Phil Roberts 
Fear not, Spidey fans, because Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a web-slinging, wall-crawling blast from start to finish. In fact, it’s the best Spidey film to date.
It’s time to reunite with our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day. After what has felt like an eternity, the events of No Way Home are fading into the distance, and Peter Parker is dusting off his web-shooters for another adventure. But with the film promising to take the web-slinger in a new direction with his DNA ushering us towards the Neogenics Saga, can Cretton pick up where Jon Watts left off and deliver the Spidey film that breaks the mold? Or will Brand New Day get caught in its own web?
REVIEW
Fear not, Spidey fans, because Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a web-slinging, wall-crawling blast from start to finish. In fact, it’s the best Spidey film to date. Blending the best components of the animated series and the games, it sticks the landing with incredible action, a well-layered and poignant story, and much-needed emotional beats.
Tom Holland’s performance is nothing short of brilliant. In this outing, he shines, adding depth to his wall-crawling hero and relishing the chance to add new layers to his emotionally tormented, isolated alter ego. Coupled with a scene-stealing performance from Jon Bernthal as The Punisher and some brilliant scenes with Hulk smashing everything in sight, the film is a blast from start to finish.
SPIDER-SENSE!
Taking over from the brilliant Jon Watts is a tough task for any director, but Destin Daniel Cretton takes the reins and ups the ante with a sensational directorial debut. Using his experience on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Cretton takes to the Marvel landscape with ease, injecting this new Spidey adventure with fresh energy. From the opening moments, we are instantly aware that we are in fresh territory, a bold new chapter in the Spider-Verse. The action is grittier, the web-slinging is more tangible than ever before, and the world feels more in tune with the Spider-Man game universe, and it is glorious.
I’ve often been critical of the Spider-Man films for leaning a little too heavily on the wider MCU. As much as I love Iron Man, Peter Parker has spent far too long living in his long shadow. Thankfully, Destin Daniel Cretton strips everything back to basics, delivering the kind of classic, street-level Spider-Man adventure fans have been craving. The result is a film that finally lets Spidey swing on his own, and it’s all the better for it.
WALL-CRAWLING!
The biggest strength of this sequel is the emotional burden placed squarely on Peter Parker’s shoulders. The breezy, light-hearted tone of previous outings gives way to a more mature story, with a heartbroken Peter grappling with the loss of the people he loves most. That grief becomes the driving force behind his journey, grounding the action in genuine emotion and making every victory and setback feel earned.
By inviting us to share Peter’s pain, the film forges a deeper connection with the character than ever before. Tom Holland rises magnificently to the challenge, embracing Peter’s newfound emotional depth to deliver his most nuanced, heartfelt, and ultimately best performance as Spider-Man to date. Here, Holland has never been better. No disrespect to Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield, but Holland outshines them both here, and effortlessly becomes the one true Spider-Man.
Whether he’s in the suit or in plain clothes, we share Peter’s struggles and long for him to find solace. Surprisingly, he finds a kindred spirit in Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, who shares the same burden, and together they offer each other a mirror to explore.
THE PUNISHER
Speaking of The Punisher, anyone worried that Frank Castle’s trademark brutality might be softened to accommodate the film’s age rating can put those fears to rest. The Punisher is back, and he’s every bit as uncompromising as fans would hope. Better still, he feels right at home in the wider MCU. A huge part of that success comes down to Jon Bernthal. Few actors embody a character as completely as he does Frank Castle. Bernthal doesn’t just play The Punisher—he is The Punisher, and he enjoys flexing his muscles alongside Tom Holland here.
The actors are great friends off-screen, and it shows. Their rapport is effortless, making every interaction feel authentic and giving the film a warm emotional core. Better still, the story allows their relationship the space to grow naturally as both characters grapple with the loneliness and hardship of their circumstances. Watching them lean on one another through their darkest moments adds real emotional weight to the adventure. As they come to understand each other’s pain, their bond deepens in a way that feels completely earned, making the emotional payoff all the more rewarding.
WEB-SLINGING
The depth of the relationship comes to fruition when circumstances find them battling the Hulk, with MCU veteran Mark Ruffalo once again stepping into the giant green shoes. Admittedly, Ruffalo is handed a fairly thankless role. His appearance feels more like a plot device than a fully realized character arc, serving primarily to ignite the film’s biggest showdown. That said, once the fists start flying, it’s impossible not to get swept up in the spectacle. The Hulk delivers exactly the kind of larger-than-life confrontation fans have been waiting for, making the blockbuster clash alone worth the price of admission.
