It's a lot of the same, but I liked this Spider-Man much better than Homecoming. Why? We get out of Queens and get to tour Europe. We get Nick Fury and Maria Hill and Happy Hogan. And, by far most importantly, we get Mysterio in all his glory.
Still haunted by Tony Stark's death, Peter Parker returns to school for a rebooted semester after the Snap (actually after the Blip, when Hulk snapped again so that the dusted folks returned). He's caught with developing feelings for MJ, wanting to distract himself from tragedy, and avoid being a superhero, and so he embarks with his classmates on a science trip to Europe (where they never actually do scientific things). Cheap plot vehicle aside, Peter finds himself in Venice when the city is attacked by a giant water monster. Nick Fury collects Peter and introduces him to Mysterio.
Mysterio, he says, is from another planet Earth, and convinces Fury and Peter that a multiverse exists. If you knew anything about Mysterio going in, you know he is lying. It's a delicious character presented to us by Jake Gyllenhaal, and he chews the lines and his costume (!!!) like they're his gateway to our minds. His team of Tony Stark ex-employees, now emboldened to pirate Stark tech, have used advanced drones to project holographic images and amazing special effects to create four new monsters to threaten the planet. Mysterio seeks to create an Avengers-level threat, as he calls it, so that he can become Earth's mightiest hero and replace the void left by the narcissistic playboy. It's hard not to see him, directing his illusions with a maniacal glint in his eye, playing the character as a sly jibe at the Marvel directors themselves, filled with grandiose schemes and doing whatever it takes to realize them.
Oops, is that a spoiler? It shouldn't be. The actual superhero parts of this movie are pretty straightforward and utterly entertaining. Mysterio's tricks are magnificent to behold, especially in a turning point when he assaults Peter's senses in a trippy visual maze not unlike something you might see in Doctor Strange. Plus, though we don't get any hint of Donald Glover's Prowler, Miles Morales, or the Scorpion (all hinted at in Homecoming), we do get some nice surprises. The Elementals (as Mysterio calls them) seem to be based on several Spidey villains from the comics: namely, Hydro-Man, Sandman, Molten Man, and Cyclone.
Further, the post-credit scene introduces J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson (reprising the character in this franchise, thank heaven) revealing Spider-Man's true identity. We can only hope this paves the way for the third installment, which I pray means that Peter will go on the lam and we will finally get to see Kraven the Hunter chase him down. Too, as Jameson is the driving force behind the villain Scorpion, we can hope that the MCU is slowly building its case for a Sinister Six movie. What a thrill!
My geeky excitement aside, Far From Home is far from a perfect movie, and joins its predecessor as a fun, second-rate entry in the franchise. Because the genre of this Spider-Man's movies is foremost a coming-of-age comedy and only secondly superhero action, the film balances its truly excellent superhero stuff with wacky comedy clearly aimed at a younger audience. Like the first, it's uplifting and gleeful to a fault, making its niche in the franchise but grating against those of us who crave meatier servings. The one-liners come fast and hard, but I found myself snorting more than laughing aloud. And while Tom Holland presents a wonderful interpretation of the character, several of his classmates got on my last nerves while I watched this movie. Give me Peter and the adults, and leave the rest out. I'd have been happier for it.
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