Spider-Man: Brand New Day image courtesy Marvel
Ron and Mon: “With great power must come great responsibility.”
Ron: Hello and welcome to a new episode of Stereo Geeks, a bi-weekly pop culture podcast, and weekly newsletter. Today, we’re reviewing Spider-Man: Brand New Day. I’m one of your hosts, Ron, a pop culture critic and managing editor at Women Write About Comics, now on hiatus.
Mon: And I’m Mon, your other host, an entertainment writer with bylines in Bam Smack Pow and Huffpost, to name a few. We’ll divide our review of Spider-Man: Brand New Day into non-spoiler and spoiler sections.
Mon: Before we start our episode, we would like to acknowledge that the land we are recording on is the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. It is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit.
Ron: While we are making this land acknowledgement, we understand that this is not enough and that positive action is required by the people of Canada to make substantive change for the Indigenous nations and communities whose lands we now reside on.
[Music]
What is Spider-Man: Brand New Day About?
Ron: The last time we saw Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, Doctor Strange had wiped the world’s memory of Peter. He had lost his last living relative, Aunt May, and he was truly and completely alone. That’s where Spider-Man: Brand New Day takes off.
Mon: Four years later, Peter is a loner and lonely. He lives for the videos his former best friend Ned Leeds posts of his and Peter’s former girlfriend, MJ’s, lives at MIT. He does nothing but fight crime all day long. Which is great for New York City, not so great for Peter’s mental wellbeing.
Ron: It’s like Peter is punishing himself for making the mistakes he made in the previous movie. Even when people want to get close to him, he makes every effort to avoid the connection. Because he’s afraid they’ll get hurt; like Tony Stark and Aunt May.
Mon: It’s a running theme in Spider-Man stories. Which is why Peter is so protective of his identity. But man, this is a whole new Peter and it’s heartbreaking.
Ron: Now that Peter is truly alone, he can be a real friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. His beat is New York. He helps the police out as he stops crimes of all sizes. Gone are the glory days of being an Avenger and saving the planet.
Mon: But of course, Peter’s life may have been on cruise control for a hot minute but it isn’t any more. Otherwise, why would we have a movie, right? A mysterious string of incidents brings Peter face-to-face with an unlikely villain.
Ron: Suddenly, Peter is facing existential threats, from within and without. He’s one of the superheroes who fought Thanos. But can he fight his greatest nemesis? Himself!
What did we like about Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
Mon: Yes, very dramatic. But what did we think of the film?
Ron: Is it weird that I was worried about this film? The fourth Thor film wasn’t well-received even though you and I were delighted that Mighty Thor was in it. Would a fourth outing for Spidey suffer the same fate?
Mon: Yeah, I have a soft spot for Love and Thunder. I wasn’t necessarily worried. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers are back as the writers of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. They’ve written all the MCU Spidey films. I was intrigued by how they’d pivot to the comic book feel of Spider-Man. If anything, I wish they’d picked up the pace in the film to make it really great. It was, however, really enjoyable.
Ron: Daniel Destin Cretton directed this film. I think I’ve mentioned before that I absolutely love Shang-Chi and we fell completely in love with Wonder Man. I was hopeful for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Mon: I knew Peter was in good hands. And you can tell there’s a steady and innovative hand at play here. Cretton makes the film feel so alive, so bustling. The energy of the fight scenes is kinetic but not frenetic. But there’s a grounded feel to the film that’s perfect for Spider-Man. None of this should be a surprise, because these are the reasons we loved Shang-Chi and Wonder Man.
Ron: The cinematography is fantastic in this film. I loved the close-ups and POV shots of Spidey swinging through New York. They felt very natural, which is saying something, considering it’s Spider-Man. These might be my favourite flying scenes of Spidey ever.
Mon: Absolutely. I was like, I’m going to get dizzy soon if he keeps this up. I feel like I’m Spider-Man. But really, I was amazed at the look and feel of the film. I don’t think I’ve seen New York look like this on film before. Or at least not in a while. It felt tangible. I loved that.
Ron: It almost feels like a videogame, at times!
Mon: Yes! And we love video games, so this was a perfect experience for us.
Ron: Especially the Miles Morales game. But then again, he is our favourite Spidey.
Mon: I also loved how funny the film was. The previous trilogy has been funnier, but this one had some well-placed humorous moments. They found the balance between the emotional storyline and the laughs.
