This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home.Marvel’s newest film,Spider-Man: No Way Homehas quickly formulated a reputation that has many eager to see what the studio will do next. As the third film of Tom Holland’s run as the iconic Marvel hero, it marks a huge turn in the future of the MCU. The massive cinematic event is a culmination of the web-slinging hero’s cinematic history that spans over 19 years, containing 3 Spider-Men and over 10 villains.
Many of these characters reappear inSpider-Man: No Way Home. Following the effects Disney Plus series likeWandaVisionandLokihave had on the terrain on the MCU, the complexities of the Multiverse continue to be witnessed on screen.No Way Homebuilt on this by bringing bothTobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield into the mix, along with several of their villains. Amidst the stacked cast inNo Way Home, Garfield manages to steal the show.
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InNo Way Home, Garfield reprised his dual role as Peter Parker and Spider-Man alongside Maguire and Holland. The film is full of references to both Maguire and Garfield’s previous films and as exciting as Garfield and Maguire’s return is,No Way Homeisa particularly important film for Garfield. Unable to completeThe Amazing Spider-Manfranchise,No Way Homegives Garfield’s rendition of Peter Parker and Spider-Man the closure that both the franchise and Garfield never had. While his screen time inNo Way Homeisn’t a significant amount, Garfield does make the moments he has on-screen count.
From the moment Garfield arrives on screen, his passion for the Spider-Man character radiates through the screen. As he steps through the portal opened by Ned, Garfield immediately launches into the quirky and charming performance as Spider-Man that many adoredthroughoutThe Amazing Spider-Man. He has a charming exchange with MJ and Ned before the arrival of Maguire, and goes on to have many more heartwarming moments with his fellow Spider-Men. In addition to his own passion for the character, Garfield has also publically said that he thinks Holland is the perfect Spider-Man. In Garfield’s own scenes with Holland, his happiness and excitement for Holland’s embodiment of the character and his ability to share the screen with him, shines bright.
WithNo Way Homefirst and foremost being Holland’s third film, its job isn’t to wrap up the storylines of Maguire and Garfield’s characters, but it does offer some additional closure to their stories.No Way Homeexpands on what life for Garfield’s Spider-Man was like following the loss of Gwen StacyinThe Amazing Spider-Man 2. It is clear that he is still dealing with the guilt he feels over not being able to save her and for not upholding the promise he made to Gwen’s father shortly before his own death.No Way Homeoffers some insight into what life held for Garfield’s Spider-Man in the midst of all this, as he attempts to connect with Holland’s Peter following the loss of Aunt May.
When Holland’s Peter tries to send the villains back to their respective universes without continuing to try and help them as May wanted, Garfield’s character recalls his own struggle to continue being Spider-Man. Even though Garfield wasn’t able to save Gwen, he says that he knows Gwen would’ve wanted him to put on the Spider-Man suit again and continue to stick up for the little guy. Without direct glimpses of Garfield’s Spider-Man in the aftermath of Gwen’s death, viewers are left tocling onto the words of GarfieldinNo Way Homeas he recounts the aggressive, grieving side of himself. This arguably gives Garfield’s lines and the story they tell much more significance than any other character in the film.
Garfield himself has previous discussed his experience as Spider-Man inThe Amazing Spider-Manseries, andcalled the experience “heartbreaking.“Many of the events withinThe Amazing Spider-Manmovies are as equally gut-wrenching andNo Way Homeuses one of the saddest scenes from the previous franchise to bring closure to Garfield’s Spider-Man. When MJ begins to fall from the Statue of Liberty duringNo Way Home’sclimactic battle sequence, Garfield is the one that catches and therefore saves her. His face contains a look of equal triumph and heartbreak, as he relishes in the moment ofsaving the MCU’s Peterfrom more heartache, while also redeeming himself on behalf of Gwen.
Garfield is a scene-stealer throughoutNo Way Homebecause of what his presence means for him on both a personal and professional level. As stellar as his performance inNo Way Homeis, his Sony franchise wasn’t as lucky.The Amazing Spider-Manfilms are the most heavily criticized of any of the live-action Spider-Man movies. On Rotten Tomatoes,The Amazing Spider-Manholds a 72% rating from critics and a 77% audience score. It is the seventhhighest-rated Spider-Man film, only ranking aboveSpider-Man 3andThe Amazing Spider-Man 2, which has a 52% critic rating and a 64% audience score. BothAmazing Spider-Manfilms are also the lowest-grossing live-action Spider-Man films despite appearing on the top-10 list for the highest-grossing movies worldwide in both 2012 and 2014.
With statistics like this, it’s a surprise that many fans have taken to social media, advocating forThe Amazing Spider-Man 3. For fans of Garfield and his performance as Spider-Man, this sudden surge of support is bittersweet. While Garfield is now getting the recognition many felt he always deserved in the role, the advocation for Garfield’s nextAmazing Spider-Maninstallment arrives a bit late. Nevertheless, Garfield’s passion and raw emotion was a great addition toNo Way Homeand the heavy theme of grief within the film. Even if he doesn’t ever receive his third installment ofThe Amazing Spider-Man, the new form of recognition for his performance is well deserved.
Spider-Man: No Way Homeis now in theaters.
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