Film Review: Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios
In Theaters: 07.31.2026

Superhero fatigue is in a habitual battle with the snooze button. Whether in the presence of Marvel’s brightest futures or in the darkly lit streets of DC Comics, fans of both comics are running from some stake of rehashable boredom. One minute, we’re alert and riding high on the latest installment to our favorite cinematic universe. Next, we’re becoming drowsy behind the wheel trying to lane change crappy scripts, wood plank acting and the permanent groans of another big-budget project falling conveniently flat. Will someone save us from such travesty? Well, while The Avengers are too busy in preparation for Doomsday and Ryan Gosling regains some Drive-tempered badassery (plus an exposed scalp) for his role as Ghost Rider, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man swings into action with Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

It’s been two years since the cosmic-shifting events of No Way Home, where we find the now antisocial recluse shell of Peter Parker (Tom Holland, The Odyssey) completely devoting his life and legacy as the crime-busting arachnid, Spider-Man. And boy, has he been busy! Gaining tips from New York’s finest and even dodging bullets from the all-purpose mercenary Frank Castle AKA The Punisher (Jon Bernthal, The Walking Dead), Spidey still keeps a wandering eye with Instagram stalking his high school best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon, Tarot, Novocaine) and ex-girlfriend MJ (Zendaya, Euphoria), who remain oblivious to Peter’s existence. However, threats from outside forces and inner turmoil test Peter, as the spider bite that’s given him the superhuman strength and agility has begun mutating his DNA, letting the “spider” consume the “man.” To make matters worse, the arrival of a telepathic orphan (Sadie Sink, Stranger Things) puts Peter’s past on the line after an explosion interference at the Department of Damage Control. It’s up to Peter to take on a new evolution and decide if both faces of his double life can truly coexist. 

Now, it’s a thin line I must walk when it comes to directing any criticism to our fellow web-slinger. Comparing Brand New Day to its predecessors like Homecoming or even No Way Home, the film is a lot more gray in both color palette and subject matter, which makes it such a great watch! We’ve seen Holland suit through the adolescent optimism of a high school Peter, learning to adjust to his powers and the trials of a teenage life. Yet in Brand New Day, Holland dials up the acting chops as a somewhat lost 20-something still trying to find solid ground — something that the oldest superhero fan could connect with. The film grapples with one’s past self, holding on to the memories of people and events that meant so much to us, only to one day wake up and realize those people are now complete strangers. Pairing Holland’s performance with Zendaya’s won me over, as MJ is now more assertive, emotional and more than just a snarky, judgmental scowl. The true winner performance comes from Sink, however, giving her character more range and purpose than she’d ever brought when she stepped foot in Hawkins. And not to spoil things too much, but her “gray” morals of being an antagonist and a troubled soul make me want to see more of her in Doomsday. 

Although merely satisfying all fan service through moments of emotional clarity and kickass action sequences, the film still suffers its fair share of convenience. The payoffs are wrapped up quickly without giving us enough breathing room to actually process every plot point. It’s the participation trophy for the fans that after the credits roll, the satisfaction kind of depletes. However, expecting this to be another installment to the massive overarching MCU saga, fans can still sit back and enjoy the continuation.

In short, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a coming-of-age tale for those still remaining hopeful in such a trying new world. Spider-Man is comic book’s most tragic hero — a webbed symbol for justice and goodwill. It takes a certain hero who can take the crushing weight of the world to get back up and brush the dirt off his shoulders. And as (in my opinion) the most iconic of all supers, we can all feel obliged to ensure that whatever feature we see him in next won’t drive him into the earth to be overplayed and overused for all his potential. But you know what they say: with great IP power comes great responsibility. —Alton Barnhart

Read more films reviews by Alton Barnhart:
Last Call for Secondhand Screenings!
The Shitheads: A Stoner Comedy for Desperate Times

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