Parents' Guide to

Spider-Man: No Way Home

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Fun, funny, touching Spidey sequel has comic book violence.

Movie PG-13 2021 148 minutes
Spider-Man: No Way Home Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 59 parent reviews

Jdag
Jdag Adult
January 17, 2022
age 10+

Fun Movie

This was a fun movie to watch, especially if you have seen all of the most recent spiderman movies. For younger viewers: skip the 1st scene in the apartment as sexual references are mentioned. Also, skip the fighting scene after the villains leave Happy's apartment, the display of violence and death is much more graphic than any previous film of the trilogy. Beyond those two scenes, the rest of the film was fun and contained just typical superhero/villain fighting.
Tom S.
Tom S. Parent of 10-year-old
March 15, 2022
age 8+
See all 59 parent reviews

What's the Story?

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME picks up moments after the ending of Far from Home, in which J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) revealed Spider-Man's secret identity to the world. This bombshell upends the lives of Peter Parker (Tom Holland), MJ (Zendaya), and Ned (Jacob Batalon), even resulting in their applications to MIT getting rejected. Peter decides to go see Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and ask for a spell. There is one, but it will cause everyone to forget who Peter is; it would be as if he'd never existed. While they attempt to modify the spell to exclude Peter's loved ones, things spin out of control. Before long, supervillains from alternate universes descend upon Spider-Man's world, and his hands are full. He's going to need some help.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (59 ):
Kids say (316 ):

This Spider-Man sequel has all the necessary ingredients for a top-notch superhero movie, including hilarity and heart, action and anxiousness, and some happy surprises. There's so much in Spider-Man: No Way Home to try not to spoil, but, given that the three Tom Holland Spidey movies all play on the word "home," even the title holds some clues. At its core, the movie is about families (including the "found families" we make along the way), doing the right thing, and helping out. Peter makes a most unusual decision in the story, steering away from what might be the "normal" choice in a comic book story and choosing something more unconventional, perhaps even uncinematic, because it's the right thing to do.

Yet the filmmakers don't let things get preachy or self-righteous. There's plenty of time for some of the funniest bits of dialogue in any of the Marvel movies so far, as well as moments of undeniable warmth between characters who've become so soothingly familiar. Unsurprisingly, Spider-Man: No Way Home is also technically superb, with exhilarating effects sequences, expert cinematography, and a breathless music score. (It's still a little untidy here and there and can't quite reach the dazzling perfection of the thematically similar Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but what can?) Overall, this 27th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe feels in some way like part of a great Spider-Man TV show, built on characters we really care about, whose trials and tribulations are truly affecting.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Spider-Man: No Way Home's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

  • Who are the role models in Spider-Man: No Way Home? In addition to courage, what other character strengths do they display? What does Peter learn about himself and his role as a superhero?

  • Is it true that good deeds can live on and inspire others? Can you think of any examples?

  • How do you feel about the idea of the multiverse? If you could meet someone from an alternate universe, who would it be? What would you expect?

  • What would you want to see in another Spider-Man sequel? For those familiar with the previous Spider-Man installments: Which Spider-Man series is your favorite? How about which Spider-Man actor, and why?

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