Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) ***½ /5: An improvement on the original and a fitting film in the post-Endgame era.

(photo courtesy of polygon.com)

Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019) is a notable improvement on its predecessor, Homecoming, and provides a good update on the post-Endgame scenario in the MCU. The story itself is very much tied to the fallout from Endgame where there is now a world without Tony Stark/Ironman, the linchpin of the MCU since 2008. Who will rise to take his place? This is the central question of Far From Home particularly as it is expected that that person is the humble Peter parker from Queens who happens to be Spider-Man. Mixed in with the legacy discussion is the school trip which happens to be a European tour. It is actually a refreshing break from the American scene and the villain, Mysterio, cuts an interesting figure. The trailers originally suggested that he would be an ally but never indicated how he would become a villain. The film addresses that as well and it is also bundled with the legacy question.  As teenage hormones surge so do the elementals as everyone knows by now is a concoction contributing to the grandmaster plan. You know there must be a big hole in the MCU when the Avengers are not drawn to such a crisis and it is left solely to Peter Parker and his allies.

This film sees the return of the Homecoming cast led by Tom Holland as Spider-Man with the introduction of Jake Gyllenhall as Quentin Beck/Mysterio and a first time appearance alongside Spider-Man for another MCU linchpin, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).

Positives

The primary positive was the legacy questions. In some instances it can be overwhelming but it is a primary feature of the plot. There are those that are a part of the legacy and those shunned by it. Obviously the villain and his crew were those shunned by the great MCU/Stark legacy and are making one great attempt to be a part of it although it’s not their right.  Peter Parker is given the task to continue the great Stark legacy. Obviously at his age that is a big issue to confront especially when you’re more concerned with impressing the girl of your dreams on a European tour with your high school peers. Obviously, how he deals with it leads to major consequences with Quentin Beck/Mysterio. At first when watching the film I thought that Parker appeared so naïve and predictable but upon more reflection I realize that was to be expected of his immaturity. There is a great divide between the adult and teen perspectives that is very well portrayed here particularly how an adult can take advantage of a teen’s naivete. So the adults are thrusting this pressure on Parker not realizing that he has a teenage life to complete.  Obviously this burden is lessened as the other supporting characters start to play important roles, especially MJ. Going forward it is possible that Parker will build his a team in the real sense that makes him a better spider-man now that he has embraced these legacy issues. Obviously the 1^st post credit scene is a great tease  and ties back to the 1^st Iron Man but with a twist. Tony Stark might have boldly proclaimed his identity but  the revelation of Parker’s identity is thrust upon him in a nefarious way. The Spider-Man series is expanding nicely and after this maybe we will get a better sense of who Spider-Man is as a hero now that the legacy questions with Stark, and the associated mishaps, are somewhat out of the way.

The other impressive bit was the chronicling of teenage life and experiences post-decimation. The teenage interpretation of events is refreshing as well as their attitudes to romance. Ned’s take on the life of a bachelor, to being tied down with a woman, to being single again was hilarious and a great example of a supporting character in this genre. These elements are embedded into the plot seamlessly along with Peter’s travails concerning MJ.

The action was pretty good particularly when considering the unique challenge posed by Mysterio. Sometimes with the best villains it’s not just about coming to blows or a general fistfight.

The film gives a good sense of where the MCU is at the moment.

Negatives

The primary negative is the overwhelming issue of legacy to the point where it doesn’t feel like a Spider-Man movie. The legacy questions could have been sidelined without taking over the film. I understand the succession elements involved but there were many moments when it did not give Spider-Man his own moments. Mysterio could still have been a great villain without the Stark element. In a sense if Spider-Man is to stand on his own his universe needs to shine through beyond the teenage circuit. This is why I am looking forward to the third film in the series. Maybe as the series continues to expand and Parker fully embraces the role then we will get a full Spider-Man experience. Until then the films in this series will not fully standout especially as the position is considered an inferior one from the teenage perspective. There was a delightful scene where parker took MJ web slinging and shows the potential inherent in the series to be a distinct and fun with a more adult perspective. At the rate the series is going we will not get to see an adult Spider-Man in full swing.