When Spider-Man must grapple with the adult realities of guilt, loneliness, and depression
By Wendell Gaa
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is without a doubt this year’s biggest summer blockbuster. Having seen this at cinemas three times already (twice here in Ankara, Türkiye where I’m currently based and once in Basel, Switzerland along with a new friend of mine from this recent workshop I’ve attended there), I can understandably see why.
British actor Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker AKA Spider-Man from his previous Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, and in his fourth solo film outing as Marvel’s web-slinging superhero, he has shown how he has truly grown and matured into the role since his first Spidey movie 2017’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” Holland’s real-life wife Zendaya and our very own FilAm actor Jacob Batalon return to their respective roles as MJ Watson and Ned Leeds for the fourth time as well.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” shows us a Peter Parker living a full adult life striving to survive on his own while committing himself as his wall-crawling alter ego to defending New York City against vile criminal elements. With the assistance of an inside source within the city’s law enforcement, Spidey finds himself on quite a roll placing several of his enemies behind bars, and he in turn becomes the most popular celebrity in town. Yet at the same time, Peter finds himself having to deal with all the challenges that adults in the real world must face, not the least of which include paying monthly bills and working for a living.
The challenges only seem to surmount when a mysterious force emerges that can mentally, emotionally and psychologically test Spidey in a way none of his previous trials could. In addition, Spidey’s own superpowers seem to be changing in such a way he could never have foreseen, and forces Peter to place his trust in some of the most unlikely allies for help in his crusade against crime.
I have stated this in my previous reviews of past “Spider-Man” films, but Peter Parker is arguably the most popular comic superhero in the modern zeitgeist today because he is simply the most relatable to both comic readers and movie viewers alike. Just as teenage Spidey had to deal with everyday high school issues such as bullying and dating which are common occurrences with today’s youth, Tom Holland’s young adult Spidey in this new film needs to address many dilemmas which contemporary adults are oftentimes forced to confront, including guilt, loneliness and depression.
Since my own days of youth, I have been a huge admirer of Spider-Man even though I’ve never avidly read his comic books. I loved watching this popular 1980s animated series “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends” where the character combines both a sense of humor and trepidation while facing some of the deadliest super villains known in comic lore, something I found inspiring and entertaining all at once.
I first watched the original 2000s “Spider-Man” film trilogy starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker at a movie house in Manila. I then saw the succeeding two Spidey films from the early 2010s starring Andrew Garfield in the titular role in New York City, which is the very home of our hero and where I had then been posted with our Philippine Consulate General in New York.
And as I’ve mentioned earlier, I have now seen this latest film three times. In all of these viewing experiences, I have keenly observed why “Spider-Man” is such a huge hit with film audiences throughout the globe. Go watch it at the cinema and find out why!
