Spider-Man has one of the deepest and most diabolical rogues galleries in all of comics — Kingpin, Doctor Octopus, The Sandman, Tombstone, and Venom — but in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) becomes his own worst enemy. Director Destin Daniel Cretton pits his hero against ninjas, metahumans, and ultimately, self-doubt to present the MCU’s most comic-book-accurate Spider-Man adaptation yet, seamlessly balancing high-flying spectacle with genuine emotional weight.

No Way Home ends with Peter sacrificing his friendships in order to save the world. He invokes a magic spell that forces the world to forget about Peter Parker in order to stop the fabric of the universe from tearing itself apart. And with the ease of a Thanos (Josh Brolin) snap, his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon), girlfriend MJ (Zendaya), and Avengers allies have their memories of Peter magically wiped away.

It’s been years since that fateful night, and Peter’s practically become the mascot for the male loneliness crisis. Rather than make new friends or rebuild old relationships, he’s let go of being Peter and embraced his secret identity. While Peter’s life may be in the dumps, New York City’s love for the Ol’ Web-Head is on the upswing — the city’s adoration for him makes the current king of New York, Jalen Brunson, look like Reggie Miller. 

He devotes his days and nights to keeping villains like Scorpion (Michael Mando) and Tombstone (Marvin Jones III) off the streets. So when a mysterious figure starts attacking Damage Control facilities, he’s all too happy to throw himself into solving the case.  

This strange new antagonist poses a unique threat: the psychic ability to mind-control random people. As they use their powers to breach Damage Control with impunity, Peter must somehow devise a plan to track down and stop an invisible force only he can perceive.

Spider-Man made his first comic-book appearance in 1962. In the decades since, the character appeared in thousands of comics, cartoons, and video games, with countless writers and artists bringing their own unique spin to the lore. As the mythology evolves, each new generation of fans claims their own definitive version of Spider-Man. 

And yet, the MCU’s version of the character has been a significant outlier from how he’s been traditionally represented. Peter Parker is a lovable loner, an underdog who’s always in over his head. And when it comes to his social life, he often struggles to fit in. MCU Peter, however, arrived on the scene with the privilege and support of a nepo baby. He was thrown right into history-defining Avengers stories, provided with high-tech Spidey suits that enhanced his abilities, and mentored by the MCU’s golden boy, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.).

Brand New Day tells the sort of back-to-basics Spider-Man story fans might have expected before his inclusion in the MCU. Sure, the film still has Avengers cameos and a post-credit stinger hinting at what’s to come, but this is a grittier and more self-contained take on the character that feels closer to the material’s comic book roots than previous installments. This Peter is all alone, overwhelmed, and leaning on his wits in a way he’s unaccustomed to.

The film offers a satisfying blend of visually stunning superhero action and compelling emotional stakes. Cinematographer Brett Pawlak went above and beyond to create the most visually dynamic live-action Spider-Man yet. Extreme closeups make you feel the exhilaration of web-swinging. And the increased emphasis on practical stunt work allows the audience to marvel at the balletic fight choreography. Spider-Man’s acrobatics have never looked more impressive than in Brand New Day. One standout sequence sees Spidey face off with The Hand’s ninja assassins, and the movie transforms into a Wuxia flick for a couple of minutes.

The Avengers, Spider-Man, and the X-Men comics sold an ungodly amount of issues thanks to the gorgeous cover art, but what kept readers coming back was always soap opera-level melodrama within the pages. It’s here that Brand New Day delivers in spades, finally embracing the traditional Peter Parker character arc. 

There’s plenty of crimes to thwart and bad guys to punch, but the crux of this film centres on Peter incorporating self-care into his chaotic life. Every time Peter peels off his costume, the camera reveals new scrapes and bruises. While those wounds always magically heal, it’s the emotional scars that have left him battered and broken. 

The script places Peter on a parallel track to characters like Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Punisher (Jon Bernthal) as cautionary tales for trauma, loneliness, and self-doubt run amok. Peter’s mission is to track down a manipulative psychic threat, but his emotional journey steers him towards learning to stop dismissing his victories and how to stop fixating on his losses.

After 60 years, Spider-Man remains a fan favourite because he’s one of the most relatable superheroes in all of comics. He still endures because, despite his superhuman speed, strength, and spider-sense, like most of us, he can’t manage to get out of his own way. Brand New Day delivers quintessential Spider-Man, proving Peter’s toughest battles aren’t against his super-powered foes — they’re with the man in the mirror.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens theatrically on Friday, July 31, via Sony Pictures.