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‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ Puts The FUN in Travel! (Movie Review)

It’s not like you didn’t know they were making another Spider-Man movie, right?  This feat was solidified inevitable.  For those that are counting this is also the twenty-third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).  What makes this one interesting is the fact that it’s the first film out of the gate that follows the record smashing Avengers: Endgame.  I hope you don’t have to ask me why that is so intriguing, but just in case you do I’m going to do the unthinkable.  For the uninitiated I’ll spoil the beans right here in the very first paragraph.  It’s because of the fact that so many game changing events went down in Endgame.  Therefore, Spider-Man: Far From Home is the start of something new from a certain point of view.  That mainly stems from the fact that we’re supposedly 5 years into the future here.  Right?  Well, that’s what I’m most interested in seeing how they handle.  So replenish your web fluid and sling on down below with me as I tackle this subject and more.  

Spider-Man: Far From Home is directed by Jon Watts from a screenplay penned by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.  Alongside web slinger Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man Far From Home stars Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon, J. B. Smoove and Jake Gyllenhaal.  This somewhat sequel to Endgame sees Peter being recruited by Nick Fury (or as we’re told to call him in Captain Marvel just simply “Fury”) and meeting a being from another Earthly dimension, Mysterio (Gyllenhaal).  Why?  Well it’s quite simple.  They are to team up to thwart off threats from elemental forces (think Fifth Element kind of “elements”) from another galaxy.  This all of course happens while Peter is on a vacation with classmates in Europe.  I guess what happens in Europe stays in Europe, right?  Wrong!

What’s very interesting about our picture here is the fact that the Marvel Studios’ marketing campaign brilliantly disguised the plot of this film when its initial theatrical trailer arrived on the scene. They did that because it came out before Endgame and the second trailer afterwards dropped some huge spoilers from that flick.  In other words the powers to be gave the fans plenty of time to see Endgame.  If that wasn’t enough, Marvel also had Tom Holland appearing before Far From Home’s second trailer warning fans who haven’t seen Endgame to stay away.  That was nice of him!

So here’s what all goes down from a bird eye’s view.  Far From Home follows the events of Avengers: Endgame.  It’s actually quite hilarious how they introduce the 5 year time “blip” that went down and how that affected high school life for the students.  On a serious front though the nation is mourning the death of his mentor Tony Stark.  Peter Parker feels a need to get away from it all.  He needs a vacation.  Why not a school trip to Europe with his classmates?  His wannabe squeeze, MJ (Zendaya), is going.  However, Nick Fury wants to talk to Peter badly.  So while on vacation Peter gets recruited to reluctantly team up with the mysterious Quentin Beck (Gyllenhaal), AKA Mysterio.  He’s from another Earthly dimension and here to protect this Earth from the Elementals that destroyed his own planet.  And for the uninitiated once again the Elementals are four extra-dimensional humanoids who became immortals with power over the natural forces of water, earth, fire and winds (a little more info HERE).

Now I know what you’re all thinking.  Isn’t the master of trickery and illusion, Mysterio, a classic Spider-Man villain?  The answer to that is yes, but as you see in the trailer he appears very friendly.  And he is!  He really bonds with Peter Parker here too.  The two are peas in the same pod it seems despite the fact Mysterio is from another dimensional Earth.  However, you know the whole movie just can’t be fighting Elementals.  Can it?  Of course not, but that’s the fun of this second solo romp with Holland’s Spider-Man here.  There’s so much more!  I mean that in terms of nostalgia, many callbacks to previous MCU films, twists and turns and many surprises to please any Spider-Man fan (extending even beyond the MCU film slate).  And that sound.  Wow!  Sony really outdid themselves in the sound design department here.  If permissible, make sure you check this one out in a great sounding theater.  You won’t regret it I promise (completely opposite of the Disney/Marvel only ones).  The way Mysterio and Spider-Man effortlessly zoom by and fly overhead, scream from behind and more is absolutely riveting if you’re an audio video geek like me.

What I didn’t mention up above is the fun factor of it all.  Spider-Man: Far From Home is an absolute rocket ride blast of F-U-N from beginning to end.  I mean that in the comedy department, the playful flirtation department, the tech department and also the action department.  Heck I’d be happy with the action and VFX sequences alone (even the makeshift black suit), but they really upped the ante with the playfulness of it all.  Yes, we still have the most boyish version of Spider-Man yet on the big screen.  And yes we still have a very, and I do mean very, awkward MJ/Peter relationship.  However, at the end of the day despite my 40+ age bracket I am able to easily identify with the characters here, relate to them all and even re-live my childhood with them while everything plays out onscreen.  I mention this mostly because a lot of young movies nowadays make me feel like I’m 100 years old.  With Far From Home I feel like a kid again (a serious wannabe one at least) and am able to have a web-slinging blast with it all.  When it comes to a movie that takes my mind off my daily stresses with ease, it’s always a winner with me.  It helps too that I adore the MCU subject matter despite the 5-year “blip” of it all.  Go see this.  See it twice.  Bring the family.  Buy the snacks and toys.  And most importantly…stay for the mid credits and post credit scenes.  Enjoy the goofiness of it all!