Spider-Man: No Way Home (2 Discs - UHD & BD) [Blu-ray] [2021]

Spider-Man: No Way HomeReleased: 15/12/2021Run time: 2 hours 28 minutesGenre: Comic Book / ActionBBFC Rating: 12ATrailer: Official YouTubeSummaryThird instalment of the Marvel/Sony co-production of Spider-Man movies, that brought the third cinematic Spider-Man - Tom Holland - into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).The Pre-Amble NonsenseIf speculation is to be believed a third Tom Holland Spider-Man movie almost didn’t happen, due to a breakdown in negotiations between Sony (who hold the movie rights to Spider-Man) and Marvel (who still hold the comic book rights to their character and are producing the MCU movies). Fans were none too happy that the ever-popular Spider-Man might not be back in the MCU and talks quickly resumed. How serious the breakdown was is anyone’s guess, but I doubt it was that serious.Director Jon Watts returns after directing the first two Spider-Man films (Homecoming and Far from Home), with Tom Holland reprising his role as Peter Parker, the teenager who was bitten by a radioactive spider and became the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.Last time out (Spoilers(?) from the previous film Far from Home / this films trailer…) – Spider-Man was unmasked by Mysterio and everyone on the planet knew who his secret identity was. As per the trailer Peter goes to Doctor Strange and asks him to “fix it”. This, unsurprisingly, will go catastrophically wrong, resulting in a chaotic mess with the “multiverse” opening, and dangerous new/old foes appearing…Reprising their roles from the previous two MCU Spider-Man films are Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, and Marisa Tomei.This time Holland is joined by Benedict Cumberbatch’s Dr Strange as they take on Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin (originally seen in 2002's Spider-Man), Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus (from 2004’s brilliant Spider-Man 2), Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman (from the less than brilliant Spider-Man 3 in 2007), Rhys Ifans’ Lizard (from 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man) and Jamie Foxx’s Electro (from 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2), as all the movie universes collide in a barrage of weird cinematic synergy.I’m a huge Spidey fan, from the comics to the days of the late 70’s TV show to the cartoons to eventually the live action movies, I’ve loved them all. He’s my favourite Marvel character by far. All of this is to say I’m biased towards the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, so if you’re not a huge fan, knock a point or two off my verdict score.The (Non-Spoiler) ReviewThe weight of expectations on this have almost broken the (spider)web before the film was even released, as fans have salivated over every tiny detail that has come out (officially and unofficially).So it’s almost a relief to say I loved it. This is my favourite Tom Holland Spidey movie by far.Sure, there’s a lot of Fan Service, which some will roll their eyes at, but I had a blast.The emotional beats really hit home for me. This is the most emotional Holland’s movies have got and he is terrific. Zendaya gets a bit more time to shine too and she’s great. It’s also fun, the jokes are great, the music is terrific and the action set pieces are good too.I can’t really go into too much detail as most of it would be spoilers, and the best way to go into this movie is to avoid any speculation or spoilers. Go in knowing as little as you can and I think you’ll enjoy it more.The Verdict8.5/10 – a highly enjoyable popcorn comic book movie, with a strong emotional core to it, that will resonate with long time Spidey fans.As with all the MCU movies there’s a mid and end credits scene. Stay for the mid credits, but the end credits is a teaser trailer for a forthcoming MCU movie, so you could give it a miss if you don’t want to stick around.

The blue ray version of this film is excellent. Even in 2080p the quality of the picture surpasses that of 4k streaming platforms. The sound being DTS master HD is quite remarkable as well. Very clear, excellent sound steering, imagery, dynamic with well controlled, punchy bass. A fantastic watch and definitely worth getting over the streamed version of you have the right set up.(Mine was played on a Denon 3700, Kef THX install speakers and SVS PB3000 subwoofer, Sony 65 inch LED TV)

This is for any Spider-Man fan, but it does help if you have seen some of the movies which lead up to this one though to fully appreciate.

Another Marvel comics movie. Pretty much everyone in the world has seen this one at the cinema, so you don't need me to tell you what you need to watch in order to get into it.And thus there's no worry about minor spoilers.After the end of the previous Spider-Man film, Peter's life has been turned upside down. He asks Dr. Strange for help in sorting the resulting mess out. But the spell that the Dr. uses goes wrong and beings from across the Multiverse pop up. They're familiar faces. Amazingly, despite the maths saying every possible universe exists somewhere, there doesn't seem to be a world in the Multiverse where 3D tv is still commercially viable. Hopefully people will get the message.Can Spidey sort it all out and get the personal life he wants?You've seen the film. So you know.Many give this five stars. I give it four. Because despite a great first half the second isn't so strong. It's overlong. Crowded. The whole of the second half comes about because of one character decision that feels like it comes from the needs of the plot rather than the actions of the character. And that's not how you write drama. And the ending is like a certain Spidey story from comics. Which wasn't popular.I'm not a Marvel comics reader, and thus am not as familiar with the character as others. So if it does work as it should, I will hold my hands up. But shouldn't it work for non-readers?Bigger problem is the last set piece. Every one of these films has one. And frankly they feel formulaic for me. I don't feel the jeopardy in them anymore.And it doesn't really follow through on one thing, which only gets a cursory check in come an end credits scene. But that one was probably going to be impossible anyhow, given that this wasn't going to be a fifteen cert movie.So those little factors take my rating down slightly. But whatever. Because:This is an actual review of the dvd rather than just the movie!The dvd has the following language and subtitle options:Languages: English, Czech, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Slovak. English audio description.Subtitles: English, Bulgarian, Croatian, Greek, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovene.The disc begins with an anti piracy ad, but you can skip this via the next button on the dvd remote.Two extras:A spectacular Spider journey with Tom Holland.Graduation day.Five and eight mins respectively, all about Tom Holland's time in the role, and all about the main cast's times together. The first one has slightly more substance. But both do have audition and behind the scenes footage, and are just about worth it for those.

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" is an absolute triumph in visual storytelling, especially for Spidey fans like myself! The visual experience is breathtaking, immersing audiences in a world of stunning CGI and jaw-dropping action sequences that leap off the screen.And let's talk about the Atmos soundtrack—it's a masterpiece! The sound design elevates the entire experience, heightening every swing, web-sling, and heart-pounding moment to create an immersive audio landscape that brings the Spider-Verse to life.As a die-hard Spidey fan, I understand the importance of a compelling story, and "No Way Home" doesn't disappoint. Without giving away spoilers, it's safe to say this installment will keep you on the edge of your seat with its emotional depth and nods to Spider-Man lore.Overall, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" delivers an unparalleled visual spectacle and an Atmos soundtrack that perfectly complements the heart and essence of Spider-Man. It's a must-watch for fans and an exhilarating experience for any movie enthusiast.