First Reactions to 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day': Cineplay Reporters Share Their Ratings

It fails to deliver the reinvention its subtitle promises. The hunt for an unseen enemy feels muddled and sluggish, and the clash with an overpowering villain, picking up from the previous film’s explosive ending, turns overly sentimental. The web-swinging sequences and spectacle are strong, but long, soporific stretches undercut that strength. Put kindly, it’s emotional; put bluntly, it verges on self-pity. As usual, the film leans on the MCU’s larger narrative elements; they’re too substantial to count as mere fan service, yet too disposable to feel meaningfully integrated. This almost makes me want to start campaigning for Spider-Man to stand apart from the MCU. Of all the Tom Holland Spider-Man films, this is the first time I’ve found myself strongly missing the earlier entries.

The so-called 'TomSpa'—the Homecoming trilogy—has continued to expand. In 〈Spider-Man: Far From Home〉 it grew beyond the U.S., and in 〈Spider-Man: No Way Home〉 it went beyond this planet. If the franchise’s increasing scale has become overwhelming, this film is the one to recommend. 〈Spider-Man: Brand New Day〉 refocuses on Spider-Man’s essence and identity—the classic charms of New York, web-swinging and anonymity. The high-altitude action of Spider-Man slicing between New York’s skyscrapers alone is worth the trip. SCREEN X is used to strong effect, creating the sensation of gliding alongside Spider-Man.