Tom Holland Cements His Legacy As Spider-Man In New Record-Breaking Film

Despite the immense pressure of inevitable comparisons, screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, along with director Destin Daniel Cretton and lead actor Tom Holland, create a fun, emotional and riveting film that should provide Marvel fans with a much-needed jolt in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

One of the biggest challenges of making a “Spider-Man” film is that the hero has more live-action theatrical solo movies than any other superhero. Finding ways to portray the character in a unique and innovative way is a challenge for both actors and filmmakers.

The film begins with a love letter to comic book fans. We see Spider-Man on his own, after the events of “No Way Home,” fighting crime and being treated like the hero he is. As we flash through a montage of Spider-Man defeating his enemies, six iconic images from Spider-Man's comic book history are recreated, spanning from “Amazing Fantasy #15” in 1962 to “Spider-Man Adventures” in 1994.

Unlike the previous Spider-Man film, “No Way Home,” which focused heavily on the “multiverse” and its infinite possibilities, “Brand New Day” tells a much more grounded and relatable story.

The film makes it clear that while Spider-Man is thriving, Peter Parker is failing.

After the events of “No Way Home,” any memories of Peter Parker have been erased from the lives of the people closest to him. “Brand New Day” explores what it takes for him to move on. His pursuit and desperation for MJ make for some gut-wrenching scenes, while Zendaya and Holland flex unrivaled chemistry.

While Holland has been praised for his ability to play a very young and, in many ways, innocent Spider-Man, scenes such as MJ confronting Spidey about the letter he wrote for her or him saving MJ after being tricked into thinking she regained her memory show an actor who understands how to grow with his character.

It is Peter Parker's character arc, not Spider-Man's, that makes this movie a must-see.

On the other side of the coin, Spider-Man faces off against a unique enemy. After lots of online speculation, Sadie Sink's character is revealed to be Jean Grey, a founding member of the X-Men with telekinetic abilities.

While Grey is traditionally a hero, her character has a complicated history. In previous films and comics, Grey has transformed into Dark Phoenix, a villain capable of mass destruction. Although in the first half of the film she is portrayed as the villain, Cretton does a masterful job of showing the audience that Grey is more complex with the dynamic of a young girl looking for her missing sister.

Ultimately, “Brand New Day” provides viewers with a unique experience that perfectly blends the classic, fun and action-packed nature of a superhero movie with relatable characters and real-world themes.