So I watched Spider-Man: Brand New Day…

The first movie I ever watched at the cinema was 2002’s Spider-Man, where the combination of Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire came together beautifully to forever cement this character’s place in my heart. From then on, I made it my mission to see every new Spider-Man offering on the big screen — failing to do so only once. With this latest offering, Tom Holland and director Destin Daniel Cretton combine to give us what, in my opinion, is the best Spider-Man movie to date.

Okay, basic plot: four years after the events of No Way Home, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is living an isolated life, focusing solely on being Spider-Man and fighting the never-ending threats that plague New York. When a new threat — a person capable of controlling people’s minds — begins terrorising the city, Peter is forced not only to take on this new foe but also to wrestle with an internal conflict that threatens to tear him apart.

I was a huge fan of Tom Holland’s first Spider-Man offering, Homecoming, and at the time called it the best Spider-Man movie ever made. His next two films felt a little disappointing. Far From Home felt like Spider-Man in someone else’s movie, while No Way Home often felt like fan service at the expense of story. Not bad movies at all, but neither felt like a true Spider-Man movie. The beauty of Spider-Man is that he is a regional, street-level kind of hero. Someone looking out for the little guy. The “Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man” tag isn’t just a gimmick; it’s the core of his identity, and Brand New Day builds on the excellent work of Homecoming in showcasing that.

A common complaint about the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of Spider-Man is that his journey has been too reliant on other characters. Tony Stark built his suit. Nick Fury pulled his strings. Doctor Strange rebooted his entire existence. And while I think some of those complaints can be a little hyperbolic, I do agree that Spider-Man has often felt like a passenger in his own movies. That’s no longer true. The Punisher and Hulk are featured prominently here, but they are firmly side characters in Peter’s story. This is his movie, his struggle and, most importantly, his Spider-Man.

Recency bias is a dangerous thing, and I have just gone and called Brand New Day the best Spider-Man movie ever made. But I don’t say that lightly. In the same way, my next statement is not made lightly either: Tom Holland is the best Spider-Man and Peter Parker ever put to film. It’s a bold claim and a challenging comparison because the three live-action versions of Spider-Man we’ve been given were created during vastly different eras of superhero cinema. They are also three distinctly different interpretations of the same character. Tobey Maguire was the most mature and grounded. Andrew Garfield was the most flamboyant and technically impressive. But Holland gets the crown because his version of Peter Parker now feels like he has everything those previous interpretations had and more. Holland’s performance in this film is an absolute pleasure to watch. There are some intensely emotional moments that our favourite wall-crawler has to navigate, and Holland never misses a beat. Yet he still manages to deliver the characteristic charm, awkwardness and quick humour synonymous with the character.

He is Peter Parker.

He is Spider-Man.

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of playing Marvel’s Spider-Man on PS4, you’ll know just how effectively that game made you feel like you were Spider-Man swinging through New York. This film somehow manages to capture that same feeling. The use of new camera technology, the practical approach to filming the action sequences, the sound of the wind swirling around you as Spider-Man flies through the city — it all comes together wonderfully to give you the experience of being Spider-Man, minus the radioactive spider bite.

There’s a lot of great work being done both in front of and behind the camera to make this movie feel real. Destin Daniel Cretton previously directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and if you enjoyed the realism and intensity of that film’s action sequences, you’re going to love what he and his crew manage to create here. The action has weight. The movement feels physical. And despite watching a man in spandex swing between skyscrapers, there’s a tangible quality to it that makes you believe what you’re seeing.

While the whole world is going crazy — myself included — for Tom Holland and Zendaya, and their chemistry (or, more accurately, the intentional lack thereof) is one of the best aspects of this film, I often feel Jacob Batalon gets overlooked. The friendship between their three respective characters — and especially the relationship between Peter and Batalon’s Ned Leeds — has been the emotional bedrock of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man movies. Brand New Day understands that. The sacrifice Peter has to make in order to keep his friends safe is one of the most heartbreaking themes of the movie and perfectly encapsulates what it means to be Spider-Man. Because underneath the powers, the villains, the costumes and the spectacle, Spider-Man has always been a character defined by sacrifice. Peter Parker keeps choosing to do the right thing even when doing so costs him the things he wants most.

Overall, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is an instant classic. It’s one of the most faithful and ambitious depictions of the character we’ve seen on screen. It finally feels like Marvel and Sony trusted Spider-Man to stand on his own, and the result is a film that’s mature, poignant, funny and an absolute blast to watch. Maybe recency bias will eventually knock it down a peg. Right now, though? Best Spider-Man movie ever made. Definitely worth seeing in the cinema. 9/10