This is a spoiler-free review, but do proceed with caution!

It’s been a long time since I’ve sat in a theater with as much anticipation as I did last week, waiting for our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to swing into the screen. And when I left my seat at the end of the movie, all my expectations were exceeded.

Spider-Man No Way Home has smashed box office records and revived the cinemas. The movie has done so well that Marvel already announced that Holland will be reprising his role as Peter Parker in a college trilogy. But does it deserve so much commercial success? Honestly, I think so. 

I’m not an obsessive Marvel fan, but I enjoy their movies, comics, and characters. Spider-Man is one of my favorites–I remember watching the earlier renditions starring Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. But I was very young, so my memory was mostly just “Spider-Man is funny,” and “I hope nothing happens to Gwen,” and “Is that a giant lizard?” With all the theories about the characters coming back, I doubted that I’d enjoy the movie as much. I was so wrong.

Tom Hollands Spider-Man has received his fair share of criticism, but Far From Home found a way to subtly combat all of them. Peter Parker had audiences rooting for his success in every battle, whether he was fighting superpowered villains or college admissions. He was kind, relatable, and did the spider-mantle justice. But he can’t get all the praise–every actor and actress brought the perfect balance of comedy and emotion to their performances. 

The effects in the movie have faced criticism, but I honestly saw no issue in them. The only qualm I can think of would be the treatment of Zendaya’s MJ and Jacob Batalon’s Ned. The two established characters were sidelined for other guests. Although I enjoyed the new dynamic between Spider-Man and his heroes/villains, I wish his original trio was given more respect. 

Nonetheless, I genuinely enjoyed No Way Home. It was exciting, action-packed, hilarious, and emotional–the perfect balance for ending this origin trilogy. And the story holds up for old and new fans alike. No matter your level of dedication to Spider-Man, you will cry and laugh when watching this film. I’d definitely recommend heading to theaters to watch Peter Parker swing into action!