You may think that ComicsXF is a fancy professional operation, with a corporate headquarters and everything, but in reality, we’re a loose group of geeks spread across the world. That means that we don’t have press access to movies, and we have to watch Spider-Man: Brand New Day with the masses, around our work and childcare schedules. But we did get a chance to see it, and we’re excited to share our thoughts.
Brand New Day is Marvel Studios’ fourth Spider-Man film, with Tom Holland stepping back into the webs once again alongside Zendaya (MJ) and Jacob Batalon (Ned), but this time bringing on new director Destin Daniel Cretton as well as Jon Bernthal (Frank Castle), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner) and Sadie Sink (she’s a mystery!).
Off the bat, I’m a big Spider-Man guy (if you’re a regular reader here, this won’t be a surprise). While I’ve liked all of the Spider-Man films we’ve gotten, I’ve never felt like any of the live action films has completely gotten him right. The Spider-Man of Sam Raimi was never enough of a smart-ass. Andrew Garfield’s Spidey was a little too “hello, fellow millennials,” and the added conspiracy plotline dragged his duology down. The MCU Spidey up to this point has been way too dependent on the wider universe, with the first two films specifically being too dependent on the legacy of Iron Man.
So I distinctly feel like this is the first live-action film we’ve gotten that really got Spider-Man and his world right.
Cretton’s direction gives us a New York that actually feels like there’s an identity to the setting and not just “generic large metro.” That’s one part thanks to Holland, who’s matured significantly as an actor and actually interacts with the place, and another part the story using the world around him. He frequents a bodega, he works closely with the NYPD (specifically Jean DeWolff, played by Liza Colon-Zayas), the supporting characters live in urban apartments, take phone calls on the subway, and so on.
Peter Parker isolating himself to protect his family is so incredibly in character, and Holland nails the loneliness along with the sense of duty. Making Peter losing his humanity by isolating himself a huge part of the story helps with that loneliness, too.
I also really like how the movie uses the larger Marvel Universe. This is the first Marvel Studios Spidey movie that felt like a Spider-Man movie as opposed to a Marvel Team-Up movie. Ruffalo’s appearance was as a supporting character and antagonist, not a co-star, and it might be his best performance as the Hulk to date. Bernthal’s Punisher was a delight, and the direction and script actually made him incredibly likable, especially as essentially the film’s second lead. I also really enjoyed Florence Pugh’s cameo as Yelena Belova, which wasn’t heavy-handed and fit the film perfectly.
And then there’s Sink.
Yes, HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD.
Still here?
OK, you’re going to ruin the reveal if you stick around.
Sink is a perfect Jean Grey. Jean has a reputation of being a bit of a wallflower, often defined by her relationships (with Charles Xavier, Cyclops and the Phoenix) rather than as her own person. Giving her a huge edge and a chip on her shoulder is a great way to start Jean’s time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Sink has proven herself as an actress to watch (most people know her from Stranger Things, but go watch her dystopian rock opera O’Dessa on Hulu). She gives Jean pathos and internality, without leaning into the cliches of the character.
Now, this isn’t to say the film was perfect. The villains were grossly underdeveloped. Michael Mando’s Scorpion was the strongest villain performance, but his biggest action scene had the character possessed by Jean. Marvin Jones III got two or three lines as Tombstone, then disappeared. All of the other supervillains were faceless and voiceless, including the Hand, who got the largest action set piece.
And then there’s Tramell Tillman’s Bill Metzger, the twist villain of the film. Tillman was great, and lulled me into a false sense of security around him, just like he did with Peter. The issue was that ultimately, the main villain was a relatively anonymous bureaucrat. Metzger is an existing Marvel character, yes, but with only a handful of appearances at best. Using a more recognizable name — such as Henry Gyrich — would have made him a much more effective villain in the end.
And hey, with this being a stealth X-Men team-up film, a few small references (not even cameos) to stuff like Bolivar Trask, and reports of other powered kids (like “rumors of a rich kid with wings and a kid in Chicago walking through walls”) would have helped provide motivation for his villainy.
Ultimately though, this was a great movie and I really felt like it was the first live-action Spider-Man movie to get most of it right. I hope this leads to a new trilogy with this creative team alongside Holland and co., because it could be the start of something great.
Tony Thornley is a geek dad, blogger, Spider-Man and Superman aficionado, X-Men guru, autism daddy, amateur novelist and all around awesome guy. He’s also very humble. Follow him @brawl2099.bsky.social.