Ron: I know we laughed several times and we were talking to the screen. But this was a sad Spidey film, in my opinion. Definitely in the vein of its predecessor.
Mon: Yeah! It had to be, otherwise how could we see the character evolve naturally. It helped that I felt really drawn to the characters. I guess we know them so well. We’ve loved the franchise for so long. We love hanging out with these people.
Ron: They even made me feel for Frank. Which, to be fair, the show somewhat did, as well. I know there was some concern around Frank Castle, The Punisher, being in this film. Jon Bernthal fits in seamlessly, honestly. But there’s a difference when you put a violent, swearing character like Frank in a PG-13 film. I think people are going to be upset. Frank’s scenes worked for me, and they figured out a way to have Frank without the swearing.
Mon: Bernthal makes Frank work because the writing, direction and performance remember that Frank is a human being. A flawed, hurt, and angry human, but still human. He’s going to be pig-headed. He’s going to be unintentionally funny. And he’s going to be loveable. I loved that about him in this film. If people just want the swearing and bleeding version, well, they’re out of luck.
Ron: This isn’t a criticism of the film, more the nature of a longstanding franchise. But Spidey has become very inaccessible to folks who aren’t already into superhero films. Anybody walking into this film is going to be expected to have caught up with Daredevil and The Punisher to know who Frank is. I remember a young colleague of mine being lost during No Way Home because she hadn’t grown up with the Maguire and Garfield Spidey films. Imagine meeting Frank here for the first time.
Mon: This is true. I didn’t think of that. It’s a problem with Marvel for sure. Especially because, when it comes to the white guy properties, they don’t give you any background on the other characters. That only happens for characters like Echo and The Marvels.
Criticisms of Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
Ron: Yes, there’s no background for Frank. But there are a lot of flashbacks for Peter. I don’t know if those were needed.
Mon: No, they were needed. That’s the closest we’re going to get with Marvel trying to open the door for newbies to watch the fourth solo film for Spidey in the MCU.
Ron: I guess you’re right.
Mon: I’ve already hinted at one of my criticisms—I felt the film was a bit slow in parts. It didn’t drag but I felt like we lost momentum with the emotion.
Ron: I may have to watch Spider-Man: Brand New Day again to confirm, but I’m pretty sure No Way Home was much slower. And you could really see the pandemic constraints on that film.
Mon: Interesting. I don’t remember that. No Way Home is my least favourite MCU Spidey film, so I wouldn’t be surprised.
Ron: The extended cut is better.
Mon: I really must find and watch that someday. I also felt like they crammed in a lot of story here. Like a lot. Was it too much? I don’t know.
Ron: I don’t think it was. It’s quite an all-encompassing experience. It’s not a complicated plot but there are subplots that lead into it.
Mon: You are always so positive. But I really enjoyed watching this film. And the screen looked extra big for some reason, so it felt super-immersive. I loved that.
Ron: All in all, I really enjoyed the experience of watching this film. The crowd was a bit too quiet, unlike at No Way Home, where they drowned out the dialogue. But I had a fun time and a sad time.
Spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day - Cameos!
Mon: Now onto spoilers.
Ron: Indeed. Can we talk about those cameos? Did everyone know Bruce Banner would be back?
Mon: Yes, dear, he’s on the posters.
Ron: He is? I’ve only seen the posters with the Hand or half of Spidey.
Mon: You’re hilarious. I love how you can avoid so many spoilers. I need to learn your ways.
Ron: I liked seeing Bruce again. I’d love to see his cousin but Marvel is pretending She-Hulk doesn’t exist.
Mon: Bruce is a darling. He gets possessed every time we see him. I don’t even care. He’s sweet. I love how Mark Ruffalo plays him.
Ron: He’s very kind, even when he doesn’t know what someone’s agenda is. Like Peter asks him all these hyper specific questions about the inhibitor and Bruce just goes along with it because he can see Peter is desperate for support. Bruce really doesn’t deserve to be cursed with the Hulk.
Mon: Right? He’s so giving. But he’s not blinkered. Bruce immediately tries to assess whether an inhibitor could be used for the wrong reasons. I like that.
Ron: Of course, Bruce is now in a psyche ward due to the events of this film. I’m sad for him.
Mon: Me too! Did you know Yelena Belova would show up? I saw that Florence Pugh was at the premiere but didn’t know why.
Ron: I had no clue! I didn't even know she was at the premiere.
