After the blockbusting movie Avengers: Endgame, and the death of Tony Stark, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is looking for the next Iron-Man. Peter Parker a.k.a. Spider-Man may be the one to follow in his steps.

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is the final character to finish out “Phase 3” of the MCU. After being snapped back into existence in Endgame, Peter and his class take a summer trip to Europe, in hopes that he can express his feelings towards his crush, Michelle (Zendaya.) Things turn south quickly as a new force of evil arises in the first minutes of the film. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), one of the most infamous of the MCU castings, decides to investigate a sudden disturbance in Mexico. The locals describe the phenomenon as the “Elementals.” Just then, a mysterious man appears and loud crashing behind Fury begins. A massive rock figure approaches and the mysterious hero goes to strike. Cut to Peter and his best friend Ned come together to form a plan for Peter to express his love for Michelle. The plane ride to Venice, Italy and eventually the class goes to Prague and London. Fury and the S.H.I.E.L.D. crew hijacked the class trip for Parker to be on mission.

The mysterious man then shows up in Italy, battling another element with a face. Once defeated, the name of the mysterious man is finally uncovered as “Mysterio,” a man from another Earth. But for those who haven’t read any comics, Mysterio isn’t what he really seems.

Tom Holland has played Spiderman in four different MCU films. From Captain America: Civil War to Far from Home, Holland’s character arc has really been the catalyst for the MCU movies. There really is no other person that can play the awkward 16 year old high school student turned neighborhood hero. Holland portrays those qualities through his character and interactions. While Peter and Michelle like each other, the teenage awkwardness made me feel uncomfortable because of how real it actually felt. 

Jake Gyllendaal plays the role of Mysterio, he has earned my award of one of my all time favorite characters and actors. The director (Jon Watts) used Mysterio in a way that made the movie way more interesting than it appeared to be. His character made me think of what was real or just an illusion.

Far from Home did a great job expanding the franchise and setting the plot of “Post-Thanos” and did a great job of explaining plot holes and indifferences. People that were snapped out of existence stayed the same age while people that lived, aged at normal speed.

The different types of technology used in this film resembles something that will be possible and manufactured at some point in our lives, Peter was given a multi-billion dollar pair of sunglasses from Tony Stark after his death. He now has control over millions of reality altering drones and power over social media and government records. 

All in all, Far from Home was just the right amount of crazy that came right after Endgame, the movies of the century are over, but Marvel can definitely build off of this start. 

And as per custom, Marvel has included two different and plot strangling after-credit scenes. I strongly, even demand that whoever goes, stays to watch these two scenes. I was left mouth wide open after those two scenes and cannot be more excited for the next set of movies. 

For the MCU, there have been many different phases. Phase 1, which consisted of Avengers 1, Iron Man 1 and 2, Thor and Captain America. Phase 2 included the third Iron Man, GotG 1 (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Age of Ultron. Phase 3 with the biggest films of the century, GotG 2, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. Most movie-goers think that the last Avenger movies ended Phase 3 of the franchise, but realistically, Far from Home ended the phase.

Phase 4 will be just as exciting as the other 3, after the sad and sacrificial death of Black Widow (Scarlett Johansen,) she is receiving her own back story flick (May 1st, 2020), as well as The Eternals (November 5th, 2020), a second Doctor Strange movie (May 7th, 2021) and to close out Phase 4, a returning Chris Hemsworth for Thor: Love and Thunder (November 5th, 2021.)

It’s hard to follow up one of the biggest and most impactful movies that changed the franchise, but Far from Home did a great job on expanding the scene, maybe even opening the possibility of a multi-world dimension with different Earths. But the main focus for the ending of Phase 3 would shine upon how the world rebuilds after the “blip” as the characters call it, and who the next Iron Man is.

But as of writing this, Disney and Sony could not agree on terms for the rights to Spider-Man, in turn, Peter Parker will no longer have any more movies in the MCU. If Disney and Sony can both come together and agree on terms, they can save one of the best.

4.5/5