Spidey swings the MCU into the future with another home run.

I think it’s pretty clear to all but the few out there in the multiverse who missed Avengers: Endgame that the MCU is going to feel very different from here on in. Eleven years and twenty-two movies led to the monumental events of Endgame and after such sky-high stakes, a little R&R is definitely in order before we travel off into the unknown.

And what better hero to take things back down a peg or two than your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man? Even when swinging from the tallest skyscrapers, Spidey has always been a street-level hero at heart and figuring out the lay of the MCU land from the perspective from those on the ground feels crucial in keeping us tethered to the universe as it rapidly expands into the future.

I think it’s fair to say that everyone expected Endgame to be the finale to the MCU’s ‘Infinity Saga’, so it came as a pleasant surprise when Spider-Man: Far From Home was confirmed to be the last chapter. As an epilogue to the everything that has gone before, it feels fitting that Spider-Man would be the one to swing us to the next era of the franchise. But does Far From Home justify itself as a film in its own right or is it just a glorified, feature-length post-credits scene?

With the world restored to some kind of normality after Endgame but struggling with the Avengers’ absence, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is left holding the fort. But when the demands of being one of the few superheroes left begins to weigh him down, Peter grabs the opportunity to escape on a school trip to Europe. Despite his best attempts to shirk his heroic responsibilities, Spider-Man is sucked back into the game by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) as a group destructive elemental monsters run riot across the world. With the help of new ally Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal), Peter must once again embrace his calling and become the hero the world needs.

All things considered; Spider-Man is on fire right now. Whether it’s in the MCU, in animated form, or swinging around your PS4; across a whole range of mediums, Spidey is in the best place he’s been in for many, many years. The sheer quality of recent interpretations has been a huge shot in the arm for a character that was out for the count not long ago and has reinvigorated the hero as he moves into the future.

For their part in this boom, Marvel Studios swooped in to take over the creative reins from Sony and, as a consequence, have opened up a whole new world for Spidey. I think it’s safe to assume that we were all a little burnt out on the character after the mess of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, yet the minute Tom Holland swung onto our screens in that extended Civil War cameo, everyone knew we were in safe hands.

This iteration might not be what everyone was expecting but, nevertheless, it’s been a truly reinvigorating experience to see Peter Parker taken in directions we’ve never seen before. Continuing this trend, Far From Home chooses a story that takes Spider-Man out of his comfort zone and to places – both mentally and physically – that he’s never been to.

As Peter and friends jet off out of New York and into the wider world, Marvel Studios have once again taken a gamble with a hero we’ve become so accustomed to seeing swing from the skyscrapers of Manhattan, yet they’ve done it all without losing site of the character’s core. As with Homecoming, Far From Home sees Marvel journey into uncharted territory while staying utterly faithful to the Spider-Man mythology.

Seeing Spider-Man swinging past Tower Bridge and the Venice canals rather than the Empire State Building is a novelty in itself but, while it may take some time to get used to, the result is certainly refreshing. The film’s first half plays out primarily as a broad Eurotrip comedy, complete with all the usual jokey teen antics and, despite some of the humour falling flat, it works well as a whole. With the slower pace and relaxed tone, this opening acts as a nice segue from Endgame’s bombast to something far more intimate, all while reintroducing us to Peter and his crew.

The real strength of Homecoming was its ensemble and charming John Hughes vibe and, despite Far From Home’s comparative lack of action in this opening act, that tone remains intact. While the pacing feels off at times, the low-key, informal approach is crucial in building the mood and continuing the established tone before the action finally lets loose.

Vitally important to this MCU iteration of Spider-Man are the friends and family around him and Far From Home is well aware of this. As established in the underrated Cop Car, director Jon Watts has a real knack for working with kids and Far From Home continues this as he cleverly builds on the relationships of the young ensemble he set up so well in Homecoming.

In particular, Zendaya’s Michelle/MJ is given far more of a chance to shine after her fun but brief screen time in Homecoming. Eschewing any accusations of being an archetypal Spider-Man damsel in distress, MJ comes out of her shell and into the fold as not only Peter’s love interest, but as an ally and a crime-fighting partner with far more agency in the plot, even as the action hots up.