Mon: I loved seeing Yelena. She’s so snarky but has such a big heart.
Ron: I’m just happy to see Yelena any time, any where. She is one of my favourite new characters in the MCU, and she can do no wrong in my eyes. I love her very much.
Mon: Ok… Marisa Tomei was also at the premiere. I thought she was back to support the film. But nope! Aunt May has a cameo, and a really, really important one at that. I’m so happy Tomei was brought back. I don’t think this film would have felt right without her.
Ron: Agreed. I’ve really enjoyed Tomei as Aunt May. She brings levity but also purpose to the role. And she’s got a really important scene in this film.
Mon: I do have one more criticism—we got Eman Esfandi for two seconds. Seriously? His character doesn’t even have a name? He’s just The Boyfriend. This is an outrage.
Ron: I know. Okay, look. I didn’t know who Eman was before he was cast as Ezra Bridger in Ahsoka but he’s now Ezra Bridger in Ahsoka. Give him a bigger role, guys!
Mon: There were no other major cameos, though we spotted the deputy Mayor character from Daredevil: Born Again.
Ron: We did, indeed. Or is she Mayor now? Is this post-Daredevil Season 2?
Mon: Oh right. I don’t know. It’s hard to keep track of the timeline.
Ron: I’d say all the New Yorkers we saw count as cameos. I really loved that about Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Because of the villain’s powers, we get to see and interact with so many different people. They really build out the very small world that Spidey now inhabits. I found it very grounded and immersive. I felt like I was in New York, not just watching it.
Mon: That lived-in feeling of an alive and bustling city. Man, I missed that about movies. I’m happy it’s back, now that it’s safer for film sets to have more people.
MCU’s Hero Problems in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Mon: Now that we’re in the spoiler section, I have a few more criticisms. Peter almost died as Spider-Man and when he leaves the hospital, no one recognizes him. But Frank draws the crowd’s attention pretending to be Spidey. The whole crowd erupts. Vigils end. There’s cheering. Is this what our MCU heroes live for? The glory and gratitude? Not the, you know, helping people thing. It’s how Thunderbolts* ended too. This scene almost did an about turn on everything that Peter was written as up till that point for me. Did you feel that way?
Ron: You have an interesting point there. Maybe for Peter, it was a moment where he realized that what he’s doing does matter, and that he matters. Even if people don’t know him, Spider-Man will not be forgotten. I don’t know. I have to think about it.
Mon: The whole hospital scene reminded me a lot of Superman Returns. It was weird. I know a lot of people complain about the Marvel formula. I frankly, don’t care. Every film feels fresh and new and not formulaic. But, in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, they kick off the film with a montage of Spidey fighting his Rogues. Really? We already did that in Fantastic Four: First Steps. That’s such a weird choice to me. Fun, but weird.
Ron: This might be the new formula. It definitely felt like the start of Fantastic Four. I didn’t mind it but it may not work for every story.
Now, About That Character in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Ron: Jeannnnnnnnnnn!
Mon: Yeah. Yeah…..
Ron: Okay. Look. Sadie Sink had been announced ages ago for this film. Some dimwits were hoping she would be Mary-Jane Watson, even though MJ is right there. Zendaya is playing her. Superhero fans are the worst. But there were other theories, as well.
Mon: Rumours were rife from the start. And the rumours were right. Sink is Jean Grey. But I’m disappointed. I don’t dislike Sadie Sink, but I somehow can’t forgive her for The Whale.
Ron: Listen, if we can forgive Brendan Fraser and Hong Chau for it, we can forgive Sink. Of course, I haven’t forgiven anyone for that travesty.
Mon: I know. I know. I also can’t not see her as her Stranger Things character. She doesn’t even look like Jean. Red hair isn’t Jean’s only trait.
Ron: I have only seen one season of her in Stranger Things.
Mon: My problem is less with Sink and more with how the MCU treats our beloved X-Men. Look, we love our mutants. Listen to us gushing about X-Men ‘97 in our review episodes and our video review episodes. We are precious about them. And the MCU does not know how to handle them because Marvel is in some kind of dumb bind about them.
Ron: Let’s talk about that. Because as the film went on, I found myself really getting attached to Jean. In my head, she was Jeannie. And I kept thinking to myself, you’re going to find your family soon. Scott and the Professor and Ororo are around the corner for you. I know it.
Mon: Wait, what?
