ReelBob: ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’ ★★★½
By Bob Bloom
“Spider-Man: Far from Home” is part a teen comedy and part a superhero action flick, which could be subtitled, “Peter Parker’s Summer Vacation.”
The movie opens with a nod to the events in “Avengers: Endgame,” with a recap of what impact it had on the world — and specifically, Peter’s high school — regarding those who disappeared five years earlier and then miraculously reappeared.
This strange event was given the odd name of “The Blip.”
From there, “Far from Home” moves forward as Peter plans for a summer science trip to Europe with members of his science class. Peter (Tom Holland) is anxious about the trip, and, as he confides to his best friend, Ned, he is planning on using it to get close to his crush, MJ (Zendaya).
In the midst of packing and scheming, Peter also is ghosting phone calls from Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).
On the plane to their first stop in Venice, Peter’s plan to talk with MJ goes awry and it continues to do so once the class reaches Venice.
There, after a battle with a water creature called an Elemental, in which Peter uses his spider powers to help a mysterious superhero, Quentin Beck aka Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). They defeat the Elemental and Fury finally catches up with the teen.
Peter is reluctant to join the fray, even after Beck explains that he is from a parallel Earth that was destroyed by four Elements.
With the water monster destroyed, the remaining Elemental is Fire, which is the most dangerous and destructive.
Peter, as Spider-Man, teams up with Mysterio, and they destroy the last Elemental and save the world. The End! Fade-out!
Only kidding. Much more happens in “Far from Home.”
The main thrust of the story is Peter’s journey of self-discovery. The death of Tony Stark weighs heavily on the 16-year-old, and Peter is unsure of himself — and of accepting the responsibility that the late Iron Man had rested on his shoulders.
The young man is fighting within, trying to choose between having a life as a normal high-school teenager or as an Avenger, whose duty is protecting — and perhaps, at times, saving — the world.
Stark had left Peter an advanced technological gadget to aid him as a superhero, but Peter feels unworthy and makes a rash decision. The consequences of that act force him to again don his Spider-Man costume and save the world — and his friends.
Holland’s performance is outstanding, as he shows the confusion and inner struggle of a kid who wants to be like his peers but knows that is an unreasonable goal — no matter how hard he tries.
You can see and feel his doubts and insecurities, as well as the pain and void left by Stark, a father figure to the teenager.
Gyllenhaal is a delight. His Mysterio is heroic and personable, yet you sense that behind his smile and support for Peter lay an ulterior, darker motive.
“Far from Home” is a light hearted effort that moves quickly and skips easily between teen-romance tropes and CGI action sequences.
It pays tribute to the Marvel old guard, while looking ahead to future adventures with Spider-Man and other heroes who may be on the horizon.
The film’s main flaw is transforming Jackson’s Fury into an almost comic-relief character who mostly makes wisecracks and hurls zingers at Parker.
That, however, is a minor infraction that should not deter you from enjoying the movie.
“Spider-Man: Far from Home” is one of the best movies of the summer — and it’s about time. After such bombs as “Dark Phoenix” and “Men in Black International,” it’s a breath of fresh air to see our friendly neighborhood web-slinger back in action with all his youthful baggage attached.
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME
3½ stars out of 4
(PG-13), science-fiction action and violence, language, suggestive comments