The reviews for "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" have been released, with many critics hailing the film as a significant improvement and a return to form for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The latest installment is being lauded for its focus on the titular superhero, Tom Holland's performance, and a decisive move away from the intricate multiverse storylines that have characterized recent Marvel productions.
The film picks up four years after the events of "Spider-Man: No Way Home," where a spell cast by Doctor Strange caused the world to forget Peter Parker's secret identity. In "Brand New Day," Parker has largely withdrawn from personal connections, dedicating himself solely to his vigilante activities as Spider-Man. His relationship with MJ, played by Zendaya, has also been impacted by the memory alteration, as she has moved on with a new love interest after forgetting their past together.
A key narrative element highlighted by reviewers is the evolution of Peter Parker's powers, which now include the ability to generate organic webs from his wrists, a departure from the mechanical web-shooters used in previous iterations. This change has drawn comparisons to the original trilogy starring Tobey Maguire, with some critics finding it reminiscent of the tone and style of those earlier films.
Robbie Collin of The Telegraph described "Brand New Day" as the best Spider-Man film since the Maguire era, calling the organic web-shooting ability a "masterstroke" that "restores the showmanship of the Maguire-Sam Raimi years." He further stated that the film is the "most purely enjoyable, cartoonishly ingenious installment in the series since 2004’s Spider-Man 2."
Jon Oleksinski of the New York Post expressed a similar sentiment, calling the film a "welcome reunion" with Holland's Spider-Man, though he noted its darker tone. He agreed that the film's tone aligns more with the Maguire films, which he considers "the gold standard of Spider-Man movies, as well as Marvel films."
However, not all critics were entirely positive. Alissa Wilkinson of The New York Times noted that while Holland's performance was enjoyable and kinetic, the film still felt burdened by the demands of the larger MCU. "The film's subservience to the development of the broader MCU left it feeling 'as if it’s carrying more franchise weight on its shoulders, and that leaves less room for emotional weight,'" she wrote.
The AV Club's Jesse Hassenger gave the film a B+ rating, also drawing comparisons to the Maguire trilogy. He commented, "If it’s not especially close to the majesty of Spider-Man 2 (. . .) it’s also pretty handily the best MCU Spider-Man movie since Homecoming." Hassenger also praised the film's ability to integrate other MCU characters without overshadowing the main story.
Conversely, some critics felt that the film's ties to the MCU detracted from its effectiveness. David Ehrlich of IndieWire criticized "Brand New Day" as a "dull and downbeat action sequel" that exemplified why the MCU has "lost so, so much of its sauce." He argued that the film struggled to balance its various narrative threads, including a Peter Parker grief drama, a buddy comedy with Frank Castle, and MCU setup.
Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com awarded the film 2.5 out of four stars, echoing concerns that the MCU's influence made it feel like a transitional piece. He noted that while affection for the established characters helps, the film "ultimately succumbs to one of the biggest problems of late-stage MCU: The feeling that it’s just preparation for more movies."
Odie Henderson of The Boston Globe pointed to excessive fan service as a detriment, suggesting that "giving the fans what they want has always been the Marvel movies’ modus operandi and their fatal flaw." Henderson felt that too much time was dedicated to setting up future installments, which caused the "human drama between MJ, Ned, and Peter" to get lost. Despite these criticisms, Henderson praised Zendaya's portrayal of MJ as a role that "suits" her.
"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is scheduled for early screenings for Amazon Prime members in the US on Wednesday, July 29, with its official theatrical release on Friday, July 31.