Ron: Yes. Maybe it was Sink’s performance. Nothing spectacular but she really sold the “I have one person to live for and I will destroy this planet for her” vibe. I have always been a sucker for strong sisterly bonds so this worked a number on me.
Mon: Fascinating. Listen, the sisterly bond thing is great. Did you see how Yelena’s face fell when she talked to Spider-Man about Jean and her sister Sarah?
Ron: Oh wow. I actually missed that. I loved that Yelena was here. We adore her. And she’s so fun and quirky.
Mon: She really is amazing. It was a subtle thing. Back to Jean. I don’t like how many changes they made to Jean’s origins here. Her sister Sarah was also a telepath here? In the comics, her sister is human and lives a regular life.
Ron: Yeah. Why mess with the origins? I also wasn’t a fan of her telekinetic powers suddenly appearing just when she needed them. There should have been some inkling before.
Mon: Mutant powers emerge during moments of extreme stress. Which somewhat makes sense. But it was almost a little too convenient that both Jean and Peter level-up their powers in this film around the same time.
Ron: Convenient and a little bit lazy.
Mon: In general, what annoyed me most is that her powers work differently here. She possesses minds like she’s freaking Malice. You and I even thought it was Malice. Bizarre choice.
Ron: We thought it was Malice! I was surprised because Malice hasn’t been in the comics for a while. I was like, that’s an unexpected development. But then it turned out to be Jean. I won’t say the possession is completely out of the realm of her powers. The Professor did something similar in X2. But people not remembering having been possessed is a bit weird.
Mon: That’s fair. I mean, it looks super-cool. We get a ton of awesome extras acting their hearts out. And it’s a constraint that allows the story to move forward. But it’s still going to bother me.
Ron: But my concern about the MCU introducing the X-Men seems to have come true. In the comics, the relationship between the Avengers and the X-Men is antagonistic. The Avengers think the X-Men mess things up and cause untold damage. The X-Men just want the Avengers to get off their backs and leave them alone. Having read the comics from the X-Men’s POV, the Avengers are jerks. But on the flip side, the X-Men can be considered uncontrolled and dangerous beings. That’s how this film positions them and I’m worried for their future in the MCU.
Mon: Wow, you went deep. I don’t really know what the X-Men will look like in the MCU. Whoever is returning for Doomsday is going to have that one last shot and then we’ll pivot to something…unrecognizable. I want to hold out hope, but not after watching this rendition of the character.
Ron: I’m going to take heart in the fact that we still have the animated X-Men series, which is truer to the comics and gives us the characters the way we love them, and sometimes in newer ways. But I had little hope for the MCU doing right by our X-Men, and while I did love this film, and I did like Jean more than I expected to, I’m worried.
Mon: Yeah, I guess.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is Emotional
Ron: Let’s talk about Peter and Jean though. They’re two sides of the same coin in this film. Neither of them have anyone left. And they’ve been erased; Peter through magic, Jean through Damage Control. I love that Peter’s strength and drive comes from his burning desire to save people. He doesn’t want to stop Jean like Frank does. He wants to save her. And he uses love and compassion to do so.
Mon: Spider-Man wouldn’t be the hero he is if he wasn’t so compassionate. His compassion in this film comes particularly from being so alone. I didn’t expect there to be such a strong connection between Peter and Jean though.
Ron: I knew there would be more to that Aunt May scene that we got in the beginning. And when we came back to it, I absolutely loved what they did there. Peter knew what May said to him and he knew Jean needed to hear those words from someone as generous and loving as May. That scene was so cleverly written. Hats off to the writers. Because May could have been speaking to anyone, not just Peter or Jean. She could have been speaking to us and telling us that things can get hard and crazy but we can get through it by being ourselves. I’m going to cry again now.
Mon: Powerful and kind words. Words, I think, we could listen to from time to time to get by. I knew this film would be emotional but I didn’t realize how much. Throughout the film they gave us moments to cry.
Ron: There was a lot more crying involved than I was prepared for. Holy moly, did this film get me in my feels.
Mon: I have to talk about the scene between Peter and who he thinks is MJ.
Ron: Yes please. Because Tom Holland is incredible.
Mon: Peter’s rescued MJ in the hopes of preventing Jean from possessing her. Then MJ’s like, do we know each other and she kisses him and she acts like she remembers him. And the way Tom Holland hugs her and his face crumbles. My gawd! How? How do you emote like that? It was so natural. And affecting. I was stunned. You don’t feel for Peter in that moment, you feel for yourself and every time you’ve felt that emotion. Crikey! What a performance.
