'Spider-Man: Far From Home' Is A Top 5 MCU Movie; Here's Why
THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME.
The Endgame happened. Tony is dead. Cap passed the shield. Phase 3 is over. Just when you think Marvel Studios has done it all, they throw something our way, and blow our minds again.
The MCU is a big world and many of its film’s have universe sized stakes. The thing that makes the Spider-Man movies (Homecoming & FFH) special is the fact that they aren’t “universe breakers.” Far From Home has the impossible job of following up the epicness of Avengers: Endgame, and somehow it does it without outdoing Thanos.
FFH answers all of our meme-able questions like: Where did the people who got snapped away end up? Aside from all the little details that wrap up those aspects of the MCU, you are reading this because I called FFH one of Marvel Studios’ best. So why is this movie in my Top 5? What makes this movie so great?
It’s Not Scared To Move Forward
While this film is the ending of Phase 3, Spider-Man: Far From Home might just serve as the launching point for the MCU’s future endeavors. Endgame was the icing on the cake, but FFH feels like we are staring to design another cake altogether. This film takes the events of Endgame, and pushes the MCU into the future.
People are sad that Tony has died. The world is still mourning the loss of Iron Man, and so is Peter. He feels the pressure of being the world’s next big hero, and a part of him doesn’t want to be. If Homecoming was about Peter learning to be a hero, FFH is about him having to step up to truly be one.
Tom Holland’s performance is spot on, and he encapsulates the true essence of what it means to be a teen with a life outside of school. Peter is conflicted between being “friendly neighborhood” and “the next Iron Man.” The other star of the film is Jake Gyllenhaal’s and his take on on Mysterio.
Mysterio is twisted to fit a more modern world, as his powers stem from drones and “fake news.” He is impulsive, and has a psychotic temper. Homecoming had an amazing villain presence with the blue-collar worker: Vulture, and FFH has the “fake news” spreader, Mysterio.
Quentin Beck as a villain in this film is ever more relevant to this day and age. People are constantly consuming information from social media, and television. Mysterio is a villain hellbent on “faking it,” and doing whatever it takes to make people believe he is the next Iron Man. He is a crazy character, and the casting done for Mysterio was perfect.
In The Top 5
If Homecoming is about Peter becoming a hero, Far From Home is about Peter proving that he’s worthy of the title. Trials and tribulations of heroism aside, FFH is a solid movie even without the action sequences. At its core, FFH is about a boy who is torn between his two selves. Peter is marginalized, and his loyalties to being both a hero and teenager are questioned.
Far From Home has some of the best action sequences in a standalone MCU film ever. The “illusion” scene is candy for the eyes, and it shows what Mysterio and his crew are truly capable of. That scene is a catalyst for audiences to rally behind Peter in the final battle. The films’ CGI is nothing to brag about, but the character designs are done perfectly. Mysterio looks great, and extremely comic book accurate.
Most standalone MCU movies are “hero-centric.” FFH is no exception, however, Mysterio is given compelling reasons as to why he must accomplish his goals. Beck’s goals are realistic, and it’s scary to see. By the time the final fight comes, you can’t help but get behind Peter. He fighting with a chip on his shoulder, and it feels like he is the underdog.
The thing that makes this movie so special is the stakes. The balance of the universe is not in play, and the scale is nowhere near world breaking. This is a battle of morality. Will Peter step up to the plate? Why does Mysterio want people to believe his “fake news?” This is a movie that is meant to open up the MCU to its’ next generation of heroes (and villains).
This movie is the launching pad into the MCU’s future. There is even a callback to AC/DC’s “Back In Black” as it is featured in the original Iron Man, and in Far From Home. This movie is nothing like that Iron Man film of legend, but it does its job to serve the larger universe.
The standout scene that makes this movie the stuff of MCU legend is the illusion scene in the middle of the film. Peter is lured into an illusion, and he is shown that he is still a kid. Not only does this scene serve as a test of Peter’s character, but it shows you that he wasn’t ready to become a hero until that happened. He needed to reality to hit him—and it did (in the form of a train).
Far From Home is a metaphor for becoming an adult. Peter doesn’t want to grow up, but because of the life he's chosen, he is forced to. Mysterio’s character is written as a parallel to American society’s newest enemy: fake news. Beck’s whole disposition into villainy is built on the grounds of fake news. To put it simply, he wants people to believe things that aren’t true to make himself look like a hero.
Director Jon Watts was able to craft a film that integrates teen romance, action, and a hint of societal issues; and I was lucky enough to witness it on the big screen. This movie ranks in my top five because of its ability to be all the things it needed to be, and more.
With addition of FFH to the mix, the conversation about which Spider-Man sequel (2004, TASM 2) is best rages on. While many consider Spider-Man 2 (2004) to be one of the best comic book movies of all time, Spider-Man: Far From Home holds its own amongst the sequels. Maquire, Garfield, and Holland’s versions of the web-slinger are so nuanced, it’s hard to say which takes the cake; but Tom Holland is killing it right now, and I’m glad a generation of kids will grow up with him playing Spider-Man.
The MCU is growing, and we are entering the next generation of the greatest film franchise of all time. Far From Home fires on all cylinders, and does not hold back. I mean, have you seen the post credit scene?
