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Created Jul 20, 2019 04:19AM PST • Edited Oct 20, 2019 05:27PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Perfect 5.0

   The fate of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in sticky good hands as Spider-Man improves to perfection in Tom Holland’s sophomore outing. Indeed, Far from Home gives us everything we want in a blockbuster.

   It starts by playing out the changing-of-the-guard that began in the still-in-theaters Avengers Endgame, from Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man to the friendly neighborhood superhero who’s still in high school.

   Spider-Man: Far from Home also has lots of laughs, characters worth caring about, and a super smart script. Even the CGI battles are compelling, almost believable in a way. Holograms you know. Mostly there’s not a single dead moment in this long movie. Some of those moments are charming, some romantic, some funny as hell. Most impressively, this high-school movie manages to be both innocent and knowing.

   Far from Home’s super-villain is up to the essential task in an action movie: giving the hero an enemy worthy of his heroism. No need to name that villain, but you can rest assured that he doesn’t disappoint.

   Jon Watts landed a really great debut Spider-Man movie with Homecoming. Working from a script by the same two comedy writers, he’s upped the ante to perfection with Far from Home. Bring home more!

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   Tom Holland continues to charm and impress as Peter Parker / Spider-Man. The young man’s got a future.

   • Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury: Can’t get enough.
   • Zendaya as MJ: Super Cool
   • Jacob Batalon continues to represent the rest of humanity well as Peter’s buddy and confidante.
   • Marisa Tomei continues to be adorable and fun as Peter’s Aunt May.
   • Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill cuts an impressive figure.
   • Jon Favreau disappoints as Happy Hogan.
   • J. B. Smoove & Martin Starr disappoint as teachers serving as chaperons.
   • Jake Gyllenhaal makes a bitching Mysterio: Straight from Central Casting
   • Tony Revolori returns as Peter’s jerk classmate.
   • Angourie Rice impresses again as the precocious high school girl Betty Brant.
   • Peter Billingsley reprises his William Ginter Riva role from Iron Man, a decade ago.
   • Jeff Bridges & Robert Downey Jr appear in archival footage from Iron Man & Captain America.
   • Numan Acar as Fury’s associate Dimitri Smerdyakov
   • Remy Hii as Brad Davis, a popular student who competes with Peter for MJ’s affection
   • J. K. Simmons slays per usual as J. Jonah Jameson in the mid-credits scene
   • Ben Mendelsohn and Sharon Blynn play a couple of Skrulls.
   • Downey, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson & Paul Bettany appear in pics of Stark, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff & the Vision in the “in memoriam” segment at the outset.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

7. Female Costars Great 4.0

8. Male Costars Great 4.0

10. Film

    Perfect 5.0

    Spider Man 2 proves that Marvel’s gonna be ok post Iron Man and post Stan Lee. Returning director John Watts and his two comedy writers improve to perfection in Far from Home. 3 proof points among many:

    • Illusions to die for: sophisticated, cerebral, vivid. Someone’s been spending time at MOMA.
    • Best Marvel teases yet in the mid and post-credits scenes
    • The Blip

11. Direction Perfect 5.0

    Jon Watts has improved as a Marvel director with his second Spider-Man film.

12. Play Perfect 5.0

    The story was written by Chris McKenna, with the screenplay by Erik Sommers, the same writers behind Spider-Man: Homecoming. Plus, they are also key writers of other terrific recent movies, including The Lego Batman Movie and Ant-Man and the Wasp.

    Of course, they had the enormous advantage of basing their script on the iconic Marvel comic book by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko

13. Music Perfect 5.0

14. Visuals Perfect 5.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.9

17. Sex Innocent 1.5

18. Violence Fierce 2.5

19. Rudeness Salty 1.8

21. Reality

    Fantasy 4.1

22. Circumstantial Surreal 3.0

23. Biological Fantasy 5.0

24. Physical Fantasy 4.2