The third movie in Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man franchise premiered Dec. 17, 2021, earning a stunning 8.8 out of ten on IMDb and 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Spider-Man: No Way Home swept the world as Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield cameoed in the film, showcasing their individual Spider-Man performances alongside Tom Holland as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s current Peter Parker.

This movie takes place directly after the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, and picks up when Spider-Man’s identity is revealed, causing a cataclysmic life for Peter Parker. FBI agents, news reporters, and fans from across the globe terrorize Parker’s life with unwanted attention. When Dr. Strange’s memory erasing spell goes awry, the multiverse opens up, causing villains from other Spider-Man universes to pop up in Parker’s life.

“I am a big fan of marvel; I have seen almost all of the movies in theaters, but the Spider-Man movies are, by far, my favorite movies,” Allie Rea, a senior, said. “No Way Home was amazing in every way possible. In my opinion, No Way Home took all the best parts of the other Spider-man movies and put them into one cinematic masterpiece.”

Technical writing aspects of the film built up fans’ awe with incredible pacing of events, well-balanced comedic scenes with intensity and sorrow, and strong characters within the film.     Characters such as Ned, Parker’s best friend, played by Jacob Batalon, and MJ, Parker’s girlfriend, played by Zendaya, were not seen as simple side characters, but as important parts of the plot, taking their moments in the spotlight with Peter Parker. Aunt May also held an extremely important role compared to the past two movies in the franchise. Spoiler Alert! Representing the Uncle Ben in Maguire’s and Garfield’s universes, May is killed by the Green Goblin, bringing Parker to fulfill the Spider-Man arc as the previous Spider-Men did. This development in the current universe brought closure to Tom Holland’s rendition of Spider-Man in a stunning, yet dignified way.

“Using Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire’s characters was a big risk, but they’re able to properly service those characters while still making it very clear this is Tom’s movie,” Dominic Trevino, a senior, said.

The stylistic choices within the film brought Spider-Man: No Way Home to another level. With Spider-Man’s and Dr. Strange’s fight within the Mirror Dimension, the CGI and special effects held the audience on the edge of their seats. The film’s budget of $200 million was showcased heavily within the scene, pushing the audience scores higher after seeing it, due to its extravagant effects and thrilling music. Lighting and musical score throughout the movie also dignified the film, creating heartfelt tones alongside suspenseful fights, developing a dynamic film that extends its range to all audiences.

“I would say it’s probably the best in terms of storytelling,” Trevino said. “As it goes to darker and more serious places, we haven’t seen other Spidey movies risk going to.”

Overall, Spider-Man: No Way Home deserves the hype from fans, as aspects of the film provided exactly what Marvel fans wanted with the fantastical Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire’s individual Spider-Men allying with Tom Holland’s depiction in enormous fight scenes against the villains from every film as well as comedic cuts and clever quips. The film sets the tone for future Spider-Man movies, as the well-developed writing and extravagant appearance granted the film a well-deserved 8.8 out of ten on IMDb.