Anyone watching the film will easily be swept away by the carnage that plays out on the screen, and it is a joy to watch Spidey and The Punisher face off against Marvel’s rage machine. This is the stuff the MCU was built on, and the crowd will be cheering when the action hits its slow-motion best. You’ll know it when you see it!
CHARACTERS
Beyond the central trio, the supporting cast delivers across the board, bringing plenty of heart to the story despite having less screen time than fans might expect. The biggest casualties are Zendaya and Jacob Batalon. Unlike previous outings, Peter’s core circle of friends find themselves on the fringes of the story. This is by design, a fallout from Doctor Strange’s spell. But it is jarring to see them both relegated to the outskirts of the story, only serving to reinforce the painful reminder of what being Spider-Man has cost Peter.
Despite their limited appearances, Zendaya and Batalon make every scene count, delivering some of the film’s most touching and emotionally resonant moments. That said, Zendaya fans should prepare for a much smaller role than usual. Even worse, fans excited for the debut of Marvin Jones III as Lonnie Lincoln / Tombstone should temper their expectations. The legendary Marvel villain is limited to a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo, but it is great to see him finally making his live-action debut.
The one returning character who truly gets the chance to shine is Michael Mando’s Mac Gargan, better known as Scorpion. After years of patiently waiting in the wings, Mando finally gets the showcase fans have been hoping for, and he absolutely makes the most of it. Destin Daniel Cretton finally lets Scorpion off the leash, delivering the fearsome, relentless villain comic book fans have been eager to see on the big screen. His clashes with Spider-Man are nothing short of spectacular. Drawing clear inspiration from the comics, animated series, and even the video games, each battle is packed with inventive action, stunning visuals, and edge-of-your-seat intensity.
SADIE SINK
And finally, let’s talk about Sadie Sink’s long-awaited Marvel debut. Without venturing into spoiler territory, it’s safe to say she makes an immediate impression. Sink delivers a performance that is both emotionally raw and wonderfully grounded, bringing a welcome sense of grit and vulnerability to the MCU.
Stepping into the shoes of such an iconic Marvel character is no easy feat, but Sink rises to the challenge with remarkable confidence. She fully embraces the role, balancing emotional depth with undeniable screen presence, and leaves you eager to see where her character’s journey goes next. Destin Daniel Cretton, alongside writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, deserves enormous credit for the care and attention lavished on this character. Together, they’ve crafted a storyline with genuine emotional weight, ensuring that every key moment feels earned rather than rushed. Without venturing into spoiler territory, I’ll say that Sink’s Marvel debut is nothing short of outstanding.
CINEMATOGRAPHY AND SCORE
Alongside the fantastic cast, Brett Pawlak deserves considerable praise for his cinematography on the film. Taking Spider-Man to the grounded streets of New York, Pawlak takes us to the heart of the city. From its dirty alleyways to the lofty heights between skyscrapers, the film looks exceptional. It conjures the same atmosphere from Insomniac’s game universe, and that is the highest compliment I can pay. The film feels like a Spider-Man game, played out against the core story from the 90s animated series, and brought to life by exceptional live-action talent.
Accompanying the visual treat is another solid score from composer Michael Giacchino. Returning for the fourth time, Giacchino rebuilds his soundtrack from the bottom up, stripping the heroics from his themes and replacing them with a heavier, more tragic theme that resonates with the narrative on every level. The score oozes with the heartbreak and emotional heft the film displays, becoming a character in its own right. But the tone is perfect for the film nd helps carry the adventure to its inevitable conclusion.
VERDICT
Overall, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a phenomenal outing for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. By taking the story back to basics and grounding it in its original sandbox, Destin Daniel Cretton has crafted a genre-defining outing that will easily become the blueprint for the character moving forward. This is quintessential Spider-Man, and it delivers on every level.
The film suffers from pacing issues which hamper the flow from time to time, and the plot tends to become a little overstuffed with many moving parts to keep track of, but these are minor niggles in what is otherwise a truly brilliant web-slinging, wall-crawling blast from start to finish. Whether Cretton set out to deliver the finest live-action Spider-Man adaptation to date remains to be seen. What isn’t up for debate, however, is the remarkable job he has done in redefining Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. By stripping the character back to his core and embracing the emotional cost of being Spider-Man, Cretton has finally allowed Holland’s wall-crawler to step out of the shadows and into the upper ranks of Marvel’s greatest heroes.
This is Spider-Man!
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into cinemas from today and into US theaters on Friday!
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
