile to your face. That sense of wonder remains intact in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but this time, the film takes a very different route.

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the fourth Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland picks up after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. The world no longer remembers Peter Parker, who is now living a lonely life, dedicating himself entirely to being Spider-Man. But as he faces a mysterious new threat, he also undergoes a strange transformation that puts both his identity and the city at risk. The film also stars Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Sadie Sink, Michael Mando, Tramell Tillman, and Mark Ruffalo.

What surprised me most is that this isn't the fun-filled superhero adventure I expected. It's far more dialogue-driven than action-driven. The action sequences are spectacularly mounted, as Marvel usually delivers but there simply aren't enough of them. The humour, which has been one of the defining strengths of Tom Holland's Spider-Man films, is also dialled down considerably.

The film spends a lot of time exploring Peter Parker's emotional state, making it feel more like a character drama than a thrilling superhero entertainer. While that approach works in parts, it's not a fast-paced action adventure that many will be expecting. Fans may find themselves waiting too long for the big moments.

The villains, however, are among the film's biggest strengths. The negative characters are brilliantly conceived and bring a genuine sense of danger to the story. They elevate the narrative whenever they're on screen and make the confrontations engaging.

Tom Holland once again delivers a sincere performance, carrying Peter Parker's loneliness and emotional burden convincingly. Zendaya has a limited presence, but whenever she appears, she lights up the screen. I only wish the film had given her a lot more to do because her chemistry with Tom Holland continues to be one of the franchise's biggest assets.

Some of the film's most entertaining moments belong to Tom Holland and Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova. Their crackling chemistry brings back the trademark Marvel humour and leaves you wishing they had a lot more screen time together.

At 2 hours and 25 minutes, the film definitely feels stretched. Editing 15–20 minutes would have made it a much sharper experience. One final note for fans who always wait for Marvel's post-credit surprises: there is a post-credit scene right at the very end of the credits. In my opinion, it simply isn't worth sitting through the entire credits roll for.