Spiderman-A Brand New Day- a film of identity and resilience

“I am not just Peter Parker, I am Spiderman, and sometimes Spiderman has to do hard things, leaving Peter Parker’s heart broken.”

This sentence lies at the heart of the film. Spiderman must help the people of New York even if that comes at the cost of his personal happiness. He has distanced himself from those he used to know, such as his girlfriend MJ and his friend Ned.

Spider-Man: A Brand New Day has been directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and is a Marvel Studios production. It falls into the genre of action, sci-fi and adventure. With a runtime of 2 hours and 24 minutes, it has been rated at 8.2/10 on IMDB.

The plot is a fight of good against evil. The damage control centre kills Sarah, Jean’s sister, for her special powers. Jean is in their imprisonment. Bill, the director of Damage Control, seeks Spider-Man’s help to eliminate Jean. Spiderman does not know the truth, and he helps Bill. What is the truth? Will Spider-Man find out in time?

The film follows a flashback where Jean and Sarah are together, and the damage control employees kidnap Sarah. The damage control is after V. Max, and no one knows what it is.

Jean possesses extraordinary psychic abilities. Jean can get into people’s minds. She can control their minds and possess them. She has powers she cannot curb.

As Spiderman follows the trail and puts two and two together, he realises Bill was the real culprit. As Jean tries to destroy Bill, Spiderman convinces her not to. Once again, the film shows that Spider-Man’s greatest strength is compassion and not brute force.

Spiderman helps Jean understand the healing power of love. He promises to stay by her side.

In the subplot is Peter Parker’s romantic relationship with MJ (Zendaya). The relationship on the verge of destruction is restored as MJ remembers the time she spent with Peter.

Spiderman is severely injured at the end, and as Jean uses her magical powers to cure him, she is successful.

The film offers a bit of comic relief when Spider-Man exits the hospital without being noticed. It sends the audience into peals of laughter.

The characterisation is superb. Tom Holland’s (Peter Parker) performance is outstanding. Tom appears as a more mature Spider-Man who carries the burden of immense personal sacrifice without losing his compassion and sense of humour.

Zendaya (MJ) also spontaneously delivers her role. The chemistry between the two is striking despite the heartbreaking distance between them.

Visually, the film is spectacular. The web singing sequences through NewYork are exhilarating, and the cinematography is great.

The thematic concerns are of identity, sacrifice, loneliness and hope. Peter’s struggle to rebuild his life after having lost everything makes him more relatable than ever.

Spiderman- A Brand New Day follows the film Spiderman: No Way Home, documenting Peter Parker’s journey since then.

As Parker is faced with a choice to either be Spiderman or Peter he chooses to be both.

At the end, the film promises another movie, calling it Spiderman Returns. On the whole, Spiderman: A Brand New Day is a story about resilience and selflessness, and it remains true to the character of  Spiderman. It delivers thrilling action and heartfelt performances. A great film that deserves applause.

So grab your tickets before they run out!