Review - Spider-Man: Brand New Day

[The following review contains MINOR SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!]

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is my favorite kind of superhero story. Like the best issues/episodes of Teen Titans, ol’ web-head’s latest adventure starts with character conflict, then reverse engineers the plot from there. This applies even to the “obligatory” cameos. The Punisher’s appearance, for example, cannot simply be dismissed as gratuitous “fan service”; his role as a foil to our protagonist is absolutely essential to the narrative, confronting Peter Parker with a sobering glimpse into his own bleak future should he continue to neglect his personal relationships, reject support networks, and wallow in self-imposed isolation. The catastrophic return of Bruce Banner’s “Savage Hulk” persona, meanwhile, parallels Spidey’s misguided efforts to repress his rapidly mutating arachnid abilities. And the Hand? Well, they only show up because director Destin Daniel Cretton wanted the climax to feature a sick-ass ninja fight, and who am I to deny him is fun (or argue with the exquisitely choreographed results)?

In all seriousness, this thematic cohesion elevates the film, making the stakes feel more intimate, urgent, and emotionally resonant. If the Marvel Cinematic Universe is to survive beyond Avengers: Doomsday (which, judging by the recent trailers, epitomizes the franchise’s very worst screenwriting instincts—a script by committee that emphasizes empty spectacle and cynical corporate synergy, focus group tested until it’s utterly devoid of personality), Brand New Day should be the template moving forward.