"Spider-Man: Far From Home" Swings Audiences From One MCU Phase To The Next With Dramatic Flare

July 5, 2019 Thomas Stoneham-Judge

I remember when property rights and studio contracts had even the most die-hard Marvel fans convinced that the MCU would never see the inclusion of Spider-Man. Now, Spider-Man: Far From Home turns out to be a magnificent culmination of Marvel’s first three phases.

In the film, images of Tony Stark are everywhere; a perpetual reminder for Peter Parker of his shortcomings. And though he is recruited during a class trip to fight the greatest threat to Earth since Thanos with a newcomer, Mysterio, Parker is also set on wooing his high school crush, MJ. From there, chaos ensues.

Deception permeates Far From Home’s narrative, perhaps even more than audiences realize, making Mysterio perfect for this story. Jake Gyllenhaal curates a gleefully maniacal portrayal of this character, and despite having so much resemblance to characters like Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and Loki, Gyllenhaal manages to keep Mysterio interesting in his own right.

But what’s most compelling about Far From Home is the lingering legacy of Tony Stark and the weight of his expectations on Parker’s conscience. The relationship between Stark and Parker is what elevates this version of Spider-Man above other live-action efforts, and Far From Home leans hard into that distinguishing factor with big returns in emotional value.

Far From Home is the fun and adventurous followup to Endgame that we needed. But not everything here is what it seems, and Far From Home could have you second guessing what you know about the MCU…which is part of the fun.