Since its initial release in theatres on Dec. 17, 2021, “No Way Home” has amassed 900 million dollars in revenue and is on track to becoming the only film to potentially cross the one billion mark this year, and for good reason. Given its remarkable success, it’s important to consider what aspects of the film contributed to its popularity. 

The film follows Peter Parker and his relationship with his identity after being revealed as the person behind Spiderman. The following chaos in regards to Peter’s friends and their chances at MIT, as well as his reputation, falls in the balance, leading him to seek help from Doctor Strange. As a result, tampering with the multiverse serves as the basis for much of the film, as Peter and his friends navigate their choices according to their morals as well as personal motivations. 

Casting has been pretty consistent across the trilogy with Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon returning as Peter Parker/Spiderman, MJ (Michelle Jones), and Ned respectively. The acting throughout the film is fairly similar to expectations from its preceding movies and maintains a sense of realism while also capturing the lightheartedness expected from typical teenagers.

Plotwise, the premise of the film was neither marvelously captivating nor was it particularly bland or lackluster. The focus of the film is not particularly on a complex or convoluted plot but rather on the development of the characters in contrast to one another. “No Way Home” is essentially a culmination of Peter Parker’s previous adventures with him facing a myriad of challenges due to his identity as Spiderman, and what that comes to mean for both him and his loved ones. 

The film also emphasizes the themes of understanding, fate, as well as grief, and how to cope with grief. Peter Parker’s characterization as everyone’s “friendly neighborhood Spiderman” brings a distinctly close-to-heart portrayal of the superhero in contrast to the more dramatized and darker themes of other Marvel heroes. 

One of the film’s largest focuses was experimenting with crossovers, as Marvel has been doing recently with other franchises as well. It’s no doubt that particularly millennial audiences and avid fans of the Spiderman franchise appreciated this aspect of the film. Not only does this offer an opportunity for older fans to reconnect with an adored superhero, but it allows for a refreshing change to revisit characters and situations.

Nevertheless, popular criticism of the film does touch on “pandering towards audiences”. However, I believe that it only reinforces the beauty in the film in the way it captures Peter Parker’s darkest challenges while simultaneously managing to build up the rest of the cast with their own stories concerning Spiderman.

Ultimately, “No Way Home” has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide through its portrayal of Spiderman and his relation to his loved ones and identity, solidifying its success in the box office. Hopes are that Marvel continues to illuminate character development and meaningful plot devices in future films. After all, with great audiences comes great responsibility.