Spider-Man: Brand New Day review — Tom Holland and Sadie Sink prop up new Marvel movie that's big, bright, and bold, but isn't the wholly fresh start for the webslinger that I wanted

Light spoilers follow for Spider-Man: Brand New Day .

<![CDATA[ <article> <p><strong>Light spoilers follow for </strong><em><strong>Spider-Man: Brand New Day</strong></em><strong>.</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.techradar.com/tag/spider-man-brand-new-day"><em>Spider-Man: Brand New Day</em></a><em> </em>was meant to signal a fresh era for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. With 2021’s <em>Spider-Man:</em> <em>No Way Home</em> effectively clearing the narrative slate and stripping away his safety net, this latest chapter had a golden opportunity to chart a bold, unburdened new course for a character whose cinematic journey now enters its 24th year.</p><p>And yet, tripped up by familiar Marvel Cinematic Universe (<a href="https://www.techradar.com/tag/mcu">MCU</a>) shortcomings and weighed down by my own sky-high expectations, <em>Brand New Day</em> yields a final product that is undeniably fun, but ultimately falls short of greatness.</p><div style="min-height: 250px;"> <div class="kwizly-quiz kwizly-Xj3mKe"></div> </div> <script src="https://kwizly.com/embed/Xj3mKe.js" async></script><h2 id="web-of-lies">Web of lies</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:2000px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="LCoRpjWr293Wjo3ZKpumtD" name="spider-man-brand-new-day-peter-parker" alt="Peter Parker looking at a load of spider webs in his room in Spider-Man: Brand New Day" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LCoRpjWr293Wjo3ZKpumtD.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="2000" height="1125" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="caption-text">"What's going on with you, Spider-Man?" </span><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Entertainment)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Four years have passed in-universe since <em>No Way Home</em>, whose ending saw Doctor Strange cast a multiverse-saving spell to make everyone, including Parker's girlfriend M.J. (Zendaya) and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon), forget that he was <a href="https://www.techradar.com/tag/spider-man">Spider-Man</a>.</p><p>Since then, our friendly neighborhood hero has fully committed to cleaning up the streets of New York City. While that mission has been incredibly successful, it's come at a cost — that being said, the webslinger is practically shedding his civilian identity and becoming a social recluse.</p><div><blockquote><p>Brand New Day yields a final product that is undeniable fun, but ultimately falls short of greatness</p></blockquote></div><p>That long-term, self-imposed isolation has seemingly dire consequences for Spider-Man, whose world is not only upended after he sees M.J. with a new man, but also by a sudden metamorphosis — one that super-charges his arachnid-like abilities — that he struggles to control. </p><p>Throw in the emergence of a powerful and invisible new threat that only Spidey can apparently stop, and the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/tag/marvel">Marvel</a> icon must turn detective, determine if this new superpowered being is as bad as he's been led to believe, and once again realize that with great power comes great responsibility.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1600px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="NKiks93guwRXG5djHToZG3" name="spider-man-brand-new-day-the-hand" alt="Spider-Man leaping towards a horde of The Hand in Spider-Man: Brand New Day" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NKiks93guwRXG5djHToZG3.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1600" height="900" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="caption-text">Brand New Day's action is well worth the entry fee </span><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Entertainment)</span></figcaption></figure><p>That infamous slogan is one that Holland and director Destin Daniel Cretton hung their proverbial hats on throughout development.</p><p>The pair have spoken at length about making a Spider-Man movie unlike anything we've seen before, and that's especially true from an action spectacle standpoint. Whether it's the fights that Spidey's involved in — the Hulk and The Hand battles deserve special mention for being intense and imaginative — or simply giving us a first-person view of him swinging through his hometown, <a href="https://www.techradar.com/tag/spider-man-4"><em>Spider-Man 4</em></a> is the webslinger at his acrobatic, wily, and inventive best. Full credit to Cretton, stunt co-ordinator and second unit director Peng Zhang, and his team for delivering some of the best action in a Spider-Man film to date.