Spider-Man: Far From Home

by Hans A. Carpenter

hans@freeburgtribune.com

Release Date: June 28, 2019

MPAA: PG-13

Director: Jon Watts

Starring: Tom Holland, Samuel L Jackson, Zendaya

Mister Marquee Says: Eurotrip

Number:4/5

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) wants to take a break from superhero work and enjoy a class trip to Europe. Things don’t go his way when Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) enlists Spider-Man to help fight elemental monsters with the help of inter-dimensional traveler Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal).

Far from Home is a really, really fun movie. It’s not quite on the level of Spider-Man: Homecoming, but still slightly above average for Marvel and well above average for superhero movies in general. The first half was a bit of a mess, and Far From Home struggles more than your average Marvel flick with the tug-of-war between the comedic and serious elements. It’s refreshing to see Peter Parker burned out from superhero work.

With Tony Stark dead, Peter is dealing with the loss of his mentor and the weight of becoming the next Iron Man and all he wants to do is tell the girl he likes how he feels on a class trip to Europe. The acting is really what makes Far from Home so enjoyable. Holland has easily taken his place as the best on-screen Spider-Man. Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent as Mysterio, but Michael Keaton is still sorely missed. There’s not enough Marissa Tomei (Aunt Mae) though, not near enough Marissa Tomei. The post-credit scenes (sorry to your bladder, there are two) are excellent crowd pleasers that shake things up in Spider-Man’s world, but we still have very little to go on regarding Marvel Phase 4. With three phases leading up to Thanos, for the first time, we have nothing to go on with the MCU and that is pretty exciting.