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| Images courtesy of Sony Pictures |
It is amusing to watch superhero films go down the same trajectory that made comic books unfriendly to newcomers. Too many simultaneous storylines to follow, introducing a multiverse, and splitting the lore between movies and TV shows. In the mid-eighties, DC introduced Crisis on Infinite Earths to clean up the convoluted comic universe and unify the story so that readers could easily jump into a new series without having to do homework. The MCU desperately needs to do something similar, as the post-Endgame Disney takeover is focused more on getting as much content out as it can and less on making it easy to follow casually.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) is refreshing in this regard because it can be watched as a stand-alone film with minimal knowledge of the surrounding media empire, and it doesn't spend an inordinate amount of time on setup for future projects. It still suffers from the "overstuffed syndrome" that plagues many superhero films, in which they try to shove too many plotlines into the narrative (usually due to the aforementioned need to plug upcoming films), but two of the three main story beats are compelling.
The world has forgotten about Peter Parker (Tom Holland), thanks to a spell cast by Doctor Strange, and it's a lonely experience for our friendly neighbor Spider-Man. The worst part is that he has ended his relationship with MJ (Zendaya), and she doesn't remember a thing about him or their love for each other. Not only that, Spidey's powers have been going wonky, and a new adversary is on the horizon with mysterious powers.
When the film is focused on being a character piece, it is at its strongest, as it dives into the dichotomy between Parker and Spider-Man and the meaning of sacrificing one's own needs for the greater good. There are some truly emotionally resonant moments, and Holland does a fantastic job making Spidey relatable and human.
His character arc parallels the antagonist's, and it works well, but they add a subplot about his powers mutating that slows everything down and muddies the waters. It feels like two different movies glued together, to the point that, about an hour and a half in, it wraps up with what feels like a natural ending, only to go on for another hour. Length isn't the issue, but pacing is, and the middle of the film drags.
One of Holland's best performances is trapped in a film that doesn't give it space to breathe because the shareholders are afraid that if there aren't a million characters and easter eggs, the audience won't care about the story. The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) is a good addition, and he plays well with Parker (though there is another genre added to the mix: buddy cop flick), and he doesn't come off as a watered-down version of himself.
Overall, Brand New Day is entertaining, with some poignant moments, but the superhero formula ultimately holds it back from being great.
--Michelle Kisner