The world premiere of Spider-Man: No Way Home took place in Hollywood just a few short hours ago, and the first wave of reviews have started finding their way online. We'd strongly suggest not reading any of them in their entirety as not everyone is overly considerate of spoilers, but we've rounded up some spoiler-free verdicts that should give you a much better idea of what to expect.
We'll start with the trades. The Hollywood Reporter shares a mostly positive verdict, but can't help but compare the threequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse by noting, "That rollicking, eye-popping adventure was so fresh, funny and exciting that No Way Home can really only look stodgy in comparison, relying on the novelty of faces we haven’t seen in a while and building up to the kind of operatic emotional moments the previous Watts films tended to avoid." Variety, meanwhile, concludes that Spider-Man: No Way Home "provides enough resolution for the past two decades of Spider-Man adventures that audiences who’ve tuned out along the way will be rewarded for giving this one a shot."
Deadline loved it, though, and believe "this movie is a holiday gift not only to moviegoers, but also to exhibitors, because if EVER there was a film poised to save the movie business — just like Spidey always saves the day — it is this splendidly-crafted endgame."
Elsewhere, IGN goes with an 8/10 score and a summary that explains, despite "struggles with some tired superhero tropes, everything else about it will leave fans grinning ear-to-ear." Den of Geek gives the movie 4/5, saying "No Way Home features Holland’s best work as Peter and Spidey to date, with the film driving him toward emotional extremes he has never previously touched." Cinema Blend's 5* review declares it "one of the greatest Marvel adventures to date," while Slash Film's 7/10 verdict promises "a sweet, moving swing of a 'Spider-Man' film that (mostly) manages to land." Superhero Hype, however, is concerned that there's just too much going on - calling the movie "a patchy, overstuffed adventure" - but still award it 3.5/5.
We Live Entertainment's review also describes Spider-Man: No Way Home "the best Marvel movie of all time," and even our superhero hating chums at The Playlist have gone with a C+/B- grade! Finally, Awards Radar teases a movie that's going to leave a lasting impact on fans: "Spider-Man: No Way Home is going to cause a stir. At this point, anticipation is at a fever pitch, so whether potential surprises happen or not, it’s going to be a frenzy. Bottom line? This is a very good film and potentially a top ten Marvel entry."
So, it sounds like we're in for a treat with the Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios movie, though with so much going on, it's possible this is another Spider-Man threequel that's a little too busy. For fans, that probably won't matter too much, but we'll find out when the movie swings into theaters later this week. More press screenings take place later today, so you'll want to check back here in a few hours for our verdict!
Spider-Man: No Way Home arrives in U.S. on December 17 and in the UK on December 15.