Spider-Man: No Way Home makes one laugh and marvel as old and new come together

Mona

How iconic Spider-Man is one realises at an early morning show as the audience collectively sigh, scream, shriek and squeal enjoying every bit and every move. Spider-Man: No Way Home has made its viewers wait; and living in the shadow of omicron, for this 2 hours and 28 minutes, they step into the Marvel Cinematic Universe where there is good, bad and ugly but ultimately values triumph over the evil.

By now everyone has the basic plot for Spidey’s 9th outing. Spider-Man’s identity is revealed, and he’s accused of being Spidey ‘murderer’, creating chaos in his real life. Peter Parker is hounded, and worse still – in the wake of recent controversies denied admission to his dream school MIT. Adding to the woes, his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) and girlfriend Michelle “MJ” Jones-Watson (Zendaya) don’t make the cut either.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Director: Jon Watts

Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon,

Rating: ****

But then, real world aside, MCU has its power and while summoning one such spell that goes wrong, brings some from the past into modern New York. While your ‘friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man’, always has the option to send everyone hailing back to where they come from as we know frighteningly little about the multiverse; but that’s not what ‘we’ do. When you help someone, you help everyone – is Aunt May’s (Marisa Tomei) belief, and Webslinger is determined to walk that path.

While Spider -Man’s slick moves through the skyline of the city have always been marvelled at, a script that’s immediately MCU and as much real life keeps one hooked. Now, that one comes with loads of pre-knowledge, the writers – Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers – exploit that to the hilt, a bow to original creators – Stan Lee; Steve Ditko. Right from Spidey tingle to Dr Strange’s cloak, invoking Iron Man and the Avengers; and previous wall crawlers, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire, make for loud whistles and cheers. If one Spidey perched on the Statue of Liberty is one thing, think three – and such is the exhilaration that No Way Home offers. References and future possibilities keep it fresh, one marvels at action, cinematography alongside. Music by Michael Giacchino offers an apt score, after all three is a magic number.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr Stephen Strange and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May offer a consummate act; Tom Holland holds his place in the august company of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. Zendaya, Jacob Batalon impress as does Willem Dafoe with his wilful act.

True Marvel fans don’t leave the cinema as the credits roll, sure there is an after scene, and another; MCU continues its scintillating saga. But what makes it endearing is that it weaves a world where one is respectful and polite, superheroes complement and build each other up, respect boundaries, at least try to look at the glass half full and do what’s right. With great popularity comes the great expectation to win the audience, No Way Home does just that, making one laugh and marvel. Sure, make a go for this one, albeit keep precautions on, we might not face the danger of Doc Ock, Electro, Green Goblin or Sandman, but we got to deal with the virus!