Oli’s review published on Letterboxd:
After the No Way Home trailer it really got me wanting to catch up on the Marvel films I’ve missed. But with Far from Home it just reminded me why I’m not the biggest fan of these movies in the first place.
Although there are some exciting and cool ideas, particularly where Mysterio is involved, the execution just feels very stale and boring when it really shouldn’t. I never felt like the stakes were actually that high, even when I could see they were really trying to make it seem so.
I feel like the older Spider Man movies were grittier and darker and in turn more entertaining (but perhaps I am looking at them nostalgically rather than for what they actually are, who knows?). The newer MCU version just takes away all of that in favour of corniness and playing it safe.
Having said all that, it is what I have come to expect from the MCU and this does a very good job of that formulaic style. I can appreciate what this sets out to do and I did have a pretty good time watching it. The mid-credits scene is the best part and sets up the 3rd film amazingly. Bring on No Way Home.