</p><div><blockquote><p>I was disappointed that Spider-Man 4 didn't examine Parker's hermit lifestyle more thoroughly</p></blockquote></div><p><em>Brand New Day</em> isn't as adept at depicting loneliness and other mental health issues, mind you. Indeed, for all of the talk that <em>Brand New Day</em> puts Peter Parker in a mental and emotional echo chamber, that's not entirely accurate. </p><p>Sure, Parker spends much of the first two acts lying to himself about why he has to maintain his lone wolf status, a storytelling quirk that allows Holland to further tap into Parker's guilt complex and the volitional burden of responsibility he carries. Even so, he still interacts — and characteristically quips — with everyone who appears in the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/marvel-phase-6-hub">Marvel Phase 6</a> flick, and, while it would be a puzzlingly dialog-light film for a usually extroverted character if he didn't, I was disappointed that <em>Spider-Man 4</em> didn't examine Parker's hermit lifestyle more thoroughly throughout its 142-minute runtime.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:2000px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="N7MeChMr2Z3Cu45otKFStD" name="spider-man-brand-new-day-MJ-Ned" alt="M.J. and Ned looking concerned as they watch a TV in Spider-Man: Brand New Day" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/N7MeChMr2Z3Cu45otKFStD.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="2000" height="1125" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="caption-text">M.J. and Ned have slightly smaller rolls in Spider-Man 4 compared to their previous MCU film outings </span><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Entertainment)</span></figcaption></figure><p>In fact, the movie's broader emotional impact didn't hit me as hard as I'd hoped. </p><p>Yes, there are myriad moving moments — particularly in the third act — where Holland, Zendaya, and MCU newcomer Sadie Sink deliver emotional gravitas aplenty. Sink, whose <a href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/marvel-reportedly-casts-stranger-things-star-sadie-sink-in-spider-man-4-but-i-dont-want-her-to-tackle-the-roles-shes-rumored-to-play">much-discussed mystery character in <em>Spider-Man 4</em></a> I’ll come back to shortly, gives a performance that easily leaves a lump in the throat</p><p>Nevertheless, <em>Thunderbolts*</em> tackles its weightier themes — particularly around mental health — with a sensitivity that <em>Spider-Man 4</em> lacks. Heck, I'd even say No Way Home and another of Holland's previous MCU outings in <em>Spider-Man: Far From Home</em> hit me much harder emotionally than this fourth entry; a take I certainly didn't expect to have prior to my <em>Brand New Day</em> screening.</p><h2 id="lost-souls">Lost souls</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1920px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="upwikY8KCrM8uJfiicYc3Q" name="spider-man-brand-new-day-peter-parker-frank-castle" alt="Spider-Man running behind Frank Castle/The Punisher, who's firing a gun, in Spider-Man: Brand New Day" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/upwikY8KCrM8uJfiicYc3Q.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1920" height="1080" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="caption-text">Spider-Man and The Punisher's crowd-pleasing odd-couple dynamic is a sight to behold </span><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Entertainment)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Its action notwithstanding, <em>Spider-Man: Brand New Day</em> does a much better job at making New York feel like a city populated by more than one hero and villain at any given time.</p><div><blockquote><p>It's no coincidence that sequences involving Bernthal and Holland are some of the funniest and most memorable</p></blockquote></div><p>That might sound silly for a shared universe like the MCU and for a film franchise that's seen the wallcrawler mingle with other Marvel characters. Still, the fact that he shares the screen with individuals who haven't operated in his orbit before is a positive, especially when, the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/tag/avengers">Avengers</a> movies aside, Marvel appears determined to keep its heroes apart despite their situational proximity.</p><p>It's an ingredient characterized best by Spider-Man's quarrelsome, sibling-like dynamic with Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle, aka The Punisher.</p><p>Ordinarily, Bernthal's foul-mouthed, unhinged anti-hero would have no place in a family-friendly MCU flick. However, his inclusion in <em>Brand New Day</em> allows Bernthal and Holland's incredibly natural chemistry to shine, and it's no coincidence that sequences involving the pair are some of the funniest and most memorable that <em>Spider-Man 4</em> has to offer.