This latest chapter is the fourth Spidey film with Tom Holland in the lead, and he continues to give the character a more human ethos than just about any other superhero of note. He is affected by self-doubts and the sacrifices he had to make to keep his friends safe. This continues to lead him down the road to a fairly lonely existence. Brand New Day ultimately addresses that and gives more than a glimmer of hope.

The isolation he feels because of Dr Stephen Strange’s spell that was enacted in the previous chapter, No Way Home, is in full effect. None of his closest friends or even his lover MJ, played by real-world wife Zendaya, know him at all. His sense of duty is the only thing that keeps him going, as there is little else in his life to bring him joy. The sadness in his lodgings and his lifestyle is palpable.

There are so many moments that lit up the audience on the night; it makes one feel that they need a bit more background detail to engage fully. The cinematography is also a challenge with the almost constant shifts of both perspective and direction in its action scenes. This approach also necessitates a very large amount of CGI-created set design, which tends to distance you from the proceedings. Spider-Man: Brand New Day integrates more characters from the MCU than any chapter before, but it still keeps most of its outsider charm intact.
Rob Hudson
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Four years have passed since the events of No Way Home, and Peter is now an adult living entirely alone, having voluntarily erased himself from the lives and memories of those he loves.

Crime-fighting in a New York that no longer knows his name, he’s devoted himself entirely to protecting his city — a full-time Spider-Man — but as the demands on him intensify, the pressure sparks a surprising physical evolution that threatens his existence, even as a strange new pattern of crimes gives rise to one of the most powerful threats he has ever faced.
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The story is a simple one, a young girl named Bea (Cailey Fleming) who is going through tough times gains the ability to see people’s imaginary friends or IFs. She discovers she shares this trait with her neighbour Cal (Ryan Reynolds) and together they try to reconnect the IFs with the people they helped but abandoned as they grew up.

It’s played mostly for fun but there are some salient moments delivered with an ease that makes them never seem preachy or heavy-handed. It occupies a space that will appeal to almost anyone who has kindness in their heart and sees the good in others more often than not. It is delivered with an ease that feels very inviting.

IF’s appeal lies in a few key elements. It’s easy going and its life-reaffirming stance is very welcome. It also features a who’s who list of actor pals who lent their voices to the animated characters. This adds a lot as it’s fun to guess who there are. When the full cast list finally rolls at the film’s end you will be surprised by the ones you got right in addition to the ones you didn’t. For those that might suggest it is too slight, can we really have too much kindness in the world?
Rob Hudson
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IF stars Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell alongside many more as the wonderfully unique characters that reflect the incredible power of a child’s imagination.

IF will be released in Aussie cinemas May 16!
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IF stars Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell alongside many more as the wonderfully unique characters that reflect the incredible power of a child’s imagination.

Starring Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Alan Kim, Liza Colón-Zayas and Steve Carell, IF will be coming to cinemas May 2024!
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