Spider-Man: No Way Home came to its conclusion with Peter Parker (Tom Holland) making the gut-wrenching decision to have Doctor Strange erase the world’s memory of his existence in order to protect the people he loves.
Four years later, in the aptly titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Peter is living anonymously and fighting crime alone as Spider-Man. As he struggles to adapt to a life without friends, family, or anyone who remembers him, a mysterious and powerful new threat emerges. At the same time, Peter faces a dangerous and unpredictable evolution of his powers, putting both his future and his very existence as Spider-Man at risk.
Both thematically and visually more mature, Spider-Man: Brand New Day ushers in a thrilling new era for the MCU’s web-slinger, showcasing Tom Holland at his finest in the role. From its moodier, atmospheric depiction of New York City to its brilliantly choreographed action sequences, director Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) immediately puts his personal stamp on the franchise. As Peter Parker confronts new challenges and greater responsibilities, the franchise itself evolves, delivering a story that feels bolder, more sophisticated, and firmly geared toward a grown-up Spider-Man.
Part of that success is thanks to Jon Bernthal’s surprisingly substantial role as Frank Castle, aka The Punisher. If you thought the character would be watered down simply because he’s appearing in a Spider-Man film, you’d be mostly mistaken. Bernthal delivers a raw, intense, and exceptional performance, bringing tremendous chemistry not only with Tom Holland but also, surprisingly, with MJ (Zendaya)—more on her later.
The film’s main misstep with the character is its occasional use of The Punisher’s aggressive, violent behavior for comedic effect. While some of these moments land, others come across as cringeworthy sketch comedy, resulting in a mixed payoff. However, his presence adds an unpredictable edge to every fight scene. Even so, nothing tops Spider-Man facing off alone against the ninja group, The Hand, near the end of the film. It may be the best live-action Spidey fight sequence to date.
Unfortunately, I’m not going to spoil much about the metaphorical elephant in the room: Sadie Sink’s (Stranger Things) mysterious character in the film. Even if you’ve heard the rumors and fan theories, her character proves to be a wildly unique interpretation, and Sink is nothing short of terrific in the role. Given some of the film’s heaviest material, she rises to the challenge, delivering a performance that showcases remarkable depth, vulnerability, and emotional range. As her storyline unfolds, Sink skillfully navigates a wide spectrum of emotions, making her one of the film’s standout additions with a big MCU future ahead.
Back to the other talented lead actress, Zendaya’s MJ is also put through the wringer in this one, and there are touching, well-crafted moments for the character that shine even brighter thanks to her rapport with Holland. The same could be said for Jacob Batalon as Ned, who serves as the anchor of the main trio’s friendship, and he’s given very on-brand moments of levity to alleviate some of the thematic darkness.
The film runs long at just under two and a half hours, and much of that runtime is devoted to the necessary development of Sink’s character in the latter half of the story. There is a lot to pack in, and as a result, some characters get shortchanged. Mac Gargan, a.k.a. the Scorpion (Michael Mando), is woefully underutilized, while Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), serves more as a plot device and catalyst for action sequences than as a character whose own arc is meaningfully advanced. I also didn’t care much for Peter’s power evolution plotline, which seemed like an excuse for unnecessary added drama and to level him up like a video game character.
Written by returning Spider-Man screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, the film cleverly teases several seemingly predictable story beats, only to make sharp pivots that subvert audience expectations. Rather than following the most obvious path, the script consistently finds ways to surprise without losing sight of its emotional core. After so much of the film is defined by Peter’s loneliness and isolation, Spider-Man: Brand New Day ultimately earns an uplifting and emotionally satisfying conclusion, ending on a hopeful note for Peter and the people closest to him – and for both the character and the audience, it’s well earned.
Score: 4 out of 5