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After this summer’s Avengers: Endgame, fans were left a bit shaken, wondering what was coming next for the remaining heroes. And in Spider-Man: Far from Home, everyone’s favorite web-slinging teen struggles to move on, trying to balance his responsibilities as a hero with life as a teenager.
finds Tom Holland’s Peter Parker eager to leave on a science trip to Europe with his classmates. While the rest of the world is still recovering from the traumatic events of the last five years, Peter just wants to leave it all behind and be a normal teenager for a while—to enjoy a summer of fun and sightseeing and maybe even romance. But when a beast attacks Venice—and a mysterious hero steps in to save the day—Peter finds himself reluctantly heading back to work.
Being a superhero isn’t easy—and it’s no surprise that a kid like Peter Parker might have a tough time adjusting to the whole saving-the-world lifestyle. So while 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming was young and fun and energetic, Far from Home isn’t quite as playful. In his first standalone adventure, the young hero was adjusting to the excitement of having powers, of being a hero, of doing good in the world. But now reality is starting to set in. Peter is starting to realize that being a hero doesn’t come with normal working hours, and it makes having a normal teen life impossible. Add to that the fact that Peter is still wrestling with the events of Endgame, and you’ve got a somewhat darker and angstier installment.
That’s not to say that the Spider-Man franchise has turned to heavy drama. Especially in the beginning, as Peter and his best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon), plan for their trip, it’s just as silly and fun as before. After all, Peter is still a teenager. He’s still awkward and geeky and lovable, and he’s still trying to figure out who he is and where he belongs—and that lends itself to plenty of laughs (and some slapstick humor, too). Even when things get heavy, there are plenty of comic characters here to keep it from getting to be oppressively so. And the action and disorienting effects keep it all action-packed and entertaining.
Though it’s missing some of the carefree youthfulness of its predecessor, Spider-Man: Far from Home marks an important step for the web-slinging teen. It’s somewhat bittersweet, but fans will enjoy watching Peter find his way.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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