A Brand New Day for Pop Culture? Our Honest Spider-Man Review

What this review is: An honest opinion.

What this review isn’t: Culture war commentary.

The ultimate, spoiler-free verdict? Spider-Man: Brand New Day is absolutely worth the price of admission and even concessions (if you skip dinner to make the showtime). Given all the options we have for our time and money these days, simply saying a movie is "worth it" is a glowing review! No sass, no shade.

Checking Out (and Checking Back In)

As someone who has been inundated with pop culture for a long time, I have a confession: when it came to cinematic universes, I checked out of the MCU after Endgame. I never really partook in the DCU. My Star Wars excursions stopped after Episode IV: A New Hope Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

It wasn’t COVID that did it for me; it was the quality. Others will draw lines in the sand around the decisions made by various studios regarding films, comics, and TV shows. Those are your lines, and that is your sacred geometry to experience. But for me, this movie managed to pull me back in.

Why "Brand New Day" Works

I jumped into this film with fresh eyes, armed only with vague memories of things I had read online or heard from friends. I had reservations, but not necessarily low expectations.

Brand New Day is "worth it" because it is, at its core, a solid comic book movie. It feels like it's intentionally tiptoeing away from how things were handled post-Endgame, bringing Peter Parker back down to a more focused, street-level narrative. Spidey says and does the things you expect, the action is fantastic, and without approaching spoiler territory, you're essentially getting a movie-and-a-half in terms of value.

You want wild web-slinging? You want other Marvel characters appearing and doing their thing? You want an escape from the recent multiverse madness? Your three wishes are granted, in my humble opinion.

Flawed Gems and Fresh Eyes

That isn’t to say it is perfect. Some of my initial concerns were satisfied as I laughed or had genuine "wow" moments during the action sequences. However, some concerns were validated; I had quibbles with one major part of the narrative and a few minor ones. I was also pretty "meh" about the post-credits scene (though I won't say how or why here as you should watch it for yourself and even tell me that I'm wrong).

I also know for a fact there is a slew of Easter eggs I didn't immediately connect with, leaving plenty of room for extra research. Which scenes mimicked famous comic covers? What did that background detail mean for X or Y?

But the absolute highlight for this middle-aged viewer? Spoiler alert: Spider-Man takes some ibuprofen and seems tired a lot.

"He's just like me!" I've never felt more seen and heard. Who says remote global corporations can't give you external validation?

A Brand New Day for Pop Culture?

I genuinely hope this film represents a "Brand New Day" not just for Spider-Man, but for cinematic storytelling. Nah, scratch that. Pop culture as a whole.

The last ten-ish years of media have been rough. Nature needs some healing, and we as enjoyers of modern myths and mixed media could use some recuperation, too. It's one thing to hear people bicker over details, pick a side in the console wars, or build bridges by admitting that sometimes the dub actually is better than the sub.

It's another thing entirely to see dispassion foment. It hurts to see an otherwise vivid canvas reduced to a Fallout-style gray-brown palette, where audiences walk past as ghosts, unfulfilled and finding no relief from the torment. Ideas should flourish and bloom into all kinds of shapes and colors, rather than being reduced to a disappointing gruel of recycled parts.

The POP! Shop Connection

Would that we could have more influence in the c-suites and offices of decision-makers. But perhaps a certain amount of "checking out" has finally cost these companies enough in revenue or relevancy that we will see real passion put into projects again (Iron Lung, anyone?). I long for the days of people sharing little factual gotchas with each other, or hyping each other up to go see a movie together... or do anything at all.

At The POP! Shop, we try very hard to provide a space for that passion. But ultimately, we are just a venue. It's up to you all to engage with the hobbies, shape the culture, and kindle sparks of curiosity to try new things (or give old things a second chance).

I sincerely hope Brand New Day is an earnest attempt at a fresh start. Not because I am indirectly invested in Hollywood mega-media corps (they don't need my defense) but because I want everyone to have joy in their lives. I want us to spend each brand new day challenging each other and growing as individuals.

Oh, and did I mention you should see this movie?