Watched Spider-Man: Brand New Day this noon, and I actually had a really good time with it.
The biggest surprise for me was Peter. I feel like this is the closest we've gotten to a genuinely comic-accurate Peter Parker in the MCU. He's exhausted, lonely, carrying the weight of everything he's lost, and trying to do the right thing anyway. This version of Peter is so painfully depressed in a way that feels... right. Being Spider-Man has always been about enduring more than anyone reasonably should, and this movie finally lets him exist in that space.
I also really loved Peter's dynamic with Frank Castle. They're complete opposites in how they approach justice, but beneath all the arguing and clashing ideals, there was this quiet understanding between them. Frank sees just how broken Peter is, and Peter sees the humanity Frank insists on burying. It's such a compelling pairing because they're both deeply traumatized men who chose entirely different ways to live with that trauma. Every scene they shared was fantastic.
The relationship with MJ and Ned was probably the most bittersweet part. I was so relieved they didn't go with the predictable route of magically restoring MJ's memories. Instead, she truly has no recollection of Peter, but she's willing to give this stranger a chance and get to know him again. Somehow that hurts even more, but it's also hopeful. It reminded me a lot of Peter Quill and Gamora—you don't get your person back, but maybe you can build something new with the person they are now. The difference is that, unlike Quill and Gamora, Peter and MJ actually have a chance to rekindle what they once had. She isn't the same MJ who remembers him, but the door isn't closed. It's just a new beginning instead of a continuation, and I honestly love that choice.
And can we all collectively admit that we all knew Sadie Sink was going to be Jean the moment she was cast? 😭 Honestly though, I really liked this take on Jean. She feels much more human, and I think that's what made her work so well for me.
Overall, I thought it was a good movie. Definitely not my favorite Spider-Man film, but one that understands Peter Parker in a way I've been missing for a while. Sometimes the most comic-accurate thing you can do is let Peter Parker be miserable... and then let him keep moving forward anyway.
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