It’s largely thanks to Zendaya’s abundant talents and her chemistry with Tom Holland that the film’s first half holds itself together as well as it does but, after this solid start, all bets are off as the film rapidly cranks through the gears. Landing with little subtlety, there’s a clear pivot point in the movie’s narrative and, from then on, we’re served up some of the most impressive and visually inventive action of the MCU to date.

While Jon Watts’ ability to direct the more personal stuff is certainly impressive, how he handled on the action in Homecoming was definitely one of the few chinks in the film’s armour. However, it takes a brave director to step up and own those faults and, judging by the marked improvement in the action here, Watts is clearly a filmmaker open to developing his craft.

Nodding to the likes of Doctor Strange and the more psychedelic end of the MCU spectrum while staying true to the Spider-Man spirit, when in full swing, Far From Home’s action is an absolute triumph. Despite the foreign locations, this is as close to pure Spider-Man as we’ve come in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far, with many scenes feeling ripped straight from the comics and an ending that will leave every Spidey fan eager for more.

As great as Homecoming was, we only really saw Spider-Man in his superhero infancy. In Far From Home we not only feel the character’s high-flying adventure for the first time, but it’s all given an extra edge by the inclusion of Mysterio. As a foil for Peter Parker, Quentin Beck is the perfect fit for where Spider-Man’s head is right now coming out of Endgame. With Tony Stark gone, there are precious few mentor figures left in Peter’s life and Beck’s positioning as such fills the void, while adding an extra dimension given his mysterious back story.

As Mysterio, Jake Gyllenhaal is in inspired form. Allowed to let loose but never going OTT, he plays the character to perfection, with the ability to switch tone and personality at the drop of a (fishbowl) hat. Decked out in the kind of brilliantly outlandish garb comic book movies were made for, the role demands an unhinged pomposity and Gyllenhaal duly delivers.

Opposite him, Tom Holland once again slips into the spandex like he was born for it, as he continues to cement himself as the definitive big screen Spider-Man. More than any other actor who’s taken on the mantle, Holland’s cheeky charm, natural athleticism, and boyish charisma make him the pure embodiment of the hero and in Far From Home he manages to push himself and the character like never before.

Dealing with the dualities between Peter Parker’s private and superhero life are a huge part of what makes the character tick and Holland sells this perfectly, painting a teenager that just wants to have a life and a reluctant hero learning to embrace his calling. If Homecoming was Peter desperately wanting to be an Avenger, Far From Home switches it up to show the flip side of being the world’s saviour, as the weight of responsibility starts to take its toll.

With the aftermath of Infinity War and Endgame hanging over Peter’s head, he wants to be a kid again. And, quite frankly, who wouldn’t under the circumstances? It’s this understandable dilemma that’s central to Far From Home’s success and key to keeping us emotionally engaged. Peter Parker is essentially all of us in that situation and the film does a superb job in ensuring our empathy stays strong throughout.

Although the spectre of Tony Stark looms large over much of the film and the MCU connections are plentiful, as things progress, we gradually see Peter edge away from his reliance on the wider universe. Marvel Studios and Sony undoubtedly have a long game in play, so patience is advised if you want to see Spider-Man in his full solo pomp, yet the place Far From Home leaves the hero feels by far the most Spidey-like so far.

As both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Spider-Man head out into the unknown, Far From Home works well as both a coda for the MCU to date and a prologue for its future. By simultaneously pushing Spider-Man into new territories while keeping faithful to the core of the character, Far From Home is a thrilling entry into the hero’s canon and, thanks to the introduction of Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio, keeps you guessing to the very end. While it may take time to get going, once it does, Far From Home is unstoppable as Tom Holland once again embraces the hero like we’ve never seen before. After the debacle of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, it was hard to see a viable big screen future for Peter Parker, yet with Far From Home following on from two of the best Spider-Man movies to date, the hero’s future is as bright as ever.