Ron: Every film, I think Tom Holland has outdone himself in the emotional stakes. And every new film, he surprises me by being even more emotive and affecting. I don’t know how he does it. That scene with MJ on the rooftop. I was destroyed. You just feel the weight of all those lonely years and that yearning he has for his great love. That relief that he finally has her back. Heartbreaking.
Peter Parker and Masculinity in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Mon: I want to also talk about why we like Peter as a person. He’s fun and funny, yes. And in this film, particularly, he’s going through something a lot of people are suffering from—loneliness.
Ron: Tom Holland’s Peter is the only version of Peter I truly love. Nowhere near my enduring love for Miles Morales, aka best Spidey in the universe. But Holland’s Peter is a goddamn treasure.
Mon: But I also want to point out that none of this would matter if Peter was a jerk. And I mean, the bar is low, so it’s not going by much here. Which brings me to an undercurrent in this film. We wouldn’t have been so emotional, and felt so strongly for Peter if the film wasn’t a rebuff of toxic masculinity.
Ron: I wouldn’t say it’s a complete rebuff of it. But they’re definitely not encouraging toxicity.
Mon: Peter Parker is a nerdy fella, who is a lover more than a fighter. The MCU version has always been an underdog, vying for first place, but through his own merits, and not deviousness. Yes, the Tony Stark tech and money helped, but Peter’s always had to hide those sides of himself. In this film, he’s jacked, and we’re introduced to his latest antics through a sequence of fight scenes with some of his Rogues Gallery.
Ron: Those were fun scenes. But the film also makes it obvious that Peter literally has nothing else to do. Unlike Ned and MJ, he couldn’t go to MIT. His entire life now is Spider-Man.
Mon: Yes. As a result, Peter, we realize, is struggling with something many of us are facing–extreme loneliness. Part of it is self-imposed, but he’s also depressed and unable to get the help he needs. Here’s the thing though; Peter doesn’t lash out at anyone because of his loneliness. He goes out of his way to help people. To his own detriment sometimes. We see Peter bruised and battered, but always getting back out there.
Ron: There’s barely a scene where Peter isn’t bruised and bandaged. And he’s obviously patching himself up, as well.
Mon: Peter is purposefully positioned as anti-macho. The most conversations he has is with the kindly police captain, Dewolffe.
Ron: Played by The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas! She’s so understanding and kind. The perfect friend for Peter.
Mon: He’s always trying to get people to back down. His quips and smarts are misdirections when fighting bigger bads. Check out his relationship with Frank. Frank’s here to be the macho foil to Peter. And what happens in the end? Frank’s machismo nearly kills Peter; and Frank sees Peter’s bravery. As you said, Peter doesn’t want to stop people, he wants to save people. It’s an integral distinction in his character. But again, not to make himself feel better, but because, well, he needs some saving too.
Ron: Yes. He sees the best in people and he wants to believe that everyone can be, and is, good.
Mon: That’s probably why they didn’t go overboard with the sympathy for Peter. Like yes, he’s lonely and he’s lost everyone. He’s hurting—physically from his transformation, and from constantly fighting crime. Our heart breaks for him, but this isn’t some sympathy train. Life sucks for a lot of us, as it does for Peter. He just picks himself back up and gets going. But yeah, he needs to figure out how to live his new life and that takes a while.
Ron: I think Peter has it pretty bad now, though. Like, among all the superheroes, he’s got the worst deal. Poor guy has zero people. But he never stops being Spidey. He’s really quite aspirational in this film.
Mon: Yes I agree. I wish he was a tad bit scrappier though, right? Without Tony’s money, or any money at that, how’s he supporting his setup and his takeout dinners?
Ron: Yeah. He’s got a pretty sweet setup for a guy with no money and no job. I know he’s good at repurposing junk but that good?
Mon: I also find it interesting that the film plays with the true love concept. Another trope of toxic masculinity. Jean mocks Peter for thinking the whole fairytale ‘true love’s kiss’ has brought MJ back to him. That stuff doesn’t work. We would have laughed had it done so. But it still breaks our hearts, because we see ourselves in Peter’s struggles. Only possible, because he’s a lovely person.
Ron: And he isn’t a jerk about it! Is he too understanding? Maybe. But we need a bit more understanding in the world.
