Spider-Man: Brand New Day (3 stars out of 4)
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” marks ten years since actor Tom Holland’s debut as Marvel’s beloved web-slinger, and oddly, the fourth standalone film for the character that features a three-syllable title. And yet, unlike most Marvel releases from the last six years, director Destin Daniel Cretton’s “Brand New Day” leaves you thinking you wouldn’t mind seeing more.
The story picks up after the traumatic events of 2021’s multiverse adventure “No Way Home,” which, in addition to the death of Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), left Spider-Man’s closest friends unable to remember him. Girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) have graduated high school and lit off to MIT, in a film-opening montage that shows Spider-Man tracking their exploits through social media while trying to attend to his friendly neighborhood duties.
Lately those duties have come to involve dealings with a super-villain named Scorpion (Michael Mando) and a complicated relationship with a fellow super-vigilante named The Punisher (Jon Bernthal). But these challenges pale when Spider-Man encounters a mysterious new adversary who seems to be able to possess the minds of innocent bystanders, and even worse, leap from person to person to evade capture.
When the activities of this mysterious villain start to threaten Ned and MJ–now returned to New York as freshly minted MIT graduates–Spider-Man’s past, present, and future collide, and the results are one of the more enjoyable Marvel adventures of recent years.
A lot of this is due to Holland, who remains relatable and sympathetic in the lead role. Bernthal provides a nice foil as the persistently-agitated Punisher, and a few other newcomers (who won’t be identified for spoiler’s sake) add strength to a cast of generally likable characters. And even if he doesn’t get a lot of screen time, fans of TV’s “Better Call Saul” will enjoy seeing Michael Mando as Scorpion.
As you might imagine, one key function of “Brand New Day” is to lay the groundwork for “Avengers: Doomsday,” set to release at the end of this year. One of the best elements of the new film is the way it manages to do this successfully while remaining true to its lead character. “Brand New Day” does justice to Spider-Man and his arc, and manages to deliver a satisfying story that leaves you excited for more.
Ten years on from Holland’s first turn as Spider-Man in “Captain America: Civil War,” that’s not a bad compliment.
—
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is rated PG-13 for comic book-style mayhem and violence.