The Miscellany News

[This review contains spoilers.]

As triumphant as “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” sounds, it is a very melancholic film. If you have forgotten where we last left Peter Parker (Tom Holland)—for which you could be forgiven, given that it has been five years since the franchise’s last installment—the ending of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” saw Doctor Strange casting a spell that causes everyone on Earth to forget who Peter is. As a result, he loses everyone in his life, becoming a stranger to all who once knew him.

At the start of “Brand New Day,” we watch Peter sink into isolation. His only connection to Ned (Jacob Batalon) and MJ (Zendaya), his former best friend and ex-girlfriend, respectively, is watching Ned’s Instagram stories, which document Ned and MJ’s life at MIT. A montage shows them passing milestones as Peter remains static, scrolling in his darkened bedroom, the light of their excited faces illuminating his. Deprived of a college experience, Peter throws himself into his work as Spider-Man, fighting crime nonstop. In a sense, he is no longer Peter Parker at all—Spider-Man has consumed his identity.

We watch Peter get battered and beaten. He downs Advil like it is water. He is constantly exhausted. He has dealt with physical injuries before, but paired with such deep loneliness, his lifestyle becomes unsustainable in a way it has never been before. The lighting and set design of Peter’s apartment shows how grief has permeated his space. Every scene here is dimly lit. The color seems to have been drained out of the furniture and the walls; his home appears only in shades of gray. And as for Peter himself, despite his feeble attempts to conceal it, the depression cannot be hidden. The weight of his solitude consumes his every gesture and facial expression, though most obviously, and perhaps worst of all, when he smiles.

This heaviness is also evident in the way the film portrays Peter’s disconnect from MJ and Ned. While Peter spends a long time watching the pair from afar, as the movie progresses, they are thrust back into his life when a new threat once again targets Peter’s loved ones. MJ and Ned have just lived through four years of college and have built a whole new social world, accruing life experiences that Peter never got to have. Every time he shares the screen with either of them, Peter seems suspended in time, his isolation setting him several steps behind the rest of the world. Holland plays Peter with a palpable combination of discomfort and yearning, which is strongest whenever he meets MJ’s gaze. It physically pains him to look into the eyes that once loved him, but now see him as a stranger. Despite the pain, he cannot look away.

For all these strengths, the movie’s weakest aspect was the villains. The antagonist is an individual who, for half of the movie, is faceless. They speak to Peter through other people, using telepathy to “body hop,” a power that allows them to enter the minds of others and possess their bodies. The villain wreaks havoc on the Department of Damage Control, and then, when Peter intervenes, begins to target him. Although each fight scene was visually thrilling, the villain’s unclear motivations became a test of patience. The mystery drags on for so long that it becomes more frustrating than suspenseful.

In spite of this, the film still managed to build up a sinister feeling surrounding the villain. Their methods become increasingly cruel and unusual as they body hop through innocent people, putting them in harm’s way with no qualms. At one point, the villain even possesses MJ, tricking Peter into thinking she has suddenly remembered him. This abrupt pivot from general havoc to a specific attack against Peter is jarring, and seems geared towards the revelation that this villain is someone with a deeper relationship to Spider-Man than initially believed.

Then the reveal finally comes. Jean Grey (Sadie Sink)—a familiar name to any “X-Men” fans—is a teenager motivated not by some personal grudge against Spider-Man nor uncontrolled impulses towards darkness and violence. Instead, she just wants to find her sister— a fellow telepath, kidnapped by Damage Control several years ago. Since then, Jean has been obsessed with Damage Control, and it is here that we see that its head, Bill Metzger (Tramell Tillman), is the true villain of the story.

The mismatch between Jean’s portrayal in the first half of the movie, when she is faceless, and the second half, when her story is revealed to us, feels too great to be neatly reconciled. In the first, her dialogue sounds older, evil, and unwaveringly confident. Her decisions are calculated and ruthless. But after the reveal, there is a sudden shift to vulnerability and fear. She seems more uncertain of herself, completely different from the faceless foe the audience has come to know.

Additionally, Jean’s complete disregard of how her power affects others is somewhat understandable when considering how desperate she has become after years of searching. However, there is an emotional disconnect that is difficult to overcome. Jean often does things she does not need to, things that do not seem to further her goals in a meaningful way, which has the effect of making her much more sadistic than the movie probably wants her to be. Towards the end, the film’s tone towards her shifts into sympathy as Peter recognizes her as the angry kid she really is. But it is a tough ask after witnessing her crueler moments.

That said, the movie was still a success, and its flaws were far outweighed by its positive aspects, which was a very pleasant surprise. With “Brand New Day,” Marvel seems to be finding its footing again after a rough few years. Despite my uncertainty going in, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and my expectations for the upcoming release of “Avengers: Doomsday” are now much higher. They may turn out to be misguided, but I see no reason not to embrace optimism.