Human Lens #19: Spider-Man: No Way Home is a Tom Holland Masterclass
The actor's performance marks the beginning of the Spider-Man we've all been waiting for in the MCU
No matter the gender, race, or creed, Spider-Man has always been a character that represents the everyman on this planet. Most of the other heroes come from these insane backgrounds that make them the comic characters they are. While escapism and perspective are fascinating in any form go storytelling, it’s always nice to see someone face similar struggles to those of your own. A nerd with the ability to constantly make mistakes and have deal with the consequences of any action, even good ones, is something that most readers of the medium, and even those who don’t, can relate to.
Throw superpowers into the mix and you have the recipe for a wonderful soap opera that has been Spider-Man what will be 60 years come August.
While there have been many interpretations on the page and on the big screen for the character, none of the big screen iterations have had the opportunity to interact and be a part of a shared universe of other heroes. That is, until Tom Holland’s Spider-Man shared the screen with the Avengers in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War.
From the get-go we all fell in love with his quirkiness. Honestly we all fell in love just because he was there, standing with other heroes, something that has never happened in a live action medium. But I know I’m not alone when I say that the shadow of the other characters, specifically Iron Man, was strangely held over Peter’s head during his journey in these films. It’s hard to fully connect with this character when it comes across as if he’s on cleanup duty for his mentor.
No Way Home however is completely out of Iron Man’s shadow, and the story we get is the first time that I’ve felt Marvel Studios has created a true Spider-Man film. For the first time, Peter has to deal with the consequences of his own actions, and for the first time, Tom Holland can flex his acting talent because of it.
Holland’s performance in previous installments was very good, but it’s this movie that he takes the official step into being the Spider-Man of this generation. The greatest actors can give a performance without any words, showing emotion through their eyes.
We pick up the plot of this movie where Far From Home left off. Peter Parker’s identity has been revealed to the world and the fallout is affecting everyone who’s close to him. In an effort to reverse Mysterio’s reveal, Peter goes to Doctor Strange for help, but he spell he casts goes wrong. I can’t be more specific about the plot because almost every aspect of the film is a spoiler but you can already tell from this quick synopsis that the character has a lot to deal with on a personal level. His own decisions are pushing the plot further.
Holland doesn’t give this performance on his own, the actors around him allow for him to work off of them and bring out what he needs at the time. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, MJ and Ned respectively, have an obvious friendship with Tom Holland on screen and off. They are able to quip with one another for some great comedic moments, while also being able to turn serious when those moments in this film require it. These two also have, arguably, the most important scene in the movie and they knock it out of the park.
The return of Alfred Molina and Willem Dafoe are also bright spots. Their characters challenge Peter with aspects that they brought to their characters nearly 20 years ago. The depth of the Raimi era showing this new age Spider-Man that being a villain isn’t black and white.
Holland does a wonderful job of grappling with the abundance of characters in the film, as well as the personal pressure’s that comes with delivery something solid to a fan base that has built up hype for this movie since before cameras even started rolling.
I’ve seen Tom Holland’s work in other films before and have always been impressed by the range that he has. It’s been evident in a couple of scenes during the first two movies of this franchise, but Spider-Man: No Way Home is the perfect screenplay to allow Tom Holland to do what he does best.