Tom Holland returns in his fourth go round as Spider-Man. The twist for anyone who missed "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is that no one recognizes Peter Parker as Dr. Strange's spell wiped the memory of anyone who knew him.
Spider-Man continues to battle old and new adversaries but his friends no longer know his alter-ego. That includes MJ, played again by Zendaya and Ned, played again by Jacob Batalon. Jon Bernthal also returns as Frank Castle aka "The Punisher" (in a slightly watered down version). Sadie Sink joins the cast as a surprise character. And, anyone who has seen the trailer knows that Mark Ruffalo aka "The Hulk" makes an appearance but there are other surprise cameos that I won't spoil here.
The film is a blast from start to finish. Mr. Holland has matured in the role and so has his character. There are plenty of action sequences but surprising moments of genuine gravitas as well as humor. CGI works overtime here but it's done so well, you hardly notice. There is real emotional interplay among the characters in a story that is a bit darker than the previous films.
For fans who enjoy hidden "Easter Eggs", there are plenty to spot including recreating classic Spider-Man comic covers and other references to elements in the Marvel universe. It will probably take multiple viewings to spot them all.
As with all Marvel films, audiences wait through the credits for extra scenes and while this one does have one tiny scene at the very end, it is cryptic and on the surface doesn't reveal any plot details about future Marvel films. My personal takeaway is that while Spider-Man will return, it won't be in "Avengers: Doomsday" coming later this year but rather "Secret Wars" slated for 2027.
For now, we can enjoy "Brand New Day" as it is terrific entertainment and try to see it on the biggest screen possible.
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