I just got home from a two and a half hours of Spider-Man overload and I must say it was worth my time and money watching it on the big screen. A friend of mine from another country beat me to it but he was considerate enough not to spoil it for me. And because the Embargo has already been lifted, and on google the official cast is already posted, so it is already a no-brainer that all the rumors circulating about the movie can now be confirmed. I won’t enumerate them since it would consist of spoilers, but in case you really wanted to know: Yes all of them were true, even the ones from the Netflix marvel series crossing over officially to the MCU.

This is the fourth time I would write my review about a Spider-Man movie and probably the last (previous three were about all of Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man flicks in my already defunct blog back in the 2000s). Let me give my take while it is still fresh on my mind.

The movie was an absolute Nostalgia and beaming with easter eggs. You have to scan all over the details on the scenes of the film to catch them.

But do not worry, there are no spoilers here. I will just give a generalized review of what I have seen regardless of the noise that most teenagers made in the cinema tonight (that’s why I prefer to watch it on matinee when all of these teens are in school).

Let me start by saying the movie lived-up to its hype and those rumor-mongers were actually correct, much more, vindicated in the theories about the movie. As seen in the posters, there were multiple villains that came from different versions of the movie (aka Multiverse), which, if you will follow the logic, you might wonder if the heroes from those versions would appear in the movie as well… You have to watch the movie to know the answer.

These are my takeaways, fresh off the theater:

  • It is a tribute to New York City and Queens. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” went from one iconic recognizable landmark to another that is undeniably New York. In fact it was like a tour around the city. One location in particular that they used in the movie was just 5 stations away from my place (they also used it in Spider-Man Homecoming).
  • The movie has a heart. There were three particular scenes that got me choked up. It was humorous, boisterous but also emotional. It reminded viewers that Spider-Man, is in fact, human who is vulnerable and fragile like most of us.
  • The movie is a tribute to the two previous franchises of Spider-Man. It was nostalgic in that the movie was able to connect the other plotlines to its own. It was a brilliant masterpiece of a screenplay.
  • The humanity of superheroes were highlighted, most especially the mortality of the human being and how one can make or break himself in the process through the pain of loss of someone he loves.
  • That our intentions, no matter how noble and pure can lead naïve mistakes and yet the conviction that you have done the right thing no matter the outcome is, is what matters most.
  • The loyalty of friends and loved ones is very much important in our emotional and psychological survival in this world. We may lose everything, but having few but loyal friends who have our backs is enough to help us carry on.
  • The movie showed the different eras of the multi-verse and Tom Holland’s era is very much the 2020’s, far different from Toby Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s timeline, which will make you question your age and how old you are since the first Spider-Man movie came out and how time flies.
  • I really like how the movie gave much emphasis on second chances and connecting it with the City of New York as the City that gives people to start over. It was very relatable to me as I came to New York City to do just that. And I am sure that most New Yorkers would be able to relate to this theme.

Once you’ve seen the movie, you cannot help but compare it to the previous franchises. For me, a much realization that, if you would put the three franchises in order or being the best, the first Spider-Man Trilogy is still unbeaten and the Tom Holland version comes last. Up to now I still can’t relate to Tom Holland as I was able to connect and relate to the two previous Spider-Men, this after watching his three movies, and to think Spider-Man is one of my most beloved Comic Book Characters. Probably because Tom Holland’s version is overshadowed by the complexities of the MCU which wasn’t in the case of the previous versions. They were stand alone so the focus of the plot is solely on the Character of Spiderman. There were simply no distractions.

“Spider-Man No Way Home” is the best movie I have seen since the Avengers End Game. It was a movie about second chances and I was able to relate. Like many New Yorkers and Immigrants, I came here in New York City to start over, to have another shot at opportunity and to turn over a new leaf. The movie’s theme is exactly about that, that is why the film is very much relatable, especially to most New Yorkers and resonates to all of us who just needs a second chance.

The screenplay was great. The plot was complex yet believable. The Multiverse argument was convincing but still there was a loophole in the storyline that opens a lot of questions. One particular is the solution that the movie came up to patch up that crisis that arose. I agree with the high ratings of the movie and the glowing reviews of critics.

Overall, “Spider-Man No Way Home” is a treat to all Spider-Man fans and nostalgia fanatics. But the best thing was, the movie showed why New York City is the home of many Superheroes, real or imagined, past or present, Uni-versed or Multi-versed, and those who deserve second chances.