Mon: And then later, MJ reads Peter’s letter and tells him she feels nothing for him because she doesn’t know him. And yet, Peter—as Spider-Man—and Ned Leeds get on like a house on fire.
Ron: Yes! It’s like they were meant to be the best buds ever. But the MJ confession was really astounding to me. There’s Peter confessing his love, hoping for a redo. And MJ is basically like, I have never seen this man in my life.
Mon: Right? It was so painfully realistic. But any other way, and it would have made the film, and Peter’s journey a joke. But, when MJ says she doesn’t love him, he just doesn’t react. He’s crushed and he’s absorbing it. And that’s it. He doesn’t try to convince her or plead with her. He knows it’s a fact and he respects that and her.
Ron: And he still has to give her a ride home. Which he does, without question, because she is very far from her home and has no means of getting there.
Mon: Yeah. And he does that with no strings attached. I mean, barring the web ones of course.
Ron: Hehe. Of course. That’s maybe why Maguire’s Spidey didn’t stick with us. He became so mean and self-centred.
Mon: This is true. The Raimi films—the sensibilities just never worked for me. Because, like, would the previous takes on Peter have taken the time to apologize to MJ about kissing her while she was possessed? Nope. It’s a plot point but also, really good behaviour. Peter was raised right.
Ron: Yes. You can see how much good work May put in to make Peter the wonderful man he is.
Mon: But let’s not forget Ned’s role in this. The way Holland’s face softens whenever Peter sees Ned. How Peter always watches Ned’s videos–yes, he’s hoping to see MJ, but there’s love for Ned there as well.
Ron: Ned was Peter’s best friend and was meant to be in his life forever. He knew about Spider-Man, he was always ready to support. Ned is a greater loss, in my opinion. Even though MJ is the source of the most intense emotion.
Mon: And then, the film seems to end with Peter saying hi to Ned and the two of them automatically do their secret handshake? Does Ned remember Peter now? Is this a case of true love’s handshake? I’m so intrigued but also happy that they didn’t go down some silly fairytale trope route to fix Peter’s life in a flash.
Ron: It was the cutest. And the movie cuts on Peter’s happy face. What a fascinating choice. I do wonder what it means, because Ned demonstrated magic capabilities in No Way Home that he didn’t have here.
Funniest moments in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Mon: So that was a lot of heavy stuff. But this was also a very funny film even though it was quite sad. Any favourite moments?
Ron: Peter being grossed out by his mutations was hilarious to me. He’s gagging at the sight of his own web fluids. And then when the documentary is showing the spider mutating? Tom Holland’s face. It’s the best! I almost fell out of my chair laughing. He is so disgusted. Especially because he’s worried that’s happening to him.
Mon: That was an Oscar-worthy moment. I will take no questions at this time.
Final thoughts on Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
Ron: The performances were great. Tom Holland is spectacular as Spider-Man.
Mon: Ah, I see what you did there! What I enjoyed about this film is that it doesn’t feel like a Marvel film. And that is not a bad thing. We love the MCU, we even like MCU films that others don’t. They have poor taste. Not our problem. But there’s a real grounded feeling to this film, and to Spider-Man, that doesn’t feel like a Marvel film. I like this change.
Ron: This film feels real and grounded. Spider-Man makes you feel for him and everyone around him. It was an immersive, sweet film but also very sad. I didn’t expect to cry this much. It was still aspirational. I loved the cinematography and the flying scenes were gorgeous. I liked Jean Grey more than I expected to but I don’t like that she’s the villain. The X-Men deserve better.
Mon: I loved being back with these characters and back with the MCU on the big screen. I love the look of this film, and the fight scenes were brilliant. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is funnier than I expected, but so, so emotional. So many tears. I am floored by Tom Holland’s performance. I enjoyed the rest of the cast, as well.
Mon: I am surprised the pacing wasn’t better, and I felt there was too much story packed in. And Jean Grey… if this is the start of the MCU’s introductions to the X-Men, it is going to be a problem for me. But, I love MCU Spidey, and I loved his arc and story. I can’t wait for more of him!
Coming Up Next
Mon: And that’s it for our review of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Ron: Join us next time for our season review of X-Men ‘97 Season 2.
Ron: You can listen to Stereo Geeks on stereogeeks.ca, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to rate us, and leave us a review; it helps other listeners find us.
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Mon: See you next time.