Before we get into the review, my apologies to the AMC employee that had to mop up the pool of nerd sweat I secreted. There was too much cinematic goodness to behold. Spider-Man: No Way Home is the best entry to date. It is the culmination of storytelling for the wise cracking web-slinger going back nearly 20 years. Underage viewers won’t appreciate the nostalgia this film presents.

The threats that Peter Parker (Tom Holland) faced transcended the usual gun-toting crook. Unlike other Marvel properties, I did not feel that everything would be OK at the end. Let me assure you, they most certainly were not. Villains from past franchises returned but were more hurdles than protagonists, save for one. They were utilized in a way that didn’t make the story feel bloated. Well written dialogue provided great exposition for new viewers.

Parker suffered a ton of trauma this time around. The physical and mental beating alone would leave an average person in a catatonic state. Marvel and Sony injected so much violence into this movie that I flinched repeatedly. It was practically diet John Wick mixed with hardcore wrestling. Spider-Man got his ass whooped bad, as if he punched a baby. The choreography was spot on and maintained clarity even in CG heavy scenes.

I’ve grown tired of the extinction level events though. Since Infinity War, the universe seems like it will end every other week. The MCU is a really bad place to live. To be honest, the spell that Dr. Strange botched was one of the biggest gripes I had with the plot. Parker is a child, I expected him to do stupid things, but not the most powerful sorcerer on Earth. That aside, Strange played a significant role in “saving the day” while leaving Peter’s life forever transformed.

Now, some honorable mentions. Jamie Foxx as Electro stole the show every time, he opened his mouth. The guy is hilarious and someone I would like to see return. There’s an emotional performance from another actor that shall not be named. All I can say is, they gave me unwanted eye moisture. This is a film for fans, don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. If you are a casual viewer of Spider-Man or Marvel movies, this might cause confusion. I give Spider-Man: No Way Home an 8 out of 10.