Nerds That Geek Movie Review – ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

If there one’s thing that I think every fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe can agree upon, it’s that Avengers: Endgame, was an outright masterpiece. Because it beautifully wove together eleven years of incredible stories and provided us with a moving ending that truly signaled the end of something special and the start of something new and it is a film that will be fawned over for generations. Yet, while this film is adored by so many, its ending leaves fans everywhere with a big question going forward, in that, is it possible for Marvel to maintain its high level of quality storytelling, now that this incredible storyline has come to a close?
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It’s a legitimate worry to have because by virtue, franchises only have so much life left in them, and while there are some dynamic movies on the horizon complete with a new guard of majestic heroes taking over for the old, we’re all dying to know if these new entries will continue to thrill and resonate with audiences. And as it turns out, the first real test of the future of the MCU came to fruition this weekend with the release of Spider-Man: Far from Home, and while Peter Parker’s new adventures in this storied franchise have already seen some big time success, this is the first MCU movie to be truly free of the guise of the Avengers, and if this closing chapter of the Infinity Saga is any indication, the future of the MCU is going to be very bright indeed.

Because this is a motion picture that doesn’t forget in the slightest what makes the MCU so great in the first place, which means that this movie this all about having fun. In fact, I have to admit that I was quite impressed with the genuine sense of adventure that this movie provides the audience with because we really do go on one heck of a ride with young Peter Parker and this grandiose journey is further enhanced by the fact that there are plenty of laughs to be found in this story, to the point where the jokes bring tears to your eyes and while those elements make this movie worth your while on their own, thankfully, the movie has far more to offer the audience than some quality chuckles. 

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For this is a film that takes the time to challenge Peter Parker and everything he stands for and his journey and struggle in this story is what stood out as the best part of this movie, in my humble opinion. Because Peter is truly put to the test in this tale, and he has to figure out how to juggle grief, and his career as a superhero and his everyday life all at the same time and that’s oddly relatable since we have all been there at some point or another in our lives, fighting to keep it together when others need us. And injecting a touch of realism such as that into a story as grandiose as this was simply brilliant to say the least since it invests you in Peter’s journey like never before.
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Yet, while all of these elements speak to the future of the MCU, since this movie clearly works to try new things with big time characters, it is important to note that this is a Marvel story that also does a fine homage of paying respect to the roots of the franchise. Which quite frankly is important because this story could have worked to separate itself from the twenty-two films that came before it and head into a bold new direction immediately. But by taking the time to address the grave losses everyone endured in Endgame, the franchise hammers home the point that the MCU will forever be connected to its origins and that the contributions of these incredible characters will never be forgotten and that adds a wonderful depth to this story that I wasn’t expecting to find.

Yet, you’ve probably noticed at this point that we’ve talked little about Mysterio and his role in this story and there’s good reason for that, because doing so would bring about all kinds of spoilers and ruin the surprises that this story has to offer and that’s not something I’m willing to do because you outright need to experience this movie in theaters as soon as humanly possible. For this really is a charming and wonderful film, one that makes you laugh, and borderline makes you cry by way of the wonderful and heartfelt moments you share with these dynamic characters. And what matters most, is that Far from Home allows for you to feel comfortable and secure in the fact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is not only going to provide us with everything we love about it going forward, it’s also going to add new depth to its stories and I cannot wait to see where the journey takes us in Phase 4 and beyond.    

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