*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Despite the return of beloved characters and the compelling inclusion of the Marvel multiverse, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” misses out on its full potential. While the film carries a well-developed plot, it falls victim to its extremely high expectations. “No Way Home” captures the audience with signature Marvel action, yet lacks engaging dialogue, especially that of characters returning from other Marvel universes. 

The return of past Peter Parkers — Tobey Maguire who starred in Sam Raimi’s films and Andrew Garfield, the star of Marc Webb’s “The Amazing Spider-Man”— brought many generations  of Spider-Man fans back to theaters in December. Along with the inclusion of past villains such as Doc Ock, Green Goblin, Electro, Lizard and Sandman, these nostalgic characters brought in viewers with high expectations for the expected masterpiece that was to unfold. The nostalgia from the previous films allows this modern-day Spider-Man adaptation to be enjoyed without too much criticism. 

Yet there was something off about these characters. The way they behaved and interacted with each other was unusual compared to their portrayals in their own films. Most people who love Spider-Man tend to have a favorite film franchise. Whether you love the shy innocence and charming geekiness of Maguire, the cool nerdy portrayal by Garfield or the Gen-Z goofiness of Holland, each film showcases a unique Peter portrayal. Each film franchise varies as well. The inclusion of these universes coming together in “No Way Home” felt less like having the worlds interact organically, but rather like the forced integration of characters from the previous films to conform to the vibe of the new Spider-Man films. 

While we see a small glimpse into the lives of each Peter as we watch Tom Holland’s Peter try to rectify the issue of MJ and Ned’s college admissions, the audience does not receive enough of an update into the current lives of the past Peters. Maguire’s character speaks vaguely on his current life, leaving the audience questioning whether or not he is now happily with Kirsten Dunst’s MJ, while Garfield’s character reveals his heartbreak over not being able to save Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy. Whether this was done purposefully or not, the viewers do not receive full satisfaction, especially those who watched for the purpose of seeing past characters. In terms of the villains, it is interesting to see the interaction of Norman Osborne and Doctor Octavius, since their characters had never interacted on screen before despite being described as old friends. While many of the villain interactions seem to give off a sense of comic relief, it felt as though these villains lost some of the intensity of their individual personalities again, as if trying to conform to the format of the newer films. 

Since the film’s plot, action and nostalgia elements remain compelling, it definitely is worth the watch. Though the makers of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” could have focused more on the actual characters themselves rather than only relying on the idea of bringing these characters together, it is still a definite must see and will leave the viewer mostly satisfied.