Becoming your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man gets a lot easier now that Peter Parker is just a theory of a person to everyone, except himself. Being remembered by nobody may be the best way to protect everyone he cares about, but it sounds like the worst kind of hell to me. However, as there is only one person who remembers Peter Parker, the entirety of New York loves Spider-Man. So how would it feel to be loved by the entire world, but that love can never be requited or even embraced?
The writing team of Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers return with the strongest script of their careers as the stewards of the Sony MCU’s Spider-Man franchise. Adjusting from high school flick to European adventure to a multiversal outing was an incredible journey but being able to elevate the narrative while dramatically limiting the scope may do something never seen before, be nominated for writing awards. Yes, the story is that good.
A great story can make a great (comic) book, but for a film to succeed, there needs to be a strong captain at the helm. While Destin Daniel Cretton has shown a deep understanding of bringing those comics to life (Shang Chi and Wonder Man), this is his first round directing on a project he did not write. This might have contributed to my only gripes about Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but those issues feel just as likely to be artistic choice. Some odd pacing in the film might be intended to keep audiences off balance due to the suspenseful nature of multiple scenes, but that tight rope act risks making the picture feel longer than it needs to be. Maybe I am giving an incredibly talented team too much credit for trying something unique, but the moments where the CGI gets a little flat are almost definitely done as an homage to, well, comic book fans will recognize it.
Along with the director, Liza Colón-Zayas joins the live action Spider-Man films as a brilliant emotional anchor for the titular hero. Those who have watched her on The Bear know her capability to delivery brilliant, grounded performances that welcome and comfort the audience. It is brilliant casting to utilize that in this role. Instantly believable and easy to root for in every moment.
On the opposite side of the coin, but even more important to grounding Spidey is the MCU film debut of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher. Personally, Frank Castle debuting in a Spider-Man film is my favorite inside parallel since the Punisher debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #129, but they are far less adversarial for this introduction. While we have seen this Frank Castle in prior outings as a tormented and hyper violent individual, this one leans into Bernthal’s immense charm in a rough exterior as Peter’s pseudo big brother. I’m convinced that Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal could make anything fun. This is no different.
Speaking of Tom Holland, not long ago, I praised his supporting work in The Odyssey. A role that could easily net him a supporting actor nod. He is even better in Spider-Man: Nrand New Day. In almost every prior outing, his delivery has been heartfelt, but somewhat as a young relative you care about. Here, he is at absolute peak performance and had my heart ready the tear out of my chest. It was so emotional and breathtaking that I found myself dehydrated from the number of tears I shed. He could join an elite group of actors to receive two nominations in a year, only the second to be nominated for Best Actor in a comic book property, and the first actor nominated for Marvel Films. (Angela Bassett holds that crown on the actress side.)
With such a powerful, emotional performance, it would be unsurprising for other actors to be overshadowed, but Sadie Sink matches Holland every step of the way after her introduction. Anyone who watched Stranger Things won’t be surprised that she did so well, but just like Holland, this is performance is either a leap forward for Sink or just revealed how deep her talent really is. As a side note: it is the exact kind of casting that is why Sarah Finn has been nominated for awards every year since 2015.
In the age of the internet, it is near impossible to avoid spoilers but do your absolute best to avoid them for Spider-Man: Brand New Day as it is rampant with great nuggets, reveals, and easter eggs that demand to be seen in the most premium of theaters…even if I didn’t get the one scene I hoped would be translated from the comics. I cannot hold it against the best Spider-Man film.