REVIEW: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026 Film) - Starring Tom Holland

Review by Jon Donnis

After the disaster that was Supergirl, we needed a good superhero film, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day is just that. It is far from perfect, and low expectations have probably helped elevate it, but this is a surprisingly mature and heartfelt Spider-Man film that puts Peter Parker's emotional journey ahead of the wider MCU.

Tom Holland gives a soulful, emotionally strong performance as a Peter who has spent four years alone, protecting New York while the people he once loved have forgotten he exists. The film gives him meaningful development as he gradually realises that being Spider-Man does not mean shutting everyone else out. His loneliness could have been explored more deeply, but the relationship with MJ provides some of the film's strongest emotional material. Peter remembers everything they shared while she remembers nothing, creating a genuinely painful dynamic without resorting to an easy resolution.

Sadie Sink is a standout as Jean Grey. Rather than functioning as a generic Marvel antagonist, Jean is given understandable motivations rooted in grief and loss. Her connection with Peter eventually becomes one of the film's most affecting elements, while the story allows her to remain sympathetic without excusing her actions.

The film also benefits from a strong supporting cast. Jon Bernthal's Punisher is a likeable addition, while Florence Pugh's Yelena and Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner provide entertaining contributions. Unfortunately, there are simply too many characters and plotlines competing for attention. Peter can sometimes feel sidelined in his own film, while several supporting characters never receive enough development.

The action is consistently impressive, with strong set pieces supported by excellent practical effects, visual effects, cinematography and score. Importantly, the film avoids relying on endless CGI spectacle. The action has physical weight, although it lacks the invention of the Spider-Verse films and never approaches the heights of Spider-Man 2.

The biggest problem is the structure. The story feels clunkily episodic, and at 145 minutes it is unnecessarily long. Too much time is devoted to setting up future MCU material, weakening a film that works considerably better when it focuses on Peter and Jean. The final act also veers into a Stranger Things-style supernatural storyline that feels less distinctive than what came before.

In my opinion the film should have been more radical. The premise offered an opportunity for a genuine reboot, but Brand New Day still carries considerable MCU baggage. The post-credits scene does little to justify that baggage, serving primarily as another piece of franchise setup.

Despite those shortcomings, the film gets the important things right. It balances action, humour and emotion effectively, and its emotional stakes generally take priority over franchise building. The result is a Spider-Man film with genuine feeling rather than simply another superhero spectacle.

Superhero fatigue is undoubtedly a problem, but Spider-Man: Brand New Day proves there is still life in the genre when the characters are given something meaningful to lose. It is messy and overstuffed, but Holland and Sink provide the emotional foundation for a film that ultimately earns its place among the better recent Marvel releases.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day scores 8.5 out of 10.

Out in cinemas now!

REVIEW: Thunderbolts* (2025 Film) - Starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Pierce, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Review by Jon Donnis

Marvel's latest ensemble entry tries to deliver a more cynical take on the superhero team-up formula by throwing together a group of damaged, underdog characters. This film focuses on the likes of Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker, all of whom have been manipulated into a mission that turns out to be a death trap orchestrated by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. What begins as a standard clean-up operation quickly becomes a race to survive, and then a fight to take control of their own narrative.

The story moves quickly from covert action in Malaysia to government conspiracies and a strange resurrection. Bob, a test subject for the failed Sentry project, emerges from suspended animation and becomes the centre of the plot's emotional and supernatural turn. Bob is not just a powerhouse with vague Superman-like abilities. He is traumatised and unwell, which gives the story a different tone compared to the usual Marvel fare. His eventual transformation into the Void allows the film to explore themes like depression, addiction and identity, even if it does so through a somewhat muddled lens.

Florence Pugh once again proves why she is one of the MCU's most compelling actors. She brings subtlety and control to a character who could easily have been reduced to sarcasm and fight scenes. Lewis Pullman is a surprising highlight, capturing both the fragility and power of a man who cannot trust his own mind. David Harbour provides much of the film's comic relief without weakening the tension, and there is a convincing sense of warmth to his dynamic with Pugh. These performances help elevate the material beyond its fairly predictable beats.

The action is large in scale and features the usual mix of hand-to-hand combat, weaponry and building-level destruction. Some sequences stand out visually, particularly when the Void's darkness begins warping reality and trapping citizens in nightmarish memory loops. These scenes are creatively staged, although some of the visual effects come across as rushed. It is another reminder that high budgets cannot always compensate for unrealistic timelines or studio overreach.

Pacing is another issue. The film runs for a little over two hours and there are several points where it feels stretched. Conversations drag, flashbacks repeat emotional beats, and the tension does not always hold between set pieces. While the emotional core is clearer than in some recent Marvel efforts, it sometimes competes with the need for spectacle and franchise setup. The climax itself tries to say something meaningful about trauma and solidarity but relies heavily on exposition to get there.

Character development is patchy. Although Bob and Yelena receive the most attention, others in the group are barely sketched in. Taskmaster remains more of a concept than a person, and John Walker is reduced to a few grunts and glares. This lack of balance makes it harder to care when they are in danger. Unlike the Avengers, who arrived fully formed with their own arcs already established, this team is made up of characters that never got the same treatment, making their unity feel less earned.

Despite this, there is some charm in the dysfunctional energy. The group feels like it is on the verge of collapse for most of the story, which helps to create tension. There are also several good jokes that cut through the seriousness, and the tone never becomes too self-important. The film knows its characters are flawed and lets them struggle with that without forcing redemption arcs where they do not belong.

There is a final twist that sets up future appearances and a tongue-in-cheek post credits scene that nods to upcoming crossovers. Whether this team will return or fade into Marvel's background remains to be seen. For now, it works well enough as a side project with decent performances, a few good set pieces and some emotional ambition, even if the overall experience is inconsistent.

It does not reach the heights of the best Marvel films and suffers from being too easy to compare with more iconic teams. However, it delivers just enough to justify its existence. The result is something that fans may enjoy in the moment but are unlikely to revisit.

7 out of 10

 

Out in Cinemas NOW!