Spider-Man:
No Way Home 4K
(2021/Marvel/Sony 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: B+ Picture: B Sound: A-/B+ Extras: B-
Film: B+
When
we last left Spider-Man, J. Jonah Jameson had shockingly revealed his
secret identity to the world, and on giant video screens worldwide!
The ever-great J.K. Simmons was back as the ever-self-centered and
obnoxious head of The Daily Bugle, which he plays to the hilt without
going overboard, but wait... this was from other Spider-Man films,
not with Tom Holland, so when this first happened,
I thought they were just being smart and bringing back a great actor
that could not be topped. Instead, it was a big clue that Jon Watt's
Spider-Man:
No Way Home 4K
(2021) was not just going to be another Spider-Adventure.
Instead,
the multi-verse was coming to Spider-Man's world and to everyone's
shock and delight, the makers decided to go all out and the result is
one of the greatest films in the history of the genre, as well as
action films all around. Holland and the cast are fully set in their
roles (much like the last few Daniel Craig James Bond films) and the
mix of chemistry, raw talent and energy is something we rarely see in
any film, commercial blockbusters or otherwise. Peter Parker
(Holland) has to get him and MJ (Zendaya) out of danger, crowds and
other trouble ASAP, so away they go away.
While
trying to figure out what is going on, juggling all this, possible
admission to MIT, wondering if he'll known what privacy will ever
again be and just dealing with shock, he decides to visit Doctor
Strange (the always on-the-money Benedict Cumberbatch) for help in
what is not adding up. Strange has an idea and when Peter interrupts
one of Strange's mega-spells, time and space rip apart and anyone who
knows Peter, as or not as Spider-Man, is coming to get him. From
there, all kinds of surprises for everyone on and off screen just
keep rolling in for the entire film and never let up.
Cheers
to the Chris McKenna/Erik Sommers screenplay for not missing a trick,
never getting off track, losing control or hitting any false notes.
It shows a true love of Spider-Man, his world, the3 characters and
history. Then of all the times to do this, the COVID pandemic hit,
so when the film arrived, it was the hit that took best advantage of
this the way Star Wars in 1977 took advantage of the Vietnam
fiasco, again by coincidence. Both are those rare hits were it is as
financially massive as it is a very successful film unto itself.
The
cast is great, the behind-the-scenes gang are working at the top of
their craft, but I have to give a special thanks to Amy Pascal, the
unsung hero of all the Spider-Man films at Sony, who has worked
tirelessly to make them happen and work. As much as her spiritual
counterpart Barbara Broccoli over at the James Bond films, she's able
to see what's going on better than most producers around and serious
fans cannot thank her enough.
I'll
stop there on the summary, but this is up there with the best Marvel
and DC movies ever made, plus any other superhero genre films since
the genre launched in 1940 in serial form and it is a pleasure to see
Hollywood can still get it right and in the largest way possible.
Now
for playback performance. The 2160p HECV/H.265, 2.35 X 1, Dolby
Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition
image looks as good as the previous Holland/Spider-Man films, all
shot on professional HD equipment. The earlier films with Tobey
MacGuire and Andrew Garfield were all shot on photochemical film
(35mm film, plus larger-frame formats like VistaVision) and remain
some of the best-looking films ever made in the action and superhero
genres. Director of Photography Mauro Fiore, A.S.C., remains in top
form here and the 4K image really delivers, save a few normal shots
where it is just normal drama visuals.
The
1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image on the regular Blu-ray
is not bad, but you are just missing too much visual subtlety,
detail, color range and impact that is not here versus the 4K
version. Its passable otherwise.
The
Dolby Atmos 11.1 (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mixdown for older systems) on the
4K edition ranges from good and very well recorded in
dialogue/joke-based moments, to state-of-the-art immersive sound
design that delivers nicely and at its best, is as good as any
commercial film around. I just wish there were more such moments in
the film, but the sound serves the narrative, not the other way like
dozens and dozens of bad would-be blockbusters we suffer through
yearly. The makers of the Spider-Man films don't make those kinds of
mistakes.
The
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix on the Blu-ray is
surprisingly not a 7.1 mixdown, but a still-effective mix that has
its moments, but of course, cannot match the Atmos and its sheer wall
of active sound at its best.
Extras
include Digital Copy, while the discs add some of the best set of
extras I have run into for a blockbuster for
a long time and (per the press release) include a never-long-enough
Bloopers & Gag Reel
Alternate
Reality Easter Eggs
7
Behind the Scenes Featurettes
Action
Choreography Across the Multiverse
A
Multiverse of Miscreants
A
Spectacular Spider-Journey with Tom Holland
Enter
Strange
Graduation
Day
Realities
Collide, Spiders Unite
Weaving
Jon Watt's Web
2
Special Panels (both outstanding):
The
Sinister Summit - Villains Panel: Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, and
Jamie Foxx sit down for a roundtable discussion of their sinister
characters.
A
Meeting of the Spiders - Heroes Panel: The Heroic Spider heroes sit
down for a roundtable discussion on Peter, Stunts, and skintight
suits.
3
Stories From The Daily Bugle
and
2 Stunt Scenes Previsualization
Apartment
Fight
Shield
Fight
I
just wish there were more. However, the film is a big winner and if
you somehow have not seen it, put it on your list ASAP!!!
-
Nicholas Sheffo