</p><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">Test yourself with our Tom Holland Spider-Man movie quiz!</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><p class="fancy-box__body-text">Think of yourself as a Tom Holland Spidey super-fan? See if you have what it takes to be crowned by the best of the best by tackling our <a data-analytics-id="inline-link" href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/think-youre-the-ultimate-tom-holland-spider-man-fan-put-your-knowledge-to-the-test-against-our-marvel-mastermind-in-this-tricky-mcu-quiz">extremely tough Tom Holland Spider-Man movie quiz</a>!</p></div></div><p>The film’s self-contained, 'pick-up-and-read' comic book vibe further extends to <a href="https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/spider-man-brand-new-day-cast-and-character-guide"><em>Spider-Man: Brand New Day</em>'s full cast of characters</a>. </p><p>Returning favorites like Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/The Hulk alongside newcomers in Tramell Tillman's Bill Metzger and Liza Colón-Zayas' Jean DeWolff add to its narrative flavor. However, its overstuffed roster leaves a slight aftertaste as few of them get the necessary development or screentime they require.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:1600px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="izopLYgsw4q6KBQitUzAMZ" name="spider-man-brand-new-day-mystery-character" alt="A hooded individual whose face is shrouded in shadow standing in an apartment in Spider-Man: Brand New Day" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/izopLYgsw4q6KBQitUzAMZ.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="1600" height="900" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="caption-text">Who are you under the hood, Ms. Sink? </span><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Entertainment)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Among the supporting cast, Sink gets the most substantial character arc. <em>Brand New Day</em> waits until the 70-minute mark to finally confirm who she's playing, but it compensates for the inevitable reveal by soon putting the <em>Stranger Things</em> alumnus at the heart of its tale, albeit with mixed results.</p><p>On the upside, <em>Spider-Man 4</em> thoughtfully draws parallels between Holland and Sink's characters. Driven by opposing worldviews rooted in personal tragedy, their dichotomous dynamic fuels the second act, and I'll readily admit I was completely engrossed by their superhuman tango.</p><div><blockquote><p>I was completely engrossed by Holland and Sink's superhuman tango</p></blockquote></div><p>The problem that <em>Brand New Day</em> runs into is that, by placing Sink at its narrative center, it quickly succumbs to the classic MCU pitfall: setting up future storylines instead of concentrating on its actual protagonist.</p><p>Indeed, by act three, Spidey becomes something of a passenger in his own film, and it isn't until its admittedly poignant climax that the focus shifts back to the wallcrawler. That's no slight on the talented Sink's performance, but, not for the first time, it's hard to watch another Spider-Man solo movie and not think that the titular hero has, at times, been overshadowed in his own story.</p><h2 id="my-verdict">My verdict</h2><div class="youtube-video" data-nosnippet ><div class="video-aspect-box"><iframe data-lazy-priority="high" data-lazy-src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/62bIsvRcPv0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div><p>From a recency bias viewpoint, it would be easy — and arguably lazy — to label <em>Brand New Day</em> as the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/best/spider-man-movies-ranked">best Spider-Man movie</a> of all-time.</p><p>In some ways, you can argue that's true. This is the most relatable Peter Parker has ever felt in a live-action capacity; it ditches the weary multiversal shenanigans in favor of returning to the character's classic street-level roots, and is Holland's most mature outing yet as the legendary webslinger.</p><p>That said, while its ending strikes an optimistic note for an all-but-confirmed fifth solo film, <em>Brand New Day</em> is an ironic title for a movie that — much like its protagonist for large parts of this flick — refuses to move on from the past. Its sentimental attachment to legacy characters like Ned and M.J., paired with obstructive MCU world-building, reveals a franchise that hesitates to be as progressive as it could and should be. It’s an endlessly entertaining, ground-level Spider-Man story — it just can’t quite bring itself to let that brand new day truly dawn.</p><p><em>Spider-Man: Brand New Day is out now in the UK, and hits theaters in the US and other regions on Friday, July 31.</em></p> </article> ]]>