By Amelia Morris
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has occupied headlines for weeks, breaking box office records and taking fans by storm. The movie is the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but this particular Spider-Man movie stands out among the crowd.
Superhero movies often prioritize action sequences over emotional depth. Thankfully, “Brand New Day” did not fall into that category.
After the previous movie, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” everyone not only forgot Peter Parker was Spider-Man, but they also forgot Peter entirely. His girlfriend MJ and his best friend Ned have no memory of Peter. “Brand New Day” picks up right where “No Way Home” left off. As MJ and Ned go off to school, Peter dedicates himself to being Spider-Man nearly full time.
After a time jump, viewers glimpse MJ and Ned’s college experience, while Peter is left watching from the outside. Still being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, Peter fights iconic criminals, winning the fights, but losing part of himself.
Now, Peter is at his lowest point. He has no one to lean on and uses Spider-Man as an escape from his grief. However, the emotional trauma lingers and becomes an unbearable stress. This manifests into new powers for Peter that he must learn to control.
The main conflict centers around Sadie Sink’s hidden character who is attacking The Department for Damage Control with an unknown motive. Her powers can uniquely be sensed by Peter which provides him with an edge.
Peter is also fighting an inner war. He deals with intense loneliness and obsession that affects his performance as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. While the movie was emotionally intense, the action sequences were unrivaled while also maintaining character development.
Spider-Man as a character has a huge following. I enjoyed that the movie took fan service seriously by including live reenactments of comic book covers. Characters like The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Florence Pugh) and The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) make several appearances throughout the film to help Spider-Man.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” does have a two and a half hour run time, but every second is worth it. The movie progresses slower than the other films but it fits the tone of the story they are building.
It is, however, difficult to understand how old Sadie Sink’s mystery character is supposed to be. At times her portrayal of the character is young and innocent. Yet at other points she plays the character with a lot more maturity. While seeming unimportant, her age in this film is the catalyst to the development of her powers. Her character is extremely influential to the MCU and this is her introduction—-it should be done right.
The movie as a whole was well balanced. The comedy landed, the drama was emotional and the action was intriguing. Out of the four Spider-Man movies, this one has to be tied with “No Way Home” for my favorite.
I appreciated the emotional take on Spider-Man and seeing a different side of such a beloved character. Movies like this certainly stand out, especially in the MCU.
The movie’s themes provide the audience with more than a simple hero saves the day storyline. Spider-Man does in fact have layers—-he’s not just a funny, awkward teenager from Queens. He misses his friends, his aunt and still desires human connection.
Unexpectedly, I appreciated the real world application of the movie. I love Marvel, but I never thought I would get so much out of the movie while still having an incredible time. This is what movies need to get back to.
Movies should make you think after the credits roll and you should come away with a new perspective on life. I am grateful to say that Spider-Man has provided just that.
“Spider-Man Brand New Day” is currently in theaters.
Amelia Morris is a sophomore journalism major and writer for Cedars A&E. She loves her dogs, music, reading and exploring nature.
Photos courtesy of Marvel Studios, Columbia Pictures, and Pascal Pictures.
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