Spider-Man: Far From Home review: With great power, comes great responsibility

Even if it never says so out loud, Spider-Man: Far From Home is all about great power and responsibility. The latest chapter in the MCU is full of action, heart, and laughs.

Spider-Man: Homecoming was amazing, but swinging and landing on his feet this time around proved more challenging for the hero. As the first post-Endgame movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home has a lot of questions to answer. For starters, were any of Peter Parker’s classmates snapped from existence? How is everyone dealing after Thanos?

There are also questions about the next Phase of the MCU. Though Far From Home supposedly closes Phase 3, I think we can all agree Endgame feels like the final chapter for us. Is Far From Home a proper entry to a new Phase and set of heroes, stories, and villains?

A lot is riding on this movie, will it be too much for our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to handle? I’m happy to report that it isn’t. Far From Home features amazing action and special effects, but more than anything, it’s full of heart, just like we know Peter Parker to be.

More from Marvel Movies

• The ladies of Madame Web and their marvelous powers
• The Marvels movie review: Absurdist masterpiece or serious let-down?
• The Marvels closes out 2023 for Marvel as fans await Deadpool’s MCU debut
• The Marvels is likely to stream on Disney+ in early 2024
• The Marvels cast: Which Marvel stars return in the new movie?

Though we don’t hear or see a flashback of Uncle Ben telling Peter that “with great power, comes great responsibility,” that’s the tone and theme of Far From Home. 

When we first met Peter, he was desperately wanting to join the Avengers and be a real hero. Before, he would call and text Happy (Jon Favreau) nonstop, and in Far From Home he’s dodging calls.

Due to the events in Endgame, Peter just wants a break to be a regular teen. Unfortunately, danger doesn’t stop and the world needs him to be the hero and man Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) believed in.

I have to admit, I enjoyed Far From Home a lot more than I thought I would. I was still in the stages of heartache and denial going in to the screening, and it didn’t help that the first minutes of Spider-Man: Far From Home poke fun at those still in a funk. It recovers well from that, though, and I found myself completely into it soon enough.

Peter (Tom Holland) and his classmates are on a trip to Europe and Peter has a plan: Find a romantic spot with MJ (Zendaya) to confess how he feels. Far From Home is like a sweet romcom navigating its way through an action-packed movie.

That action is provided by a new set of monsters rampaging through the streets as Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) tries to stop them on his own. Spidey helps out, but tries his best not to be spotted. It would be too big of a coincidence if New York’s Spider-Man appears in Europe just as Peter’s class is on the trip, this explains the new suit Spidey wears in the promotions.

Gyllenhaal is amazing here, the actor kills it as Mysterio and is clearly enjoying himself and his intriguing character. If you know anything about Mysterio from the comics, you’ll know about a twist, but that still won’t take away from how fun it is to watch Mysterio and Spidey team up and bond.

Zendaya is also wonderful as she is more out of her shell in this chapter than the first. Speaking of fun, Ned (Jacob Batalon) doesn’t fail to provide the laughs. And yes, all questions will be answered about the snap and how everyone has moved on since Thanos.

Finally, if you want to see Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury like you have never, and I mean never, seen him before, stay tuned for the post-credit scenes! That’s only one of the scenes, though, the first post-credit scene is a game-changer and will leave you with your jaw on the floor desperate to watch the upcoming third Spidey movie as you wonder how Peter Parker will get out of this new mess.

Spider-Man: Far From Home is in theaters July 2.